Brampton’s Black Empowerment Unit Launches Bold Community Consultation

Hundreds from: Black, African, and Indo-Caribbean communities, along with members of the wider Canadian diaspora, gathered on Tuesday, January 29^th, 2025, at Brampton City Hall’s Atrium for the launch of the Black Community Voice Consultation.

Hosted by the Black Empowerment Unit (BEU), the event aimed to inspire, connect, and mobilize. Promotional materials promised an evening of “Conversations, networking, and community connections,” while introducing residents to the BEU’s mission and opportunities for involvement.

The BEU, officially launched in June 2020 with the appointment of Gwyneth Chapman as Senior Advisor, operates under the City of Brampton’s Black, African, and Caribbean Social, Cultural, and Economic Empowerment and Anti-Black Racism Unit. Its mandate is ambitious: to tackle systemic anti-Black racism and empower Black residents through civic engagement, cultural programming, youth initiatives, and economic development.

The Unit’s mission is clear; improve the economic status of the Black community by building pathways to ownership, opportunity, and financial resilience. Its vision: to make Brampton a place of belonging, pride, and opportunity.

BEU’s Key Priorities Include:

• Environmental justice initiatives
• Volunteering and mutual aid
• Newcomer settlement and integration
• Social cohesion and intergenerational dialogue
• Youth civic education and service learning
• Affordable housing advocacy
• Emergency planning and public health response

Practical work to date includes political activism, environmental advocacy, newcomer settlement support, and partnerships with the Region of Peel to expand access to affordable housing and community safety resources.

Community Consultation Process

A project consultant outlined the next steps:

• Hold 10 comprehensive community consultations
• Collaborate with a task group of Black leaders, advocates, and residents to shape the process
• Engage diverse community members including African Canadian seniors, youth, 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, persons with disabilities, and faith-based groups
• Analyze findings and publish an accessible, engaging report
• Develop recommendations for Brampton’s 5-Year Action Plan in partnership with BEU

Creative consultant and visionary strategist Patrick Cole delivered a powerful presentation, naming the pressing challenges facing African, Black, and Caribbean residents and offering actionable strategies.

The consultation will run from August to November, with local school boards ensuring that students’ voices are heard in October. Youth will have dedicated platforms to share their concerns, ideas, and solutions.

For more information on the BEU and its initiatives, visit Brampton.ca/BEU.