What is The Black Academy?
The Black Academy is a membership-based, national, year-round Canadian organization that operates at the intersection of Black popular culture and social justice. It celebrates, empowers, and showcases Black Canadian talent and inspires generations to come. Co-founded by actors, producers, and Scarborough-born brothers Shamier Anderson and Stephan James, The Black Academy is born out of a longstanding commitment to their community and is dedicated to dismantling systemic racism in Canada.
Established in 2020, The Black Academy is based in Toronto and is a division of the not-for-profit B.L.A.C.K. Canada.
ABOUT THE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM:
The Black Academy, together with Insight Productions, has created an unparalleled Skills Development Program designed exclusively for Black Canadians to receive real world, hands-on training and experience in the business and art of television production, leading up to and on “The Legacy Awards.”
We are now accepting applications for 2023.
Board of Directors
Vanessa Craft
Vanessa Craft is the Director of Content Partnerships at TikTok Canada. Prior to taking on an executive role in the tech industry, she was the Editor-in-Chief of ELLE Canada.
Alica Hall
Alica Hall is the executive director of Nia Centre for the Arts, Canada’s first professional multi-disciplinary arts facility dedicated to supporting and showcasing Afro-diasporic art.
Wes Hall
Wes Hall is the Executive Chairman and Founder, Kingsdale Advisors, and the Founder and Chair of the BlackNorth Initiative.
Jennifer Holness
Jennifer Holness is the board chair of the Black Screen Office, the president of Hungry Eyes Media, and an award-winning Canadian film and television producer and screenwriter.
Divya Shahani
Divya Shahani is a leading Toronto entertainment lawyer at Miller Thomson LLP and a former executive producer on various feature film projects.
Tonya Williams
Tonya Williams is an award-winning actress, producer, and the founder and executive director of the Reelworld Film Festival and Reelworld Screen Institute.
Sponsorship Contact
Morgan Blades
Director of Programming, The Black Academy/B.L.A.C.K. Canada
morgan@blackisnow.com
Media Contact
Gabrielle Free | Free Publicity (for The Black Academy)
GabFree.Publicity@gmail.com
416-220-0201