2022 Indigenous and Black Youth Fund Projects

Our second funding cycle has successfully concluded and we are excited to share key details of this round. Like the previous funding cycle our goal is to spotlight and focus on the deeply uniqueness and creativity of Black and Indigenous youth across the board. As a team it was a deeply healing experience to read through the submitted project, envision the care and love that went into every conceptualized project and find a sense of joy in the knowledge that so many brilliant youth are bettering their communities with or without the necessary and critical support systems.

A total of 26 incredible projects ranging from student-led events, community building art projects, birth work, Indigenous-led workshops, to healing circles were funded this round. Please read below to learn more about the highlighted projects!

Maisha Canada Mentorship Program 

This project aims to provide a platform where Black students and graduates in Canada share experiences. The goal is to create a pipeline program for Black students and recent graduates.

Hamámt - To Give Away

This project will support upskill for Indigenous youth with the tools and supplies to prepare winter ceremonial giveaways that are custom amongst Stó:lō people during the winter season.

Mekw’stam  (everything/the universe in helquemeylem)

A storytelling project using a series of prints created in the traditional Sto:lo (coast salish) style. This project will involve creating art, teaching and forming community connections.

Damini’s Book Club

A Black-led book club based in Vancouver that aims to create and sustain a space where Black women/femme-identifying can regularly gather to explore the nuances and complexities of their intersectional identities through critical analysis of selected texts. 

Indigenous Youth Mentorship

This project will foster greater potential for Queer Two-Spirit Indigenous youth to remain in community and access information about cultural events and support attending events together.

UBC Black History Month

The goal of the project is to organize a meaningful student led Black History Month celebration with various events each week for Black students and staff to gather and celebrate.

My Life

This project will conduct research on Indian Hospitals and its direct impact on their family.

ANONYMOUS

To support an individual to start their healing process after experiencing a traumatic event. 

Untitled ANONYMOUS

This project will support the studio recording, mixing, and mastering of two albums, including the filming of accompanying music videos and visual arts.

Black Muslim Collective

This event will showcase interactive dialogue in regards to claiming your space, building resilience, dealing with anti-Black racism, tokenism and much more.

THE VAULT GALLERY

The Vault is an ongoing project that will run a mini-project where BIPOC artists/creatives will come together and collaborate in the studio gallery to create an installation for an exhibit.

THE MANDRAKE YOWL

This project is an art Zine centring oppressed voices within racially oppressed communities. It aims to provide a creative outlet for BIPOC, neurodivergent people of all abilities.

ART ECOSYSTEM

This project is an Indigenous & Black led community care/art project with workshops, gatherings & co-hosting the Indigenous Brilliance account.

INDEPENDENT BLACK MEDIA: LOVE, RAGE AND LAND BACK

This project will produce a first feature film that will support the filmmaker to reconnect with their family and ancestral lands.

RE-EVALUATING BLACK MASCULINITY

A photography series documenting soft Black masculinity in Victoria & Vancouver.

I LOVE MY BLOCK

A film intended to showcase and highlight this individual's experience living in subsidized housing. And the community story.

ADAWX PROJECT

A project intended to create sustainable healing and growth opportunities through creating art and research of traditional knowledge and stories.

HEALING THROUGH DANCE BY INDANGAMIRWA DANCE GROUP

Indangamirwa Traditional Dance Group (ITDG) was born of the passion of 4 ladies for their culture, the desire to share it and in so doing, fostering cultural understanding and promoting the spirit of togetherness and community.

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT

The goal of this project is to raise money that would cover some of the education cost of becoming a licensed dental assistant.

POETIC MEDIATIONS: LIBERATION ON PURPOSE

The aim of the project is to fuse the mindfulness technique of meditation with the creative writing practice of poetry through community sessions.

STUDIO SESSIONS W/SLEEPLESS & HIVE

Monthly workshops led by local makers and artists, focusing on a singular skill or project. Focused on upcycling existing clothing pieces, creating new from old, and learning to enjoy the process of making something that is completely unique.

BLACK HOME BIRTH PROJECT

This project is an ongoing project to bridge the gaps for Black families desiring to have a home birth in order to reduce the risk of Black maternal and infant mortality in hospitals.

DACRIB

This project will address the lack of inclusive spaces, and create space for organizers to meet and collaborate as well as host events with the intent to make the community feel safe and welcomed.

BIPOC’S MEN GROUP

A peer facilitated space for masculine identifying folks to support each other, think critically about masculinity, and challenge ourselves to show up better in community.

PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT

This project will highlight Indigenous artists, their stories and their work in hopes of outshining the negative stories circled about Indigenous peoples daily.