Day at King's endeavours to empower Black students

As part of Black History Month, Black high school students got to experience a day in the life at King’s on February 5, 2025.

The Empowering Black Students project aimed to inspire and empower these students by providing them with a firsthand look at university life. In addition to touring the King’s campus, the students connected with the Black Students’ Association (BSA) at King’s, and attended a mock lecture and an all-Black panel. Panelists included Jennifer Slay ’99, Director of King’s Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization; Dr, Kofi Antwi-Boasiako, Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work; documentary filmmaker Moses Latigo Odida ’09; and Natalee Davis, Director of Marketing at Lerners LLP. They shared their experiences at King’s and offered valuable advice for students on how to build successful academic careers.

The event is part of fourth-year BSW student Kattanna Maier’s practicum at the Thames Valley District School Board, where she is the Graduation Coach for Black, African, and Caribbean students. “I wanted to create an event that would be impactful for the high school students I support. The event was designed to foster a sense of belonging, expand career aspirations, and encourage students to envision themselves as future scholars and leaders,” she says.

Maier partnered with King’s Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization (EDID) which she says was instrumental in the event's planning and execution. She also received support from Enrolment Services and her professors in the School of Social Work. Her peers, including Augusta Bentil and other Social Work students doing their practicum with the EDID office, provided constant encouragement and collaboration.

“King’s BSA also did an amazing job of connecting with students and sharing their experiences of being students at King’s,” she says. During the visit, the King’s BSA also talked to the students about their club and how students can find community on campus.

Community is something that Maier has developed a strong sense of while studying at King’s, first in Social Justice & Peace Studies and now in Social Work. She has been inspired to recreate that environment for others and foster a space that empowers and supports students.

“I hope the students feel empowered to pursue their dreams. Lack of representation can be a barrier to realizing one's goals, and my hope is that the community panel inspired them to overcome these challenges and confidently follow their aspirations,” says Maier.