The Black Daddies Clubco-presents The Black Families Un-Conference is a three-day gathering for families who identify as Black or Racialized to take part in a camping experience for the entire family that will take place in one of Tim Hortons Camps in Ontario, at no cost to the families that attend.
The idea behind the Black Families Un-Conference is to create positive memories and experiences for these families (parents or guardians and their children) as a whole in a safe environment that they may not be able to afford. The Black Daddies Club (BDC) over the 16 years of operating in the Greater Toronto Area, has created programs which promote creating positive memorable memories within green spaces for Black families and their allies.
This initiative is a collaboration between Justice Fund, Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), Tim Hortons Camp and The Black Daddies Club (BDC). The dates and location of the Black Families Un-Conference will be at a Tim Hortons Camp in Ontario will take place on Friday, November 3rd 2023 to Sunday, November 5th, 2023
The Black Daddies Club is teaming up with Jah Grey, the founder and director of Black Men’s Therapy Fund for an incredible video installation that will capture the captivating stories of Black men over the age of 40, encouraging men to reclaim the best part of themselves, while also addressing the most common concerns that Black men face when it comes to love. This project will explore the challenges and barriers that Black men often encounter in the pursuit of love, shedding light on these issues to create a transformative conversation.
Please join us in reclaiming your personal power, navigating the complexities of love, and finding inspiration in the stories of others. Together, we can break through the barriers and redefine the way we approach love and relationships.
This project is a part of the Black Daddies Club’s 16th year anniversary event, “Finding a Partner After 40: A Conversation with Black Folks.” Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 25th, 2023, because this event will be held at the amazing Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto, Canada. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to share your story and be a part of something truly impactful!
The deadline to submit your interest in participating in this video project is October 2nd, 2023
The Black Daddies Club (BDC) which is a toronto based organization that has been co-creating accessible spaces for Black fathers, Black families and Black communities in the Greater Toronto Area for the past 16th year, is bringing back their annual Summer Hikes for Black and racialized families on Sunday August 27th 2023 at Evergreen Brick works.
In this idea that Blackness is not a monolith; BDC defines Black families in our various entry points as; heterosexual, queer, mixed race, adopted, chosen families, etc. if you identify as a Black or racialized family or an ally, this event is for you.
The purpose of these Summer hikes are for Black and Racialized families as well as allies to gather at a green space in Toronto on a Sunday morning to take part in a group hike and a day filled of various nature and healing modalities focusing on Black families, which will include, Yoga for families, Art and nature play activities for children and circle discussion for Black parents.
This event is free and registration is needed to attend, space will be limited at this event.
Event Agenda at a glance:
10 AM Meet in Tiffany Commons. Welcome circle, introduction and grounding (led by Brandon)
with opening stretches (led by Tramaine)
10:15 AM EBW Introduction/Space orientation & Nature Hike (led by EBW team)
11:45 AM Cool down & stretches (led by Tramaine)
12 PM Catered lunch in Bricks & Bites Community Kitchen (Brandon to arrange catering)
1 PM Activity choices*:
1. Join Weekend Nature Play activities and participate in partnered programming in the CG
2. Yoga by Tramaine on the RBC Terrace
3. Black parent circle discussions location
3 PM Closing circle and event wrap up and survey requests led by Brandon
Register at the link below or on the QR code on the flyer
The Black Daddies Club is beyond excited to announce this new collaboration with Evergreen Brickwork and their commitment to ensure that green spaces are accessible to Black and racialized folks living in the Greater Toronto Area.
We are announcing a summary of the Black Daddies Club events that will be housed at Evergreen Brickworks for the fall 2023 and January 2024.
Black Daddies Club presents Family Hike and Health day
When: Sunday August 27th 2023, from 10am – 3pm
The purpose of these Summer hikes are for Black and Racialized families as well as allies to gather at a green space in Toronto on a Sunday morning to take part in a group hike and a day filled of various nature and healing modalities focusing on Black and racialized families, which will include, Yoga for families, Art and nature play activities for children and circle discussion for Black parents. This is an intergenerational event, grandparents to grandchildren are welcomed
This event will be free with registration, BDC T-shirts and lunch will be provided to attendees at this event.
Finding a Partner after 40: A Conversations amongst Black Folks (BDC 16th year anniversary event)
When: SaturdayNovember 25th 2023, from 8pm-1am
Black Daddies Club will be celebrating our 16th year anniversary with a panel discussion entitled “Finding a Partner after 40: A Conversation amongst Black Folks”, this event will be engaging Black men from North America on their experiences around dating in hetero sexual or Queer communities. The event will also engage Black therapists that will speak about the macro challenges and opportunities for Black folks looking for love or partnership after the age of 40.
This event is a preliminary event to a quarterly series that will launch in 2024 for Black therapists to speak about various issues impacting Black communities around our mental health and spotlighting different Black therapists who are doing healing work.
This event is for folks 19 years and older and it will be a paid event.
Journey to Black Liberation Symposium and The Black Liberation Ball 2024
When: February 2024
We are bringing back this two day symposium that will focus on themes, discourses, strategies, and analysis that are centered around the Black struggle for justice and liberation through a transnational dialogue. The plenaries will engage all the five senses, from movement workshops (i.e. vogueing) , discussions, art work gallery, film and food. The event is a cross-border conversation on what liberation in the Black community looks like. Black folks from across the diaspora will be a part of this event engaging in a global conversation on how Black liberation, as a movement, can be advanced.
The event will conclude with The Black Liberation Ball, which will feature various houses from Canada and around the world who will be competing for the top house at this prestigious and international ballroom event.
This event is considered as a collaboration between the Black LGBTQ2S+ and Black Heterosexual communities.
This event is co-curated by Twysted Miyake-Muglar from the Toronto Kiki Ball Alliance (TKBA), Michael Roberson from Ultra-red and C-RRED (Center for Race, Religion, and Economic Democracy)/New York City and Brandon Hay, founder of the The Black Daddies Club (BDC)/Toronto,
The event will take place at a location in Toronto, Canada, in November 2023.
Finding a Partner after 40: A Conversation with Black Folks will be a panel discussion exploring the experiences of various Black folks from various entry points into their Blackness talking about what it is like dating, finding love or finding a partner in this day and age. The event will feature the multiple experiences of Black men, and their entry points into Blackness (i.e. straight, bi-sexual, trans, gay, mixed, etc.) and their experiences around dating and finding a partner. The event will also include Black male therapists who also have their own experiences around dating but also will speak about the nuances in dating while Black, after age 40, from a North American context.
This upcoming BDC anniversary event in November 2023, is a precursor to a quarterly networking event series that will be launching in March 2024 in Toronto, which will be a space for Black therapists and Black healers sharing knowledge about best practices around working with the Black and African diaspora and mental health wellness. The Quarterly networking event series will highlight various Black identified therapists and Black healers from around North America, African diaspora, and the African continent.
Are you interested in being part of this event?
We are currently engaging businesses who would like to be event sponsors, table at the event, be a liquor sponsor or food vendor
We are also doing a call out for potential panellists for this event, if you are currently single and identify as Black and over the age of 40 years and identify with any of the following:
Heterosexual
Bi-sexual
Gay
Trans
Lesbian
Mixed Race
Living with HIV or STI
Divorced or separated with or without children
Living with a disability
We would love to hear from you if you are interested and want to share your experiences, there will be an honorarium for all panelists, we will go into details with those that are selected to take part in this initiative.
Finding a Partner after 40: A Conversation with Black Folks”–(November 2023BDC 16th year anniversary event)
Background information on the Black Daddies Club
At the age of 24, Brandon Hay, founder of the Black Daddies Club (BDC), discovered he was about to become a dad for the first time. Being raised by a single mother and without the presence of a consistent father figure, he was filled with anxiety and fear about his own ability to be a great father. Knowing of other men in his situation, he believed that a forum where they could share ideas, struggles and victories seemed like it could be an effective network for support. Thus, in 2007, Hay founded BDC in response to the isolation he felt as a new Black father as well as to the lack of forums and spaces for Black men to discuss parenting issues and concerns facing the Black community as a whole. The main goals of the organization are to change the image of the “absent Black father” that is prevalent in the media and to assist young Black men to become better fathers. In doing so, BDC aims to support Black children, families and the larger community.
BDC’s Mandate/Guiding Principles are:
1. Develop a continuous support system for Black men and fathers to share their challenges and/or experiences.
2. Work with Black fathers and the community at large to address issues facing Black fathers, children and families.
3. Work with the media to provide alternate images of Black fathers, and assist in the creation of our own media that depicts Black fathers in a positive light.
Black Daddies Club will be celebrating our 16th year anniversary with a panel discussion entitled “Finding a Partner after 40: A Conversation with Black Folks”, this event will be engaging Black men from North America on their experiences around dating in heterosexual or LGBTQ2S+ communities. The event will also engage Black therapists that will speak about the macro challenges and opportunities for Black folks looking for love or partnership after the age of 40.
The event will take place at a location in Toronto, Canada, that will be announced in the coming months, in November 2023.
Finding a Partner after 40: A Conversation with Black Folks will be a panel discussion exploring the experiences of various Black folks from various entry points into their Blackness talking about what it is like dating, finding love or finding a partner in this day and age. The event will feature the multiple experiences of Black men, and their entry points into Blackness (i.e. straight, bi-sexual, trans, gay, mixed, etc.) and their experiences around dating and finding a partner. The event will also include Black male therapists who also have their own experiences around dating but also will speak about the nuances in dating while Black, after age 40, from a North American context.
This upcoming BDC anniversary event in November 2023, is a precursor to a quarterly networking event series that will be launching in March 2024 in Toronto, which will be a space for Black therapists and Black healers sharing knowledge about best practices around working with the Black and African diaspora and mental health wellness. The Quarterly networking event series will highlight various Black identified therapists and Black healers from around North America, African diaspora, and the African continent.
We are seeking sponsors and partners:
Your generous sponsorship will also assist us in paying the costs of panelists, moderators, promotion of the event, purchasing items for goody bags, offering more events of this caliber, etc.
Below various levels of event sponsorship that are available:
SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES
● Platinum Sponsorship $5,000- speaking opportunity for their company, company logo prominently displayed on event website and posters, company logo displayed on event banner, promotional materials placed in goody bags, announcement made via social media campaign and free exhibit booth on event day,
VIP seating
● Gold Sponsorship $2,500- promotional materials placed in goody bags, company logo prominently displayed on event website and posters, company logo displayed on event banner, free exhibit booth on event day, VIP seating
● Silver Sponsorship $1,500- promotional materials placed in goody bags, company logo displayed on event website, company logo prominently displayed on event website and posters, VIP seating!
Tabling at the event $500- promote your event to attendees at the event, company logo displayed on promotional materials for event
Food vendor- Food vendor for event $800, sell your food to participants at this event, company logo featured on event website.
If you are interested in partnering or aligning with this event, please contact info@theblackdaddiesclub.com and we will set up a time to talk more about what partnering with this event can look like that best suits your organization
Regards,
Brandon Hay, MES (Business)
Therapist-In-Training with the Gestalt Institute of Toronto
Finding a Partner after 40: A Conversation with Black Folks”
Black Daddies Club will be celebrating our 16th year anniversary with a panel discussion entitled “Finding a Partner after 40: A Conversation with Black Folks”, this event will be engaging Black men from North America on their experiences around dating in heterosexual or LGBTQ2S+ communities. The event will also engage Black therapists that will speak about the macro challenges and opportunities for Black folks looking for love or partnership after the age of 40.
The event will take place at a location in Toronto, Canada, that will be announced in the coming months.
Over the 16 years of Black Daddies Club, I have seen changes in the Black men and Black fathers that we have worked with, I have also seen the changes in myself. One of the major changes was going through a divorce after a 16 year relationship with my ex-wife and subsequent 6 year long term relationship that followed. Now I am single and not sure if I am ready to mingle. The dating scene after age 40 seems confusing, sometimes horrific and has shifted a good bit, since I was last single, the biggest shift is the introduction to dating apps, which feels like everyone is disposable and that not enough people have done the work of healing from past trauma.
Finding a Partner after 40: A Conversation with Black Folks will be a panel discussion exploring the experiences of various Black folks from various entry points into their Blackness talking about what it is like dating, finding love or finding a partner in this day and age.
We are seeking sponsors and partners:
Your generous sponsorship will also assist us in paying the costs of panelists, moderators, promotion of the event, purchasing items for goody bags, offering more events of this caliber, etc.
Below various levels of event sponsorship that are available:
SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES
● Platinum Sponsorship $5,000- speaking opportunity for their company, company logo prominently displayed on event website and posters, company logo displayed on event banner, promotional materials placed in goody bags, announcement made via social media campaign and free exhibit booth on event day,
VIP seating
● Gold Sponsorship $2,500- promotional materials placed in goody bags, company logo prominently displayed on event website and posters, company logo displayed on event banner, free exhibit booth on event day, VIP seating
● Silver Sponsorship $1,500- promotional materials placed in goody bags, company logo displayed on event website, company logo prominently displayed on event website and posters, VIP seating!
Black Daddies Club co-presented Sunday Dinners: Conversations for Black men
BDC co-presents Sunday Dinners started in November 2020 virtually, as a way for Black men to navigate the isolation from COVID 19 and co-create a space for vulnerability through speaking and listening to each other.
The idea behind Sunday Dinner is getting Black men together to talk over food and listen to each other, and maybe heal ourselves collectively during this process. Sunday Dinner is for Black men of all types (disabled, gay, bi-sexual, straight, trans, mixed-race). As long as you are a Black man, this space is for you
We came together for the first time in person back in March 2023. We are coming together again on Sunday, June 25th 2023 at 90 WildCat road, from 1pm-4pm. To do this well, we would love to get a sense of who the men that are going to attend are, and so are asking a few questions that we would appreciate if you’d answer. What you share helps us prepare, and have you be a part of what we create in some way.
When: Sunday, June 25th 2023
Where: at 90 WildCat road,(TCHC Community Safety Unit (CSU) Head office)
Time: 1pm-4pm
How much: Pay what you can (PWYC)
This event is TTC accessible, free parking will be available and dinner will be provided
Black Daddies Club is excited to relaunch the Sunday Dinners initiative in 2023, collaborating with Talk It Out Counselling (TIOC) Clinic, White Ribbon, and Asante Talks. The premise of Sunday Dinners, is to co-create an intentional space for Black men to speak to other Black men about issues that impact our mental health as Black men. Previously, Sunday Dinners took place monthly during COVID-19 and were held virtually on Zoom online platform. This year will be the first time that Sunday Dinners, will be offered in-person, and they will take place quarterly (every 3-months). We are looking forward to breaking bread and building with you.
A Day of Conversation About Black Masculinity and Mental Health is a 3-part, day-long event being held at Verity Centre for Better Living (449 Vaughan Rd), focused on understanding the unique mental health needs of Black men in Toronto. The day-long event is a collaboration between Black Daddies Club and its Sunday Dinner series, Talk It Out Counselling (TIOC) Clinic, White Ribbon, and Asante Talks, combining inspirational keynote, panel discussion, and a meal and dialogue session.
Part 1: 11AM -12 PM – Keynote presentation, ‘Thank God, I Am Free’, by Asante Haughton of Asante Talks. Attendance is open to all genders, (no registration required). — Part 2: 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM – Panel discussion, Setting the Stage on Black Men and Mental Health with guests Brandon Hay (Black Daddies Club), Adjei Scott (White Ribbon), and Asante Haughton (Asante Talks). Attendance is open to all genders, (no registration required). —- Part 3: 1:30PM – 4:30PM – Sunday Dinner, meal and dialogue space for Black men co-organized by Black Daddies Club, TIOC Clinic, and White Ribbon. (Black men only, Registration needed)
The Black Daddies Club Founder, Brandon Hay was featured on TVO The Agenda yesterday about the Talk with our Black Children about Anti-Black Racism.
For generations, Black parents have ‘the talk’ with their kids – a conversation about the risks associated with being Black in this society. What’s important when it comes to introducing children to systemic racism and everyday aggression? How has this evolved overtime? And do all parents share this kind of responsibility?
