Issue link: https://publications.tfs.ca/i/1506618
ENTRE NOUS 16 Understanding other peoples' cultures, their histories and the inevitable obstacles they may face – this is precisely what the Black Excellence Society (BES), created in the fall of 2020, is all about. A few months earlier, the death of George Floyd in the United States had stunned the world and acted as a catalyst in opening the floodgates on all injustices experienced by the African-American community. Ed-Esther Kenga, who teaches at the Senior School, felt distraught. "As a Black person, this impacted me whether I wanted it to or not. I felt horrified that this could occur in our day and age," she recalled, the anguish from that time still in her voice. At TFS, as elsewhere, emotions ran high. In the aftermath of Mr. Floyd's death, people started asking: How can we move forward from this evil act to create something good? Initially, BES was intended to be a cathartic space where students could freely express their concerns about racial bias. Aidan J., then in Level III, was one of the original members. "At first, I wasn't necessarily comfortable with the idea of having to open up like this, but gradually the conversations have really benefited me and the other students. Learning from other people's experiences has opened our eyes and we want to make a change in our community," he shared. In fact, the group ended up finding a real place for itself within the school. "We opened ourselves up to the entire Senior School community through 'open meetings' and discovered that students were truly interested in anti-racism issues and were also just curious about Black culture and their peers' lived experiences," said Mme Kenga. Culture is indeed the society's preferred approach, and especially during Black History Month, BES members seek to showcase and share various aspects of their identity such as highlighting Black Canadian leaders or the importance of music, two areas of Black life that were featured during the month of February over the past few years. They have also partnered with the Junior School and La p'tite école to make connections during Black History Month by having BES students share their experiences with their younger peers, through storytelling and workshops. BES has plans to expand to both campuses and host annual meetings with other CAIS schools in the area. TAKING A STEP TOWARDS OTHER PEOPLE