About Us
Africentric Arts is a nonprofit organization that empowers Black children, youth, and families to strengthen identity, build skills, and deepen connection through programs and community experiences rooted in African heritage.
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Africentric Arts began in Toronto in 2017 with a simple belief: Black children deserve places where they can grow with pride, confidence, and possibility. Today, we help children and youth strengthen their identity, build skills, and pursue their ideas. Through partnerships, we also support families and bring communities together, helping young people gain the freedom and opportunity to shape their own lives..
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To open spaces for Black children and youth to learn, lead, and thrive.
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We put our values of identity and pride, skills and opportunity, voice and visibility, wellness and belonging, and community strength into action. They guide how we support children, youth, and families.
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Through partnerships and collaboration, we expand opportunities for children and youth, support families, and strengthen community connections. Our Circle of Hearts brings this work to life by connecting people and organizations who contribute their time, skills, and resources.
Our Story
Africentric Arts began in Toronto in 2017 with a simple belief: Black children deserve places where they can grow with pride, confidence, and possibility.
Across Canada, many Black children encounter environments that overlook their culture, challenge their sense of beauty, or limit their potential. Some learn early to question parts of themselves. Others lose touch with the heritage, stories, and community that could help ground them.
We created Africentric Arts to change that. What started as a summer camp gave Black children and youth a place to see African heritage as a living source of strength, creativity, leadership, and pride.
As we grew, so did our work. Today, Africentric Arts helps children and youth strengthen their identity, discover their voice, build practical skills, and pursue their ideas. Through partnerships, we help families meet everyday needs and bring people together to share culture and build connections.
At the heart of it all is the belief that young people should have the freedom and opportunity to shape their own lives. Together with families and community partners, we help make that possible.
Our Commitments
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We help Black children and youth see African heritage as a source of strength, creativity, leadership, and pride.
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We create pathways for young people to build practical, creative, leadership, digital, and entrepreneurial skills they can use in school, work, business, and community life.
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We give young people platforms to express themselves, showcase their talent, share their ideas, and see their stories represented with dignity.
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We create spaces that support confidence, connection, emotional well-being, positive choices, and healthy self-expression.
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We build partnerships, cultural experiences, and community programs that expand access, challenge stereotypes, and strengthen Black children, youth, and families.
OUR BOARD
PARTNERS
