Over 100 Black student leaders from across the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) gathered at George Brown College’s (GBC) St. James Campus for the culminating symposium of the 2025 Black Student Summer Leadership Program (BSSLP), held from August 12 to 14.
Rooted in Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR), BSSLP equips Black youth to investigate issues that impact their lives, translate community wisdom into research, and lead solution-building. Over six years, the program has become a model for youth-led inquiry and advocacy, guided by an all Black/African diasporic staff mentor and research team that grounds this work in Afrocentric values of Ubuntu, care, and collective responsibility.
This marks the first time GBC has served as the host institution for the TDSB’s Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement program, strengthening an already robust partnership between the two educational institutions. The collaboration represents a significant investment in supporting educational pathways and leadership development for Black youth in the Greater Toronto Area.
