Aims and Objectives

The UTM Black Flourishing Summit is an annual gathering that brings together Black students, staff, faculty, librarians, instructors, and community members to connect, reflect, and thrive.

Each year, the Summit is structured around timely and relevant themes that speak to the realities of Black life and learning within higher education.

The UTM Black Flourishing Summit is about:

• Reclaiming connection — creating space for Black individuals to come together, support one another, and feel a sense of beloni’m around, when your’ging.
• Celebrating Black brilliance — recognizing the knowledge, leadership, and creativity that Black people bring to the university and beyond.
• Uplifting diverse voices — embracing the many ways Black identity is experienced, across gender, sexuality, ability, and background.
• Challenging injustice — naming and addressing the barriers Black individuals face, and working together to build more inclusive systems.
• Inspiring change — supporting new ideas, bold research, and the next generation of Black leaders.
• Centring Black joy — because joy, healing, and celebration are powerful forms of resistance and renewal.

More than just an event, the Summit is a movement—one that centers Black experiences, affirms Black excellence, and builds a future rooted in equity, dignity, and collective flourishing.

Held on Thursday, June 25, 2025, the second annual Black Flourishing Summit brought together an even larger gathering of Black scholars, leaders, advocates, and champions. This year’s theme, “Mapping Our Future: Nurturing Growth, Building Legacy,” focused on charting our own course in the face of rising anti-EDI rhetoric targeting Black and racialized communities.

The Summit affirmed our right to take up space, be seen, and be acknowledged for our contributions in higher education and beyond. Featuring prominent leaders from McGill University, Brock University, and McMaster University, the day called on participants to envision new possibilities, set bold directions, and shape the future of Black flourishing—both within ourselves and across our communities.

When Black staff, faculty, instructors, and librarians take charge of their paths, they unlock the power to influence their destinies and manifest dreams into reality. This Summit encouraged participants to imagine a future where Black knowledge, experiences, and identities are not only respected but celebrated and empowered to thrive. Through this collective visioning, we aim to ignite creativity, build resilience, and foster meaningful change for current and future generations in higher education.

Featured speakers included:

• Dr. Andrew B. Campbell (Dr. ABC) – Assistant Professor, OISE, and Director, Centre for Black Studies in Education
• Monique Beauregard – Manager, Black Student Success Centre, Brock University
• Iyobosa Faith Ogunkoya – Manager, Black Student Success, McMaster University
• Maurice Riley Case – Associate Director of Black Inclusion, Success, and Strategic Initiatives, McGill University
• Aina-Nia Ayo’dele – Cultural leader and advocate for Black well-being and joy

Together, we explored the importance of self-preservation, Black joy, and well-being in creating more inclusive and supportive environments for Black individuals in higher education.

The inaugural Black Flourishing and Inclusive Excellence Summit, held on June 27, 2024, brought together over 50 Black staff, faculty, and community members at UTM for a powerful day of connection, reflection, and empowerment. Centred on the theme “Rise and Thrive: Celebrating Resilience and Excellence,” the Summit explored how Black individuals can thrive amidst the ongoing realities of oppression and discrimination.

Through dynamic conversations, collaborative roundtables, reflective activities, and empowering resources, participants celebrated Black excellence while identifying strategies for personal and collective growth. The day focused on embracing change, building meaningful connections, and defining what it means to flourish as a Black-identifying person at UTM. Attendees also outlined key priorities for institutional change and shared insights on how to harness their unique strengths—their “superpowers”—to lead, inspire, and transform.

For questions specific to the Black Flourishing Summit, please contact black.utm@utoronto.ca.