The Power of Collective Voice and Thematic Cohorts
Since our inception, the Calgary African Community Collective (CACC) has embraced the philosophy of Ujima—a shared responsibility for the collective upliftment of our communities. In line with this, we have created regular Community Conversations as a platform for reflection, dialogue, and, most importantly, action. These sessions engage people of African descent in Calgary, encouraging them to contribute ideas and solutions to the challenges we face.
In addition to these crucial conversations, this past month, CACC launched two additional cohorts aimed at driving focused change: the Youth Cohort, and the Health & Wellness Cohort. These groups of like-minded grassroots organizations have begun to collaborate on creating real, long-term solutions to the problems facing our community, emphasizing the need for adaptive and sustained investment.
In the past months, we’ve held two Community Conversations and launched these thematic cohorts, all of which have served as powerful reminders of the strength in collective action. Our goal is to use these conversations and cohorts to steer meaningful change within our communities, ensuring that we build the necessary systems for self-sufficiency and solidarity. This edition of Ujima News reflects on those two conversations and highlights the critical takeaways as we push our vision forward.
Pushing Our Vision Forward: Systems Change in Action
Our first Community Conversation, held in August, focused on the theme of “Forward and Onwards: Solution-oriented Community Development.” This session was an opportunity to discuss how African grassroots organizations can use systems thinking to influence broader social, economic, and political structures that impact our community. Systems change, at its core, is about addressing root causes, not just symptoms.
Participants in this conversation, including representatives from African Cancer Support, Family Advocacy Support Centre, Haiti Alberta Sports and Culture Club, Calgary International Learning Institute, BCW In Action, and other CACC member organizations, shared experiences on how systemic issues such as institutional racism, economic disparities, and healthcare inequities impact the African community in Calgary. These discussions revealed that for systems change to occur, our advocacy must be strategic and multifaceted.
We explored practical ways to implement systems thinking in our day-to-day operations, focusing on collaboration with policymakers and other community stakeholders. The consensus was that building alliances across sectors, sharing resources, and engaging in policy advocacy are crucial steps in driving the change we want to see.
Harnessing Ujima: Mobilizing Our Resources and Volunteers
The second Community Conversation, held in September and titled “Building a Collective Volunteer Database,” took a deep dive into one of the most pressing needs for African grassroots organizations: volunteer support. Volunteers are the lifeblood of our initiatives, yet many organizations struggle to maintain a steady and reliable volunteer base.
In this session, participants emphasized the need for a shared volunteer database — a centralized platform where organizations can access skilled volunteers for specific roles. By working together to build this database, we will be able to better match volunteers with opportunities, ensure more efficient use of resources, and strengthen our community organizations’ capacity.
This conversation also touched on the importance of strategic volunteer engagement. Participants shared success stories of how engaging volunteers in meaningful roles not only supports the organization’s work but also empowers community members by giving them a sense of purpose and belonging.
Issue-Specific Cohorts for Change: Youth and Health & Wellness
In October, CACC launched two additional thematic cohorts—the Youth Cohort and the Health & Wellness Cohort—bringing together grassroots organizations to collaborate on addressing specific challenges in these areas. This special circle of like-minded organizations is looking deeper into the real solutions required to address the ever-evolving problems facing our community.
One key theme from this cohort launch event was the mismatch between funder-dictated project goals and the actual needs of the community. As was discussed, real change requires longer-term investment and adaptive funding models. As one participant put it, “Why introduce handwashing to a family when they do not have food on the table?” In essence, grassroots organizations are mobilizing to call for long-term investment from funders who genuinely want to see results in five to ten years, rather than just six months to one year.
Advocating for Ourselves: The Role of CACC in Creating Change
Throughout both conversations and the cohort discussions, a common thread emerged: the need for CACC and its member organizations to take a more active role in advocating for ourselves at municipal, provincial, and federal levels. This means not only pushing for funding and resources but also ensuring that the unique needs of the African community are considered in broader policy discussions.
We are committed to using the insights from these Community Conversations and cohorts to continue pushing our advocacy efforts. By presenting a unified front and harnessing the collective strength of our community, we can elevate the voices of African Calgarians and ensure that our needs are met.
Moving Forward: Continuing the Dialogue
CACC’s commitment to hosting regular Community Conversations and launching more issue-specific cohorts is part of a larger strategy to keep the momentum going. These dialogues are just the beginning. Moving forward, we will continue to use these sessions and cohorts as platforms for collaboration, learning, and action.
As we look toward the future, we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. The challenges may be significant, but so too are the opportunities for growth, unity, and transformation. With each Community Conversation and cohort session, we move one step closer to building a more inclusive, empowered, and resilient African community in Calgary.
Resource: Canada’s Commitment to Francophone Africa
We’re excited to share news from the 19th Sommet de la Francophonie in France. During the summit, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s dedication to fostering development, security, and inclusion in Francophone Africa. As part of this commitment, over $11 million in funding has been announced to improve education, empower women and girls, enhance health initiatives, and promote community safety across French-speaking African countries.
Click here for more details.
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Ujima News is an inhouse newsletter designed with our members in mind. Our aim is to make knowledge translation and knowledge sharing a core activity of the collective through free media communication.
This article was written by Olayemi Babarimisa, a consultant for CACC.
