On May 13, more than 350 Black high school students and their teachers from 46 schools in Windsor-Essex, Toronto, and Detroit, logged on to the 18th annual African Diaspora Youth Conference — about the same number who attended during its last in-person iteration on the UWindsor campus in 2019.

The conference was ahead of its time when it was founded, says chair Andrew Allen, with a goal of helping young Black students realize that they could get to university and do well.

“The conference … has created a space for dialogue for students who are interested in or could identify with being part of the African Diaspora,” Dr. Allen says.

“Based on student feedback, we are proud to have offered several thousand dollars in scholarship to attend UWindsor and inspired generations of young people through an intense learning experience that encourages them to see higher education as a part of their academic goals.”

More than 500 attendees in its 18-year history have gone on to study at the University of Windsor.

Read the full story, “ADYC 2022 energizes students,” on the conference website.

—Susan McKee