Black History Month: the OTF celebrates, supports

The stories of Ontario’s Black communities include, but are not limited to, experiences linked to the Underground Railroad, and they continue through advancements in science, art, music, sports, culture, human rights, and more. 

With the help of our grants, people across Ontario have learned about and had better access to:

• The Guelph Black Heritage Hall built by former fugitive slaves who came to Ontario via the Underground Railroad. 
• Josiah Henson who was the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. 
• Incredible Black athletes like three-time MLB All-Star Fergie Jenkins, and so much more.

We remain focused year-round on working with Black communities, and our responsibility is written into our strategy for building inclusive and engaged communities together.

“The Ontario Trillium Foundation is proud to support projects that educate people about the history of Black Ontarians and Canadians, and for the future of strong Black communities,” said Katharine Bambrick, CEO, Ontario Trillium Foundation.

In addition to the other work we do with Black communities across the province, since 2010, we have awarded $1.2 million in funding to 19 projects working to preserve, commemorate, and educate people about Black History in Ontario. 

This year’s theme for Black History Month is Black Canadian Youth: Boundless, Rooted, and Proud, and part of our granting is focused on Black-led grassroots groups through the Youth Opportunities Fund. Since 2014, the Youth Opportunities Fund has provided almost $11,000,000 to over 50 Black-led groups that support projects for youth in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), in the arts, in community building, and strengthening young Black voices.

This month we will be sharing stories on our social channels from our grantees about what our funding means for the preservation of Black History, and for the future of Ontario’s Black youth. 

Find us on all social channels @ONTrillium.