STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP HELD FOR KCA LEADERSHIP IN ONTARIO
Photo:
Kenyan Canadian Association at Turn berry Golf Club in Brampton, OntarioThe strategic planning workshop held on November 12, 2022 at Turn berry Golf Club in Brampton was facilitated through the support of the Black Canadian Communities Initiative (SBCCI) FUND.
SBCCI was created by the federal government through Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to help build the capacity of grassroots not-for-profit organizations serving Black communities in Canada. SBCCI FUND is aiding selected black-led or black-serving not-for-profits to increase financial support, gain greater organizational stability, and improve their leadership, communication, transparency, and growth.
KCA is a federal not-for-profit organization with 19 regions across Canada. The organization seeks to address the issues affecting marginalized Canadians especially those of Kenyan origin, the black communities and visible minorities while assisting newcomers to settle and make a positive contribution in the society as they endeavour to achieve their goals.
KCA Programs Include:
• Newcomers & Settlement • Women & Gender Affairs • Health & Wellness • Sports & Recreation • Social Economic Empowerment (SEE) • Youth Outreach • Seniors Outreach • Careers, Education & Research (CER)PRESIDENT'S DESK
WHO WE ARE
The African-Canadian Social Development Council (ACSDC) is a non-for-profit organization based in Toronto. ACSDC is the umbrella organization for all African-Canadian community agencies and African-Canadian cultural organizations that provide services to the African-Community in Ontario.
ACSDC was registered in 2002 with a current membership of eighty-seven(87) organizations.
OUR PROGRAMS
A) Research
B) Advocacy
C) Education
D) Relief Aid Services
E) Community Development
We have full-time staff and we are located at:
4250 Weston Road, Suite 202
Toronto, ON M9L 1W9
Tel: (416) 532-2273
Fax: (416) 740-4652
Email: acsdc.secretariat@gmail.com
AFRICAN TALKING DRUM TEAM
- President – Nene Kabu Asante
- Lead Editor – Solomon Aremu
- Contributing Editor – Wofa Yaw Nyarko / Creativity and Design – Crystals Arts (Rose Mensah)
- Contributors – Jamila Aman, Vivian Yorrick & James Nyarko
PRESIDENT’S DESK
Mr. Kabu AsanteWishing you all a very happy New Year. The year, 2022, was filled with difficulties and disappointments, yet most of our community agencies thrived despite the challenges posed by their circumstances.
What does 2023 have in store for us – the Black community? A few weeks ago, the Mayor of Toronto, John Tory, announced that a significant amount of additional funding will be given to the Toronto Police Service to “keep our streets safer”. While police services are necessary for a well-functioning society, critics say that this increase in the police budget will rob the already underserved communities of funding to support other critical social services. An overwhelming amount of research exists on how to alleviate anti-black racism and lslamophobia in our communities, yet these issues still persist. Anti-Racism efforts in our schools and workplaces don’t seem to be effective enough. However, judging by the effectiveness of our recent conference, I propose that all places of work and educational institutions require annual training to combat the negative impact on our society posed by anti-black racism and lslamophobia.
This increase in the Toronto Police’s budget, which is aimed at expanding the size of the police force (and not improving the quality of police training), will almost certainly exacerbate the issue of over-policing, particularly of racialized communities. While the city of Toronto boasts that it spends incredible amounts on anti-Black racism efforts, it will be spending 100 times that amount on the same police force that arbitrarily criminalizes and harasses Black and other racialized people.
Le Bureau du President | Mr. Kabu Asante
Je Vous Souhaite à tous une très Bonne Annèe
L’annee 2022 a ete remplie de difficultes et de deceptions, mais la plupart de nos organismes communautaires ont prospere malgre les defis poses par leur situation.
Oue nous reserve 2023 – la communaute noire? II ya quelques semaines, le Maire de Toronto, John Tory, annon ait qu’un financement supplementaire important sera accorde au service de police de Toronto pour «rendre nos rues plus sures». Alors que les services de police sont necessaires dans une societe qui fonctionne bien, les critiques disent que cette augmentation du budget de la police privera les communautes deja mal desservies du finance ment pour soutenir d’autres services sociaux essentiels.
Cette augmentation du budget de la police de Toronto, qui vise a augmenter la taille de la force policiere (et non a ameliorer la qualite de la formation policiere), exacerbera certainement le probleme de la sur-police, en particu lier des communautes raciales et minorites visibles. Alors que la ville de Toronto se vante d’avoir depense des sommes incroyables pour lutter contre le racisme envers les Noirs, elle depensera 100 fois ce montant pour la meme force de police qui criminalise et harcele arbitrairement les Noirs et les autres minorites visibles.
Les representants du gouvernement ne peuvent plus ignorer la preuve que l’amelioration de la securite publique va bien au-dela de !’augmentation de la presence de la police. En effet, nous devons continuer a plaider pour la redistribution des ressources aux organismes communautaires, comme tous ceux qui relevent de l’ACSDC, qui favorisent !’amelioration de la societe a son niveau fondamental.