VICTORIA, BC — The 2024 recipients of the City of Victoria’s annual International Decade for People of African Descent (IDPAD) Youth Grant program have been selected. This year, five projects that celebrate and empower youth of African descent in Victoria have been awarded funding.
"The Grant program aims to provide impactful and empowering opportunities for youth of African descent in Victoria," said Mayor Marianne Alto. "By supporting programs that honour and celebrate the community, the funding helps foster a more inclusive and equitable city for all.”
The IDPAD Youth Grant is a community-led grant program, created, supported and overseen by the IDPAD Advisory Committee who selected the following five projects to receive grant funding this year:
- A cultural outreach event that celebrates the vitality of African traditions and intercultural dialogue in Canada and promotes higher education among youth of African descent
- A documentary about the impact of beauty standards on youth of African descent
- A mentorship and incubation project that empowers youth of African descent to explore possible career pathways with mentorship from professionals of African descent
- A minor league baseball tournament honouring the legacy of umpire Doug Hudlin, a prominent Canadian of African descent and member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
- A series of tours of local public learning spaces and arts-based workshops for youth of African descent
“The grant funding makes it possible for Black youth to experience art, science and history that they would not otherwise be encouraged to engage with,” said Aya Behr, grant recipient supported by Flux Media Gallery. “The funding of Black Out will enrich Black youth's understanding of the world and empower them to contribute their own perspectives and talent.”
For more information, visit victoria.ca/IDPAD.
Media Contact:
Colleen Mycroft
Manager, Intergovernmental and Media Relations
250.896.5325 | cmycroft@victoria.ca