Black Business and Professional Association

By: Priscilla Wiredu 

When it comes to discussions centered around business and professionalism, Black people continue to face challenges when finding the proper connections. They also lack trust in their partnerships, coupled with other racial barriers within the workplace. 

However, through hard work and initiative, there are focused organizations that cater towards providing resources for Black people to confide in, to ensure that they are being set up for success. 

The Black Business and Professional Association is one of these organizations. 

What is the BBPA? 

The Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) is a charitable organization that promotes equality and new opportunities for the Black business, employment, education, and economic development communities. These opportunities provide the Black community with resources that strengthen research and networking. 

Founded on October 21, 1982, Black businessman Denham Jolly invited members to attend a meeting at the Underground Railroad. This is known as a popular local restaurant located in downtown Toronto. What started as a discussion quickly turned into the creation of an association, a committee, and organization in which it recognizes the contributions of Black people in business. 

The Black Business and Professional Association aims to help Canadian Black communities by offering programs that support business incentives and promote professional excellence. This includes higher education that will lead to economic success and stability within the workplace. BBPA has a central mission statement that values and encourages the pursuit of entrepreneurship, business, and success. Their strategy includes: 

• Facilitating networking opportunities and resources to people of colour  

• Identifying and rewarding excellence in achievement based on merit 
• Establishing connections with other organizations on matters that relate to business, education, economic development, and community wellness 
• Build a cross-cultural understanding and promote equity. 

Programs 

The BBPA offers a multitude of courses to help those interested in business with their goals. Some of their most popular courses are: 

BAIDS 

The Business Advisory Implementation Development Services (BAIDS) is a customized program that intends to motivate and empower Black businesses who lack the resources and credentials to operate professional functions. This program teaches students about challenges in marketing, staffing, and tax law. The BAIDS program serves as a starting point for Black entrepreneurs that offer realistic and essential support to achieve long-term success. 

The Youth Entrepreneurial Development Training Program 

The Youth Entrepreneurial Development Training Program is a 20-week program that includes topics such as social enterprise development and expressions of creative arts. Alongside creative and performing arts mentorships, they offer a 14-week culinary arts training program for young Black entrepreneurs. According to the application form, the requirements are as follows: 

• Applicants must be 15-29 years of age 
• Must have completed Grade 10 
• Must not be enrolled in full-time post-secondary studies 
• Must not be employed full time 
• Must be interested in entrepreneurship 

Applicants under 18 years of age must download the form and have it signed by a legal guardian, then mail it to the BBPA. Individuals over 18 can fill it out online and submit it. 

The BBPA Mentorship  

The mentorship aims to provide resources to the Black youth who require additional support. This program is open to both men and women who are 18 years old and above. This mentorship program specifically offers initiatives centered around employability, sports, healthcare, marketing, video production, and technologies.  

Mentors are assigned to those with respect to their age cohort, shared interest, and specialized areas of expertise. These mentorships require one-on-one training and run for six months. Meetings are held twice a month, and at the end of each month there is a feedback form to report evaluations.  

Boss Women Entrepreneurship Program  

The Boss Women Entrepreneurship Program is an event that empowers Black women entrepreneurs with the skills and resources to excel in business and overcome certain barriers. The BWEP offers a 13-week bootcamp that teaches Black women about entrepreneurship and ways to execute a business venture, move up in the business world, set financial goals, and learn accounting and sales.  

The program is hosted by Nadine Spencer, one of Toronto’s most prominent Black female entrepreneurs that has hosted many masterclasses with other credible partners. They have other facilitators which include Ryerson University, TJMAxx, Futurpreneur, and the Government of Canada. Applicants who are interested are required to sign up over Zoom to secure a spot.  

Scholarships 

The BBPA provides a National Scholarship Program that was established in 1986. This program is dedicated to supporting academic success among Black Canadian youth.  

This volunteer board was created in hopes to decrease the rate of school drop-outs among Black students, due to the lack of funding. It is supported by a multitude of programs and has an extensive list of awards and scholarships available.  

In 2019, the BBPA awarded a total of 54 scholarships and together these are valued close to $180,000. For the past 34 years, the BBPA Scholarship Fund issued over 1,150 scholarships, valued at $4.5 million. This was possible due to the organizations and  individuals’ gifts to their endowment funds.  

The BBPA offers specialty scholarships, grouped into two subcategories:  

• Debuted in 2020, the LGBTQ annual scholarship. This recognizes an exceptional student from the LGBTQ community who wishes to pursue higher education at a college/university level. The student must demonstrate quality academic performance, social contribution and a statement of intent to acquire resources. 

• Similarly, in 2020, the BBPA Skilled Trades Scholarship was debuted, which selects an interested student wanting to pursue a particular skilled trade. This award is given to those who completed high school, exhibit academic success, social contribution, and a statement of intent. 

The BBPA Future Leaders Scholarships generate a majority of its funds from grants on behalf of the Government of Ontario, individuals, and corporations. These scholarships are offered to students who are the first in their family to attend a formal university or college. 

The BBPA Legacy Scholarships are scholarships that are funded by corporations or Black Canadians. These individuals have put forth their talents in arts, professions, science, business, technology, and politics.  

These scholarships are unique because they are named after the person who demonstrates exceptional talent. These scholarships are reserved for students who demonstrate stellar academic excellence, community service, and/or special needs. 

The Xero Scholarship is worth $5000 and is awarded to a Black student enrolled in accounting at a Canadian college or university. It is granted based on academic merit and a legitimate reason for financial need. 

BBPA offers a customized application form to help facilitate the process of selecting a scholarship and applying for it.  

Events 

The BBPA offers many events for those interested, but the three most common and popular ones are as follows: 

The Harry Jerome Awards 

The BBPA offers awards in memory of Harry Jerome, a Black Canadian track athlete who after retirement, joined the Federal Ministry of Sport to put together detailed coaching manuals for children. He created the Premier Sports Program in British Columbia schools, which provided extensive opportunities for young athletes aspiring track and field.  

In 1971, Jerome was recognized as British Columbia’s Athlete of the Century and received the Order of Canada in 1971 for his accolades. Jerome was a Canadian superstar, who epitomized excellence and determination of his community and country. The Harry Jerome Award is a national event that gives praise to excellence in African-Canadian achievement.  

The BBPA also offers The Harry Jerome Scholarship Fund, which provides financial assistance to Black youth who wish to further their education. The Fund awards approximately 50 scholarships annually. 

The Annual General Meeting 

The BBPA Annual General Meeting is hosted every November which focuses on receiving auditors reports, presenting annual reports, and electing officers. When nominating candidates for various positions, the nominations are issued in writing. These nominations are given to the Secretary of the Nominations Committee and are issued consent. The application also includes a copy of details on behalf of the nominee’s such as a resume, application, and nomination form.  

A Dialogue with Black Women 

A Dialogue with Black Women is an event for the BBPA’s International Women’s Month event. The dialogue focuses on raising awareness towards domestic and international issues that confront the lives of Black women daily. These unresolved issues touch upon various subjects including gender gap, gender bias, sexism and pay equality. A Dialogue with Black Women aims to improve educational opportunities for women by providing information on career pathways and leadership opportunities. 

Getting Involved 

The Black Business and Professional Association offers many membership and volunteer opportunities for those interested in joining. It is where skill and talent meet opportunity. With six categories of memberships, one can easily find a viable option that correlates with their interests, whether it is finding discounts on services, information about businesses, and other resources.  

More information about joining BBPA is offered on their website. 

BBPA also provides a contact information page for those with inquiries about their services and partnerships.