Black Youth Mentorship Program

Posted by Tej Jordan Sandhu, March 13, 2020

MERIT and Beer.Diversity. are excited to announce that partial proceeds from draft sales of our collaboration More Than (Mango Pale Ale) will be donated to the Hamilton Centre For Civic Inclusion’s Black Youth Mentorship Program!

A little about the BYMP:

In partnership with the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board and NGen Youth Centre the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion is providing high school students (targeting black youth) from select schools with mentorship opportunities to support them develop leadership and life skills through interactive group sessions. Using an anti-black racism framework, the sessions will focus on supporting and strengthening mentees’/ students’ leadership and civic engagement skills while empowering and inspiring them to create their narratives and pathways to success and prepare them to be strong advocates for their communities.

Topics included are: social justice, community mobilizing tactics, effective communication strategies, political involvement, entrepreneurship, health and well-being, nutrition, stress management, black identity and history and other current affairs. These group discussions will provide opportunities for participants to connect with one another- forming a bond and friendship and strengthening their sense of community connection.  The program will create opportunities to showcase acquired skills through organized tours, and participant youth will have access to hands-on experiential learning activities to inspire positive development

From Ren of Beer.Diversity. on the work HCCI is doing:

Having met the young leaders of HCCI, I realise that there’s hope for future generations. The tenacity and work that they do to help racialized and black youth is awe inspiring. Giving back to the Hamilton community and helping others think outside the box and grow is absolutely amazing. I’m excited to see those who come out of these programs – who knows what kind of changes in the world they’ll bring about!

From MERIT Brewing on the importance of the program:

We’re absolutely in awe of the work that HCCI is doing in our community. They’ve done an incredible amount with such limited resources thanks to the heart and soul of thamazin . The BYMP is another example of the great programming they are providing for marginalized communities in Hamilton and we’re excited to support the work they are doing through our collaboration with Beer.Diversity.!

Thank you in advance to everyone who comes out to help us support this important initiative that will inspire our city’s future leaders.