A variety of graduates came together for Trinity College School’s Black Alumni Career Night, organized by the Black Student Alliance leadership team, to talk about their experiences as minorities in their employment and post-secondary institutions. The event, held Wednesday, April 19th, was a great success. We were joined by Turks and Caicos Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance, the Honourable E. Jay Saunders ’91, real estate development manager Kamilah Bannister ’09, Graham Thompson Law Firm associate lawyer Nia Bethel-Sears ’12, University of British Columbia student Bolu Abiola ’22, and University of Waterloo student Taige Emtage ’22.
The event provided the alumni with a chance to speak with current students, who were eager to hear about their experiences. The conversation at the event focused on a variety of topics, including how to respond to racist incidents, the difficulties minorities faced in the workplace and at post-secondary institutions, and how Trinity College School prepared the participants for their future careers and post-secondary opportunities.
The significance of taking proactive measures to address incidences of racism was one of the major issues that came out of the conversation. The alumni emphasized the importance of people speaking out against discrimination and working together to build a society that is more inclusive and equal. The alumni also discussed how TCS had prepared them for their post-secondary options and careers. They praised the academic rigour of the institution as well as the assistance they got from the faculty and personnel. A great deal of the TCS graduates said that the knowledge and abilities they acquired had been crucial to their success in the fields they chose.
Despite their accomplishments, the graduates also discussed the discrimination they had to deal with in their jobs and post-secondary institutions. They talked about the difficulties dealing with institutional racism and the need to put in twice as much effort to succeed in their different fields. Throughout the conversation, the former students gave advice to the current ones, recognizing their diligence, tenacity and readiness to speak up against injustice. They also voiced hope for the future, with many saying they wanted to see more diversity among the faculty and staff at Trinity College School.
The Black Alumni Career Night was a significant and uplifting occasion that highlighted the accomplishments and challenges of Trinity College School’s Black graduates. Alumni had the chance to share their experiences with the current students at the event, providing helpful guidance and insights into the difficulties of being a minority in today’s society. There is little doubt that the alumni’s past experiences have shaped who they are today, and their voices will definitely contribute to the development of a more diverse and equitable society in the future.
- By Malinka Kwemo, Golden Onyekere and Sienna Taylor, BSA leaders
