{"id":65508,"date":"2020-11-30T23:19:34","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T04:19:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bgccan.com\/?p=65508"},"modified":"2020-11-30T23:25:10","modified_gmt":"2020-12-01T04:25:10","slug":"its-time-to-invest-in-opportunity-for-those-who-need-it-most","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bgccan.com\/en\/its-time-to-invest-in-opportunity-for-those-who-need-it-most\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s time to invest in opportunity for those who need it most"},"content":{"rendered":"[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ inner_width=”auto” inner_max_width=”none”][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ custom_padding__hover=”|||” custom_padding=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.6″ text_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”text_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length=”text_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” 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By Jully Black<\/em> (published in The Toronto Star on November 30, 2020<\/a>)
\n 
\nOpportunity changes everything.<\/p>\n

If this sentence doesn\u2019t resonate with you, then maybe opportunity wasn\u2019t something you had to think about. Or maybe you had to create your own opportunities \u2014 but doors were still open to you and so \u201cchanges everything\u201d doesn\u2019t hit the same.<\/p>\n

When I first heard this, I liked it. It rang true because it moves from the usual debates<\/a> about policing and gun control and other short-term solutions and looks to the long game: if we create opportunities, especially for young people, we change lives, we change communities, we change our country.<\/p>\n

For me, opportunity is when those who are invisible or excluded are given a chance to show their abilities to others who have the resources to take them to the next level. I often say give me the interview and I will get the job. I\u2019m not looking for you to give me the job \u2014 I\u2019m looking for a safe and brave space to present the greatness that I have manifested.<\/p>\n

Playing organized basketball at the Boys and Girls Club was my opportunity. It kept me focused and off the streets. I always did well academically and clearly music was a given, but it was when I got deep into organized sports that I realized sport imitates society. If you can contribute to a team and you know that the success of that team is dependent on your commitment and focus, it will transfer into other areas of your life. I fundamentally believe that I\u2019ve had success in the music business because I know how to play on a team.<\/p>\n

I know people will read this and say I am an exception \u2014 but I shouldn\u2019t be. For too many Canadians, opportunity is not available. How do you realize your potential when you can\u2019t even find the doors in the first place, let alone open them?<\/p>\n

We are lucky in Canada to have organizations out there doing what they can to level the playing field, like Boys & Girls Clubs. Across the country, they remove barriers and create opportunities for thousands and thousands of kids and teens. Most importantly, they help kids develop the talents and skills they need so that when a door opens, a young person can take advantage of that moment.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I\u2019m happy to champion their new Systemic Opportunity campaign<\/a>, which reinforces the role Boys & Girls Clubs play in building social safety nets for so many young Canadians.<\/p>\n

The COVID-19 pandemic has widened the gap across Canada, especially for BIPOC communities. Over the summer, Black people and other people of colour made up 83 per cent of COVID cases in Toronto<\/a>. StatsCan data shows<\/a> that workers of colour are hit harder by job loss, Indigenous communities are experiencing worsening mental health, and newcomers are struggling with increased anxiety.<\/p>\n

In general, racial inequities are on the rise<\/a>. And research shows<\/a> that children who face racism are more likely to be victims of poverty and abuse, have more interactions with child welfare and the justice system, and experience challenges at school.<\/p>\n

The new Boys & Girls Clubs campaign contrasts these systemic issues with the systemic solutions that Clubs offer \u2014 equity, acceptance, support, opportunity. And these are not just words. This way of thinking structures all their programs and services, with one goal: provide young people with what they need to be their best selves.<\/p>\n

I have seen this firsthand. I have witnessed how club staff and participants have formed unique connections that are tied to their humanity, not what could be happening outside the club\u2019s door. I have spoken to club members and heard the excitement about their future, despite their current circumstances. It\u2019s clear they are supported and encouraged.<\/p>\n

But Boys & Girls Clubs and other charitable organizations shouldn\u2019t be doing this work alone. If opportunity is giving those who are invisible and excluded a chance to showcase their abilities, then it\u2019s clear we need to create favourable conditions \u2014 and that means investing in young people and the communities where they live.<\/p>\n

Many of us are born with what people call \u201craw talent.\u201d And when I hear the word raw, I think of what is needed to shape that talent. It\u2019s not just money. Youth need to know that they are being heard and respected and taken seriously enough to be invested in. It\u2019s a beautiful thing to receive a financial boost, but it\u2019s even more important to see the proud and present heart behind the donation. That\u2019s what will propel Black youth and others who need opportunity to truly soar into their purpose.<\/p>\n

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Dubbed Canada\u2019s Queen of R&B,\u00a0Jully Black<\/strong>\u00a0is a platinum-selling, award-winning recording artist, actress in film, theatre, and television, and a major presence in the Canadian media and entertainment industry.<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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