Jr Black Achievement Awards Society

06/12/2026

JUNE YOUTH SPOTLIGHT: Jeremiah Brooks! 🌟

From a high school student finding his path to our JrBAA Youth Council President, Jeremiah’s journey over the past four years is pure Black Joy and leadership in action. 🖤✨

Jeremiah is constantly paving a brighter path for the next generation. He’s taken home charter awards in Social Justice, Fine Arts, and Community Initiative, and even helped reimagine the future of Hogan’s Alley as a Support Facilitator with CityHive.

Swipe through to read Jeremiah’s journey in his own words—including a special shoutout to his mentors, Amiee Stewart and Auntie C! 🙌

Jeremiah, we are so incredibly proud of your voice, your dedication, and your brilliant leadership. Keep shooting for the stars!

YouthLeadership

06/10/2026

Behind every big milestone is a community that says, “Let’s make it happen.” ✨

Here’s a quick look at the energy, the laughs, and the pure joy from Making It Happen 2026! From mastering money moves to unlocking creative voices, our youth truly showed up and leveled up.

A massive thank you to everyone who came out, supported, and contributed to such an incredible day. Press play for the highlights! 🎥👇

06/08/2026

So incredibly proud to partner with .alley and for Cohort 5 of the Urban ReVision: BIPOC Mentorship Studio! 🏙️✨

Seeing these brilliant Black youth come together to envision, design, and reclaim the future of the Hogan’s Alley Block was nothing short of inspiring. From placemaking and Afrocentric design to storytelling and food sovereignty, the creativity and leadership in this room blew us away.

A massive shoutout to Jeremiah, who served as the program leader for the event! He was absolutely fabulous, and seeing him lead with such excellence is exactly what our training is all about. 🌟

As partners, our mission at JrBAA is all about uplifting the next generation of Black leaders, and this cohort is doing exactly that. The future of Metro Vancouver’s urban landscape is looking a whole lot more just, resilient, and beautiful because of them.

Huge congratulations to all the participants, mentors, and facilitators who made this cohort a massive success! Swipe to see the community in action. 👉🏿👉🏽

06/01/2026

Join us tomorrow!

Join us in celebrating Black youth perspectives on the Hogan’s Alley Block, presented by Cohort 5 of CityHive’s Urban ReVision: BIPOC Mentorship Studio!Hear from Black youth and connect with presenters, community organizations, and city leaders over good food. Participants have been working with...

05/30/2026

Our youth officially took charge of their futures at this year’s “Making It Happen” Financial Literacy & Writing Workshops!

On May 17, the Coquitlam Public Library was packed with energy as young change-makers gathered to master money moves, sharpen their essays, and unlock their creative voices.

Here’s how our incredible facilitators helped our youth level up:

💰 Finance Unleashed: Financial advisor Jennifer Curpen broke down essential money management skills for a secure future.

📝 The Easiest Essay: JrBAA Youth Council Facilitator Iva Masiala shared academic strategies to prep students for our upcoming $1,000 Scholarship Essay Competition (inspired by ED Teryl Brown’s book!).

📖 Short Stories 101: VP Pearl Sarumi sparked serious creativity, giving youth the exact tools to craft their own stories.

Rooted in Community & Culture The day kicked off with powerful Territorial and African Ancestral Acknowledgements by Jaenaya Cox and Jada Francis, the Black National Anthem, and a warm welcome from Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart!

🙏 Huge Thanks to Our Team & Sponsors! Shout-out to Laverne Francis, Marshall Benjamin, President Auntie C, Program Leader Jeremiah Brooks, and our dedicated team. This high-energy success was a true team effort!

Thank you to our generous community champions for making this possible: BCGEU & TRUE RESOLUTION LODGE 16.

🏆 Achievers, are you ready for the next step? Now that you have the tools, it’s time to put them to use.

🔗Visit https://jrbaa.org/writing-competition for details on our upcoming writing competitions. Let’s keep making it happen! 🎉

Happen

05/14/2026

May Youth Spotlight: Flourish Aiwize ✨

From the moment she stepped into her first JrBAA ceremony, Flourish knew she had found her community. What started as a spark of inspiration has grown into an incredible journey of leadership, from serving on our Youth Council to planning her own events and being nominated for a YWCA Award!

Flourish’s story is a powerful reminder that you don’t have to “wait to be ready” to make an impact. She’s proof that when you step into the room and take up space, incredible things happen.

We are so proud of the leader you’ve become, Flourish! Thank you for showing us all that when we see others succeeding, it’s not a reason to be discouraged—it’s a sign that we belong in those spaces, too. 🙌

Flourish’s Golden Advice: “Put yourself out there. Step into the room, take up space, and go after it.”

05/14/2026

Success isn’t a solo mission—it’s built on the right tools and the right community. This Sunday, we’re bringing together a lineup of powerhouse education sessions and dedicated facilitators to help you bridge the gap between dreaming and doing.

⏺️ Master your money: Join Jennifer Curpen for “Finance Unleashed” to take control of your finances and learn about the trauma of money.

⏺️ Perfect your pen: Refine your writing with Iva Masiala in “The Easiest Essay Exemplar.”

⏺️ Find your voice: Explore storytelling with Pearl Sarumi in “Short Stories 101.”

⏺️ Own the vision: Guided by our moderator and Youth Council President, Jeremiah Brooks.

This is your final opportunity to gain the edge you need for 2026. Whether you are aiming for a scholarship or seeking personal growth, your breakthrough starts here.

🔗 Register now: https://jrbaa.org/making-it-happen

05/13/2026

A heartfelt thank you to CUPE BC for inviting JrBAA to be part of this year’s convention in beautiful Victoria. We truly appreciated the opportunity to connect with so many passionate people and be part of such an inspiring event centered around solidarity, leadership, and community.

A special thank you to Karen Ranalletta, CUPE BC President, and Tony Rebelo, CUPE BC Secretary-Treasurer, for the warm welcome and generosity throughout the convention. We also want to recognize Sussanne Skidmore, BC Federation of Labour President, Herminder Kayley, BC Federation of Labour Vice President, Paul Finch, BCGEU President, Don Davies, MP for Vancouver Kingsway, and Sam George, Squamish Elder. Thank you for connecting with us — we truly appreciate your leadership and continued support.

It was wonderful having such great conversations with so many friends and supporters of JrBAA throughout the convention. A special shout-out to Elana, Megan, Neal, Lori, Amber, Coralie, Kyle, Tracy, and Josh — thank you for stopping by our information table and for your continued support of our organization. We are forever grateful.

We were also pleased to have Lewis Weir, our Academic and Sports Scholarship recipient, stop by to meet CUPE members. It was a wonderful opportunity to personally present his trophy and gift bag.

Thank you again to everyone who made this experience so memorable. We are incredibly grateful for the invitation, the connections made, and the continued support shown to JrBAA and the Youth we serve. ✊❤️

05/06/2026

Walking through history with the next generation!

We had an incredible time exploring the roots of the city with CityHive, an amazing youth-led non-profit transforming how young people engage with urban planning and sustainability.

Our journey through Hogan’s Alley and Strathcona was a powerful reminder of the stories that shape our community. A few highlights from the tour:

📍 The Unsung Heroes of Hogan’s Alley: It was deeply moving to learn about the figures who built this community, from the Crump twins and Leonard Lane to Nora Hendrix—Jimi’s grandmother—who was a pillar of the Fountain Chapel Church.
🎷 Living History: We delved into the legacy of the iconic jazz scene, including the history of Harlem Nocturne and the legendary Vie’s.
🎙️ Expert Guidance: A huge thanks to our guide, Lama, for leading the way and keeping us inspired.

By bridging the gap between civic institutions and youth energy, CityHive is helping build cities that are more just, resilient, and inclusive. The future is looking bright!

BlackHistory