Your Path. Your Voice. Your Future.

Reimagining Black Excellence

Pathways for Success for Black Neurodiverse Youth and Families

A free, culturally affirming, intergenerational, interconnected program for neurodivergent Black youth and their families, designed to build Black disability identity, Black disability confidence, and self-advocacy skills alongside their families.

FREE BLACK NEURO-AFFIRMING INTERGENERATIONAL DURHAM REGION
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Reimagining Black Excellence program flyer

Program Overview

What is Reimagining Black Excellence?

Step into a space designed for you and by you

Reimagining Black Excellence brings Black neurodivergent youth (ages 13–24) and their families together to build Black disability confidence, affirm identity, and grow powerful self-advocacy skills. It's more than a program — it's a community where you can unmask, belong, and thrive through one-on-one support, peer mentoring, cohort learning, and drop-in workshops.

This Black neuro-affirming program is designed to empower Black neurodivergent youth while strengthening the critical support networks around them — including parents, caregivers, siblings, peers, and grandparents — through education and system-navigation resources.

Our Why

Why We Are Here

Research conducted by Ase Community Foundation in the Halton–Hamilton region — through peer research — identified a critical support network (peers, parents, extended family) that is essential to Black neurodivergent youth building a confident identity. This program operationalizes that finding.

Ase is building community with neurodivergent Black youth to help them safely unmask and identify with their disability, while building confidence in that identity. Parents and extended family are supported through a parallel workshop series so the critical support network grows alongside the youth.

How This Program Supports You

Three Program Streams

Flexible, multi-stream support, allowing participants to engage based on their needs.

Stream 01

Cohorts: Black Youth Learning

Safely unmask, build Black disability confidence, and community through structured cohort-based learning alongside peers.

Youth 13–24

Stream 02

Youth Empowerment Workshops

Black neuro-affirming skills development through monthly drop-in workshops. Open-access, community-driven learning.

Monthly Drop-In

Stream 03

Rooted Together Series

Parents, Caregivers & Youth intergenerational learning, support, connection, and system navigation — together.

Families & Caregivers
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What You'll Gain

Your Transformation Starts Here

Reimagining Black Excellence gives you the tools, community, and confidence to thrive!

Stronger understanding of Black neurodivergent identity and Black disability confidence

Confidence in self-advocacy and communication skills

Tools to navigate school, workplace, and community systems

Access to resources, accommodations, disability benefits, and supports

Meaningful peer and mentor connections within a culturally affirming community

Leadership development, future planning skills, and Honoraria and accessibility supports (where applicable)

Program Schedule & Dates

Reimagining Black Excellence Roadmap

How the program runs throughout the year

Cohorts: Black Youth Learning

Safely unmask, build Black disability confidence, and community

Youth 18–24

Wednesday June 3 – June 24, 2026

4:00 – 5:30 PM

Youth & Parent

Tuesday July 7 – July 29, 2026

4:00 – 5:30 PM

Youth 18–24

Wednesday September 9 – October 1, 2026

4:00 – 5:30 PM

Drop-In Workshops & Community Event

Youth Empowerment Monthly Drop-In Workshops

Black neuro-affirming skills development

Thursdays: June 18 · September 17 · October 15 · November 19 · January 21, 2027

Rooted Together: Parent, Caregiver & Youth Workshops

Intergenerational learning, support, connection and navigation

Tuesdays: June 23 · August 18 · October 27 · November 24 · January 19, 2027

Community Event

Black Disability Justice Conference (BHM) — February 2027

Free for all youth and families in the program

Honoraria

Honoraria for youth participants in cohorts — $400

The participant honoraria are not financial incentives for attendance or participation in programming. They are modest remuneration for youths' active contributions as knowledge holders and contributors to the project's evaluation, learning, and continuous improvement processes. Honoraria recognize this contribution of time, insight, and expertise, consistent with principles of meaningful engagement, ethical research practice, and equitable compensation for experiential knowledge, rather than as personal gifts or inducements to participate.

Register

Join one or more program streams. For more information, email us or fill out our contact form below.

Register Here

FOR MORE INFORMATION, EMAIL US OR FILL OUT OUR CONTACT FORM BELOW!

Programs@asecommunityfoundation.com

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About Ase

About Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities

The Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities (Ase) is Canada's only national Black- and disability-led, Black and disability-serving charity organization disrupting systemic barriers at the intersections of race, disability, and gender. Through programs like Reimagining Black Excellence, Ase delivers culturally responsive programming grounded in lived experience, community knowledge, and trauma-informed practice.

This program is made possible with funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, which invests in community-based initiatives that build healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario.

Learn More About Ase

Get Started

Ready to Begin Your Journey?

Register for one or more program streams and take the first step toward identity, confidence and excellence.

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