On February 29, the Montreal Afro-Canadian Cultural Centre (CCAM) marked a memorable day as part of Black History Month 2024, in partnership with the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM), with a clear objective: to inspire and motivate tomorrow's youth.
For its "International Leaders" lecture series, the Chamber welcomed Dr. Jemison Mae, the first woman of color to travel into space. Thanks to the generosity of a few donors, and working closely with the Henri Bourassa and Calixa Lavallée high schools, the West Island Black Community Association and the Maison des jeunes Louverture, the CCAM mobilized 20 high school students (aged between 15 and 17) to experience this unique opportunity on the premises of Montreal's Théâtre St-James.
The organization of this initiative was perfectly in line with CCAM's community outreach objectives, aimed at promoting the participation of young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, in activities by giving them access to inspiring role models, leading one of the young people present to declare "it was the best day of my life".
The students present were part of robotics clubs at their educational institutions, or are involved in programs focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In addition, the young women were specially invited to take part in an interactive workshop offering them a privileged space to explore their potential and aspirations.
This partnership between CCAM, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, and community partners underscores our commitment to inspiring and developing young people. By offering unique opportunities, we aim to foster the cultural development of young people while strengthening our community ties. Introducing inspiring role models like Dr. Jemison opens up an infinite universe of possibilities for young people to explore.
"This partnership between the CCAM and the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, and the resulting collaboration with community players, underscores our commitment to the cultural development of our young people. By offering our young people such unique and enriching opportunities, and role models such as Dr. Jemison, we are showing them the infinite range of possibilities they can explore," said Allen Alexandre, Executive Director of CCAM.