Postsecondary institutions need more Black-affirming spaces on campus, which support Black student academic success and provide development opportunities, write Fikir Getaneh Haile (Queen’s University) and Beverly-Jean Daniel (Toronto Metropolitan University). Haile, Daniel, and their colleagues conducted a study in 2023 with Black students in Ontario that examined the Black student experience and assessed the formal and informal resources that they draw upon. The researchers found that Black-affirming academic community spaces provided a space for resources and opportunities, fostered informal mentorship relationships, and increased student confidence and motivation. The authors call for postsecondary institutions—especially Scarborough Charter signatories—to provide funding and supports for Black student groups and the creation of more resourced spaces for Black students.
