{"id":26216,"date":"2021-02-08T12:05:13","date_gmt":"2021-02-08T17:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/edu\/?p=26216"},"modified":"2021-02-08T13:12:57","modified_gmt":"2021-02-08T18:12:57","slug":"the-jean-augustine-story-claiming-a-seat-at-the-table","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/edu\/2021\/02\/08\/the-jean-augustine-story-claiming-a-seat-at-the-table\/","title":{"rendered":"The Jean Augustine story: Claiming a seat at the table"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Jean Augustine. (Photograph by Kwaku Kufuor)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When former MP Jean Augustine<\/strong> (LLD '11) was elected to the Parliament of Canada in 1993, she brought with her the hopes of her community, the voices of those she advocated for and the aspirations of her ancestors. As the first Black woman elected as a Member of Parliament, she was automatically catapulted to the status of role model for the millions who would come after her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now in her 80s, Augustine continues to advocate for the causes that are important to her, including the initiative to fully endow the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora at 快播视频.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why, when Augustine contacted Sheldon Pitt \u2013 better known as Solitair, a recognized music producer and community activist \u2013 in June 2020, to ask him to revive the campaign to fully endow the Chair, he knew to take her request seriously. Having grown up referring to her as his \u201cAuntie Jean,\u201d Solitair had seen her advocacy and determination firsthand and had heard her stories about the challenges and successes she had experienced as he grew up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy parents grew up with \u2018Auntie Jean\u2019 in Grenada, so I had spent many holidays as a child listening to them reminisce and share stories over meals,\u201d said Solitair. \u201cOne thing that always resonated for me was the idea that having a voice on the important issues really matters. So when my \u2018Auntie Jean\u2019 explained the significance of the chair, I knew it was an opportunity for me to help ensure that the voice she, and as so many others, had given to issues like diversity and education could continue indefinitely.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To assemble his team, Solitair wanted people who he knew would be just as passionate about continuing Augustine\u2019s legacy as he was, so he recruited long-time friends, Jennifer Seif<\/strong> and Willona Fraser<\/strong>, both York alumni, to form the Jean Augustine Chair Endowment Fund (JACEF) Committee. In October 2020, the team of volunteers launched a social media campaign called \"Bridge for Change\" to help build awareness, educate the public and start a discussion about the work of the Chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Augustine envisions a Chair that is \u201cfor the people, by the people\u201d, so the JACEF Committee launched the campaign into high gear with the \u201c25K in 25 Days\u201d initiative, which aims to highlight the 25th anniversary of Black History Month in Canada by raising $25,000 towards the endowment fund in 25 days from community sources during the month of February. To strengthen that goal, corporate sponsor Accenture will match all community donations to the fund throughout the month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of only two endowed university Chairs in Canada dedicated to research and knowledge mobilization endeavours on Black and African-descended communities, the Jean Augustine chair seeks to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n