Kardinal Offishall and Michael “Pinball” Clemons band together to support youth in Canada

BY PAUL JUNOR

The announcement of three new scholarships for black youth on Monday, September 7^th, 2020 is good news for students who are planning on attending college or university. The scholarships will be offered by the BLACK Label Coalition, which joined with the Pinball Clemons Foundation to donate up to $250,000 to outstanding black leaders from 2020 to 2024.

The Coalition was formed as a result of initiatives by Kardinal Offishall and workers at Universal Music Canada whose mission is, “To create diversity, equity and representation within Universal Music Canada.” It was catalyzed by the social protest and political activism in the U.S, as a result of police killings in the aftermath of Black Tuesday on June 2^nd,2020.

The acronym BLACK means Businesses Levelling Access to Change and Knowledge and arose due to the efforts of world-renowned hip hop artist Jason Harrow otherwise known as Kardinall Offishall, who is also a music executive with Universal Music Canada.

In the press release, he states, “In the midst of a social uprising and the complexities of a global pandemic, the black employees at Universal Music Canada rallied together to form a coalition of people who desperately saw the need to act immediately.” He continues, “We found it imperative to combat the systemic inequalities that existed around us, in all parts of our lives-professional, social and personal. We are extremely happy to have worked swiftly and strategically with the Pinball Clemons Foundation, to create scholarships supporting underserved youth in our communities.”

Michael “Pinball” Clemons, Co-founder of the Pinball Clemons Foundation’s mission is to, “Provide marginalized youth with educational resources and options to integrate into the mainstream of society.” The foundation has been a driving force in inspiring black youth. The Foundation provides mentoring programs and financial support for youth.

In the press release, Michael Clemons states, “The quest for equality is universal, but today Universal Music has made it more local. Everyone, no matter his or her present condition, has needed help at some point. Racism has accentuated this reality for black youth making it infinitely more difficult for them to experience success.” He is grateful for Universal Music Canada for, “Providing hope and vision of a new day; a bigger, better and brighter one. This contribution will empower black youth to be self-sustaining, not just survive, but thrive, elevating  them from the margins to the mainstream.”

Jeffrey Remedios, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Canada stated in the press release, “On behalf of all Universal Music Canada employees, and specifically those of our BLACK Label Coalition, we are honoured to be partnering in a new scholarship program with the Pinball Clemons Foundation.” He notes that, “While the BLACK Label Scholarship is not specifically tied to the music industry, this announcement today further reflects our company’s commitment to bring about impactful, meaningful change. I hope that some of these recipients may choose to pursue a career in the music industry, resulting in empowered black leaders of the future.”

In order to qualify for one of the five $10,000 scholarships, youth must have a history of community volunteer experience and at least a 2.5 GPA in their secondary courses. In addition, they must be enrolled in the Pinball Clemons Foundation Margins to Mainstream Bursary Program, live in Canada and be of African-Canadian descent.

These five scholarships will go a long way in helping financially needy students cover their educational expenses. At a time when educational expenses are rising, these scholarships will come in handy.