GREATER ESSEX COUNTY DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
Black Joy Black Excellence Student Symposium 2026

May 26^th, 2026 marked the third Black Joy Black Excellence Student Symposium, hosted by the Greater Essex County District School Board in collaboration with the Black Student Advisory Committee (BSAC). St. Clair College graciously hosted the event for the second consecutive year, and we are sincerely grateful for their continued support.

Hundreds of students from across the district gathered to celebrate Black identities, history, and excellence. The plenary session featured an engaging keynote address by award-winning GECDSB educator, historian, and PhD candidate in the Joint PhD program between the University of Windsor, Lakehead University, and Brock University, Shantelle Browning-Morgan.

Ms. Browning-Morgan's address highlighted tens of thousands of years of Black excellence. Throughout her presentation, she repeated the phrase "Remember who you are," inviting students to respond collectively with "I know who I am." This powerful exchange encouraged students not only to reflect on her words, but also to see themselves within the legacy of excellence she described. We are deeply appreciative of Ms. Browning-Morgan for sharing her knowledge and inspiring all those in attendance. Speaking directly to students, Ms. Browning-Morgan shared the following:

"We must keep rising. Because Black Excellence is not about accepting what the world tells you, it is about knowing who you are. Rising above what tries to limit you and becoming everything you are meant to be. There will be people who may speak to you as if your Blackness is something to overcome, instead of something sacred, ancient, brilliant and beautiful. And if you ever find yourself in those moments, I need you to remember who you are. Remember who you are if someone mistakes your confidence for arrogance, remember who you are when you carry yourself into every room, remember who you are if your history is reduced to a single paragraph in a text book. Remember who you are when stories about Black people focus only on struggle and not on greatness."

Following the keynote, students enjoyed a powerful spoken word performance by Jay Diotte-Smith, a Grade 10 student from North Star High School. The morning concluded with an energetic performance by Andrew Francois, a Walkerville student who shared an original song.

The day continued with breakout sessions led by community partners, including St. Clair College, ETFO, OSSTF, BSAC, weCHC, The Black Council of Windsor-Essex, and Beauty is ME. Sessions explored topics such as financial literacy, E-sports, graphic design, pathways to becoming an educator, storytelling of local history, protecting mental health and well-being, a Let's Talk About It session, and a session focused on self-love.

We extend our thanks to additional community partners who contributed to the day, including Trans Wellness Ontario, the University of Windsor, Family Fuse, the East African Community Resource Centre, Youth Wellness Hubs, Black Kids in Action, Unbeweavable Salon, IncluSV Beauty Solutions, Black Outreach Leadership Directive, and the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program.

A special thank you to Ralph Nicoletti, Senior Vice President of International Relations and Student Services at St. Clair College, and Jimmy Parsons, Chair of the Zekelman School of Business and Career Services, for providing welcome remarks. Speaking directly to students, Mr. Parsons stated,

"Today is about celebrating Black Joy and Black Excellence. It's about recognizing achievements, breaking barriers and highlighting the incredible contributions that you as community leaders today, tomorrow and in the future are going to make. But it's also about possibilities - it's about helping young people achieve what they want to do, what they dream to do and what they believe in I encourage everyone in this room to tell their story. Not only your story, but other stories. I think today, the next CEO, the next entrepreneur, the next teacher or professional athlete are in this room today that next success story is you."

This event would not have been possible without the dedicated efforts of the GECDSB Equity Team: Ms. Abdulle Butcher, Ms. Ackle, Ms. Browning-Morgan, Ms. Carter, Mr. Jeffries, Ms. Menear, Ms. Michael, and Ms. Pavia.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to the entire Black Student Advisory Committee, especially Abel Biru and Ozegho Aliu, who enthusiastically hosted the event and ensured a smooth flow throughout the day.

Congratulations to all who contributed to a successful, inspiring, and meaningful event.