Explore a range of scholarships designed to support and uplift BIPOC students in their pursuit of higher education and academic success
At McMaster University, BIPOC students have access to a variety of scholarships aimed at reducing financial barriers and fostering academic achievement. These scholarships not only provide crucial financial support but also recognize the unique experiences of BIPOC students and the perspectives they bring to campus.
Discussed below are accessible and impactful scholarships available to help BIPOC students succeed in their educational journey. Whether you’re a first-year student or well into your studies, these opportunities can make a significant difference in your academic path.
RBC Capital Markets Pathways Diversity Award Program
The RBC Capital Markets Pathways Diversity Award Program includes a $10,000 award, a 2026 summer internship, an executive sponsorship for career guidance and networking opportunities. This program is available for full-time Black or Indigenous undergraduate students that will graduate between December 2026 and June 2027. The application deadline is Feb. 9, 2025.
Applicants must have a strong academic record, actively participate in extra-curricular activities and demonstrate a genuine interest in pursuing a career in finance after graduation. Additionally, candidates must be available to join a full-time summer internship program running from May to August 2026.
To apply applicants must also be Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada or legally eligible to work in Canada for any employer up until August 2026. This unique opportunity is designed for students from all academic programs who are committed to both their academic growth and a future in the finance industry.
RBC Indigenous Development Program
The RBC Indigenous Development Program is a two-year, nationwide rotational initiative designed for college and university graduates who self-identify as Indigenous people of Canada. The application deadline is Jan. 31, 2025.
This program offers four work rotations: three focused on a specific business area and one dedicated to a charitable organization or qualified non-profit. The charitable rotation provides meaningful work experience, allowing you to apply your skills while expanding your professional network in the non-profit sector.
Upon applying, applicants must be recent university graduates and be willing to commit to the program for the full two years. Applicants must also reside in close proximity to an RBC Branch or RBC location and be willing to commute on a regular basis.
This program aims to help participants develop essential skills and build valuable networks to support their career growth at RBC.
Blackspace Scholarship
The Blackspace Scholarship is an annual scholarship launched by the MSU club Blackspace in partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada. The scholarship is awarded to Black-Identifying women and nonbinary McMaster students. The application deadline is Feb. 1, 2025.
The application is open to both McMaster undergraduate and graduate students. Applicants for this scholarship must answer several questions that demonstrate a strong sense of self-awareness and personal growth.
They should highlight their educational aspirations and how their academic pursuits align with the broader goal of contributing to their community or society. Applicants are also expected to showcase resilience through past experiences, particularly how they've overcome adversity.
This scholarship application seeks to understand how applicants’ identities, particularly as Black women or nonbinary individuals, have shaped their academic journey, along with their perspectives on diversity and inclusion.
The Edgar Lee Ware Memorial Award
The Edgar Lee Ware Memorial Award, established in 2022 by Syrus Marcus Ware, recognizes undergraduate students enrolled in the School of the Arts who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or racialized with a $3,000 award. The application deadline is Apr. 29, 2025.
The award honours students who demonstrate significant community involvement and leadership potential. Applicants for the Edgar Lee Ware Memorial Award must be undergraduate students currently enrolled in the School of the Arts, pursuing a Bachelor's, Co-op, Honours Co-op, or Honours program.
Applicants must self-identify as a racialized or Indigenous person, have completed at least 18 graded units in the current year and maintain a minimum average GPA of 9.5 on the McMaster 12-point scale. Additionally, applicants must meet eligibility requirements for in-course awards. Graduating students are excluded from consideration. McMaster students can apply through the AwardSpring website.
The Adella Margaret Bragg Scholarship
The Adella Margaret Bragg Scholarship is a merit-based award valued up to $12,000, available to female students from the Six Nations of the Grand River territory enrolled in any undergraduate program at McMaster University. The scholarship is renewable for up to three years, with a maximum annual value of $4,000. The application deadline is Apr. 29, 2025.
To qualify, applicants must be an undergraduate student, enrolled in a Bachelor's, Co-op, Honours, Honours Co-op, or Year 1 program. Students must have completed the Indigenous Ancestry Verification process and have approved proof of Indigenous Identity in Mosaic. Additionally, applicants must have a minimum of 24 graded units and a sessional average of 9.5 or higher. This scholarship is not available to graduating students or those enrolled in Nursing Consortium Programs at Mohawk or Conestoga.
For consideration, applicants must agree to the Student Declaration and self-identify as Indigenous on the Mosaic Indigenous Ancestry Verification System. Proof of Indigenous identity is required prior to the deadline. McMaster students can apply through the AwardSpring website.
The CIBC Future Technology Leaders Black & Indigenous Scholarship
The CIBC Financial Technology Award is a $10,000 scholarship, typically awarded to 10 students, for undergraduate students enrolled in Level 2 of a Faculty of Engineering co-op program at McMaster University. Applicants must self-identify as Black and/or Indigenous and express an interest in working in the financial technology industry. The application deadline is Apr. 29, 2025.
To be eligible, students must meet the following requirements: be registered as an undergraduate student, have a minimum of 18 graded units in the current academic year and maintain a sessional average of 9.5 or higher. Applicants must also be eligible for in-course awards. The award is not available to graduating students or those pursuing a second degree.
Additionally, applicants must self-identify through the Indigenous Ancestry Verification System on Mosaic and students from racialized or Indigenous backgrounds are encouraged to apply. McMaster students can apply through the AwardSpring website.
These programs offer not only financial assistance but also mentorship and real-world experience to help students thrive in their chosen fields. By exploring and applying for these opportunities, BIPOC students can gain tools and networks to help them succeed in their educational and career journeys.
By actively seeking out and applying for these scholarships and work opportunities, BIPOC university students can help bridge the gap in representation within various industries. Students can discover additional scholarship opportunities through university resources, including the Black Student Success Centre's Instagram, the Indigenous Student Services Instagram and AwardSpring on Mosaic.
Empowering young minds, Mac iSTEP is fostering a new generation of Black innovators in science, technology, engineering and math
Mac iSTEP is an after school STEM program for Black youth developed by McMaster University’s science and engineering faculties. Mac iSTEP will begin their After-School STEM Club at the end of February. The program will run from February up until May of 2025.
The After-School STEM Club is an annual free program that features bi-weekly STEM workshops where students in grades 10 to 12 can gain volunteer hours, explore McMaster’s campus and engage in hands-on science activities. The workshops are two hours and take place in the Life Sciences Building at McMaster University.
Dylan Marshall, outreach director of Mac iSTEP, discussed the goals of the program.
"Our focus has historically been black high school students, due to the fact that there is a clear underrepresentation of black scientists in all fields of STEM. And so our main goal is to show black students that they can be a part of STEM," said Marshall.
Our focus has historically been black high school students, due to the fact that there is a clear underrepresentation of black scientists in all fields of STEM.
Dylan Marshall, Outreach Director
Mac iSTEP
The program will be delivered by four black-identifying mentors who are graduate students at McMaster.
"We do have a training session for them [the mentors]. We try to do it at different points throughout the year, just so we desensitize them to specific things to stress the ideas of what a mentor should look like. Understanding that we're working with students who are underrepresented and [from] equity deserving groups and how to approach that," said Marshall.
Mentors are carefully selected to deliver the best experience for students.
"We do go through a rigorous selection process. We actually hire our mentors, so mentors apply as you would for any job . . . we had a preference for Black students just because we want the students to be able to see themselves in their mentors," said Dylan.
Transportation was heavily considered to increase the program's accessibility. "In the case of our after-school program, we actually provide the transportation," said Marshall.
Students are recruited through the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board and the Halton District School Board. Interested students apply through the program's registration form.
Marshall discussed the main difference between the After-School STEM Club and other programs they have offered.
"The after school club is going to be directly exposing them to all aspects of STEM. So we try to cover various workshops that are all STEM focused in the realm of biology, chemistry, physics, engineering . . . just trying to cast as wide a net as you can to expose them to a lot of different branches of STEM that they might not even have known existed in the past," said Marshall.
The necessity of the program for Black youth is rooted in the need for representation to diversify all fields in STEM. "A lot of them don't have that kind of role model essentially, to look up to, to see that it was possible beforehand. And so I think it's so important that we are proactive in showing them," said Marshall.
Marshall urges that students and faculty continue to push for more accessibility that fund programs such as the After-School STEM Club.
"Because, again, the reason why we have these gaps in STEM as of right now, is because there are issues in getting certain demographics into these positions. And so I think we have to push a bit more at this point to make sure that everybody has a seat at the table," said Marshall.
. . . there are issues in getting certain demographics into these positions. And so I think we have to push a bit more at this point to make sure that everybody has a seat at the table.
Dylan Marshall, Outreach Director
Mac iSTEP
If you're interested in Mac iSTEP's work, you can explore their programs, discover undergraduate and graduate student opportunities and follow their journey in supporting BIPOC youth by visiting their Instagram.
Imposter syndrome is often viewed as a personal struggle, but for BIPOC students it’s deeply intertwined with societal expectations and barriers that influence their academic journey
Imposter syndrome is not a new phenomenon for many. It’s a sentiment that follows you through your academic journey. While imposter syndrome is often dismissed as self-doubt, for BIPOC students, it’s a complex issue shaped by societal barriers and stereotypes that have a life-long impact on their mental health.
For BIPOC students, imposter syndrome is often tied to anxiety over race and ethnicity and how these may affect you as a student. It is the hyper-awareness towards how you present yourself, interact with others and try to balance the burdensome feeling of knowing you are different that makes imposter syndrome uniquely challenging for BIPOC students.
From an early age, many BIPOC individuals feel a pressure to minimize their racial identities to make others feel more comfortable. This can begin with distressing experiences, such as comments being made about one's accent or about different cultural foods they may bring for lunch. For BIPOC students, these experiences lead to a hyper-awareness of how one is perceived and feeling a need to adapt and try to fit in as a means of self-protection against ignorance and intolerance.
From an early age, many BIPOC students become aware of the pressure to minimize their racial identities to make others feel more comfortable.
This feeling is further exacerbated in highly competitive environments like universities, where the feeling of the need to adapt is exacerbated by the pressure to perform. In this context, it’s the feeling that you have to work harder than your non-BIPOC peers to be seen as equally valuable. It’s the feeling of the need to defy the implicit bias of others that groups you with harmful stereotypes.
Constantly being hyper-aware of and adapting your behaviour produces a chronic sense of worry. This seriously impacts the mental health and self-confidence of many BIPOC students. The mental burden causes a heightened sense of imposter syndrome by reinforcing the narrative of race undermining your value. Additionally, the stigma surrounding mental health in many BIPOC communities often leads students to tough it out and endure the struggles that come with their identities.
The stigma surrounding mental health in many BIPOC communities often leads students to tough it out and endure the struggles that come with their identities.
As a BIPOC student, challenging these norms can be even more mentally taxing and isolating. So, surround yourself with friends, mentors and educators who validate your experiences and who help you feel seen, supported, and empowered to stay true to yourself. Such communities gives BIPOC students the courage to integrate racial and ethnic perspectives within academics, helping them to forge their own way. There is no need to justify taking space, or to wait for others to build their tolerance and make a space for you.
Imposter syndrome for BIPOC students is not just a personal battle but a reflection of deep-rooted societal pressures and persisting racial biases. The experiences of many BIPOC students surpass typical self-doubt and become a mental and emotional burden which ultimately impacts their societal views and academic experiences.
Following the 2020 report, the Black Student Athlete Council provides avenues to foster conversation and encourage McMaster to improve supports for Black athletes
In 2020, a report titled “A Systemic Review of the Black Student-Athlete Experience and the McMaster Athletics Climate” was released, highlighting the issues that Black student athletes, coaches and staff had experienced within the McMaster University Athletics and Recreation department. The report also made recommendations to the department to address these issues, based on numerous interviews with athletes, coaches and staff involved in McMaster Athletics and Recreation.
In October 2020, McMaster released a follow up report titled “Taking Action on the Recommendations In A Systemic Review of the Black Student-Athlete Experience and the McMaster Athletics Climate.” This second report highlighted the main priorities for the university's action plan to address the issues within the department. These priorities included increasing representation within the department, creating a culture of accountability, developing targeted supports, scholarships and advocacy roles as well as mechanisms for training and education.
One of the outlined mechanisms for creating a culture of accountability was the creation of a Black Student Athlete Council. The BSAC is a student-run organization that aims to support student athletes who identify as Black, Indigenous and persons of colour.
"Our main goal is to foster community within the McMaster community and BIPOC athletes. Secondly, and very close to our main goal, is to be the liaison between athletes and the athletics department,” said Osa Olaye, one of BSAC's co-presidents.
Our main goal is to foster community within the McMaster community and BIPOC athletes. Secondly, and very close to our main goal, is to be the liaison between athletes and the athletics department.
Osa Olaye, fourth-year rugby player and co-president of the Black Student-Athlete Council
The council intended to foster discussion between athletes and McMaster, allowing for the needs of BIPOC athletes to be communicated directly to the administration.
As part of this, climate surveys and progress review focus groups have been set up by the athletics department to provide open and updated communication between them and student athletes.
These events and surveys include racialized and non-racialized groups and help any groups that face collective barriers.
“The climate survey and progress review is not just race-focused. It's for any equity deserving group. It asks what are we [the department] doing wrong and what ideas do you [individuals in the focus group] have,” said Olaye.
These avenues for communication seem to allow the university more access to student’s thoughts and needs. They open a discourse for changes to occur before things become too extreme.
“I think that the climate surveys and quality control checks are so important to know where we stand, because at the end of the day, the institution won’t know where we stand until someone tells them there's a problem. Then we can hold them accountable after they know there is a problem,” said Olaye.
I think that the climate surveys and quality control checks are so important to know where we stand, because at the end of the day, the institution won’t know where we stand until someone tells them there's a problem. Then we can hold them accountable after they know there is a problem.
Osa Olaye, fourth-year rugby player and co-president of the Black Student-Athlete Council
As the BSAC continues to support opportunities for conversations with the department of athletics and recreation, more avenues for further change will hopefully follow suit.
Waste colonialism is a prime example of how racism is a root cause of the climate crisis
By: Emma Shemko, Opinion Contributor
Waste colonialism is the practice of hegemonic nations dumping their excess waste into the hands of economically subjugated developing states predominantly made up of BIPOC communities.
When discussing the climate crisis, it is crucial to frame it as more than just an oil or plastic crisis because doing so erases the voices of BIPOC people who are bearing the brunt of climate changes. Understanding who generates waste, where it ends up and the connections between environment and racism are key to achieving mitigation.
Looking closely, the countries receiving these never-ending imports of waste are typically already overwhelmed with chronic symptoms left over from 19th and 20th-century colonialism, including civil conflict, severe economic debt and political instability.
Several countries, such as Liberia, Kenya and Tunisia, have attempted to create laws banning illicit imports of toxic waste. The dumping of garbage on foreign soil compromises the living conditions of people of colour and reproduces the conditions that characterized the colonial era. But because economically powerful countries are dependent on plastic and oil production these laws are disrespected time and time again.
After waste is dumped, little regard is given to the lives of those who work in unsanitary and hazardous conditions as informal waste pickers. An estimated 20 million people worldwide make up the informal recycling sector earning only a daily average of $2 to $3 US dollars. In addition, waste pickers are predominantly women and children. In Pune, India 73 per cent of workers are women and half of these women work up to 12 hours daily.
To combat overflows of waste, a trend has emerged among developing countries who are now threatening to return waste to its original exporters. In 2019, the Philippines threatened to send 60 containers of rotting household waste back to Canada.
To put this into perspective, between 2013 and 2014, Canada shipped 103 containers of garbage to the Philippines. In 2018 Canada generated 35.6 million tons of garbage. Waste is not piling up in streets is because much of it is shipped away.
Not only has Canada has continuously been a big offender in foreign waste dumping. It also negligently dumps waste into Indigenous communities within its own borders. For example, arsenic pollution from the oilsands tailing ponds in Alberta continue to destroy the health of the environment and of the Indigenous communities living along the Athabasca River.
Not only has Canada has continuously been a big offender in foreign waste dumping. It also negligently dumps waste into Indigenous communities within its own borders. For example, arsenic pollution from the oilsands tailing ponds in Alberta continue to destroy the health of the environment and of the Indigenous communities living along the Athabasca River.
Toxic chemicals from the ponds have been seeping into groundwater and affecting the Fort Chipewyan Métis community since 2009. Governments continue to neglect complaints despite knowing that the tailings ponds contain 1.4 trillion litres of toxic waste.
Once I began to realize how commonplace waste dumping is and how this practice is deeply connected to racism, neo-colonialism and the climate crisis, I could no longer unsee it. It infiltrates all aspects of life and is inescapable for BIPOC communities worldwide.
Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru, founder of @blackgirlenviromentalist on Instagram, is a youth climate activist passionate about protecting BIPOC people who lack access to the resources or clout needed for combating exposure to toxic waste. Wanjiku highlights these notions as a reflection of society as the truth is, the same throwaway culture that disposes our planet disposes of people, especially people of color.
The disproportionate levels of waste in BIPOC communities alongside the lack of governmental action to outcries about climate change and human well-being are clear indications of environmental racism. I believe that without racism and the mindset that one’s race makes them superior to another, there would be no incentive to dump waste in BIPOC communities and nations. Therefore, there would be no climate crisis without racism. The climate crisis is not rooted in a plastic or oil crisis but in ongoing racial injustices.
Environmentalism begins with antiracism because the two social justice movements are inextricably linked. Environmentalism without intersectionality is like exterminating a weed without pulling up the root, allowing the weed to continue expanding.
Environmentalism begins with antiracism because the two social justice movements are inextricably linked. Environmentalism without intersectionality is like exterminating a weed without pulling up the root, allowing the weed to continue expanding.
Racism is the root of the climate crisis weed, and it is high time that it is uprooted if we are to mitigate environmental emergencies.
C/O @ark_collectivehamilton
The Ark Collective draws the community’s attention to local BIPOC businesses.
The Ark Collective strives to promote and support local Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour owned businesses from their storefront on James St. N. The collective aims to help expose the community to the variety of these small businesses and their products.
Ayodele Adefala, the founder of Ark Collective, worked in retail for over 10 years before launching her online clothing boutique, Liza and Grace, focused on selling women’s clothing and accessories. However, Adefala realized customers were more willing to trust and purchase from a brick-and-mortar store because they could physically see and try the product.
“Small business owners struggle with having to pay for Facebook ads, which cost a lot of money for people to even realize your store exists. And . . . sometimes customers are a bit apprehensive and conscious about online shopping with new businesses, like “Will I get my product or not?”, that sort of thing,” explainedAdefala.
Adefala decided to sell some of her products in a collective store in Toronto. Being a part of a collective can be a incredibly valuable opportunity to a business and it provides every brand with the same amount of exposure and recognition.
Seeing a lack of similar collective store in Hamilton, Adefala decided to open her own in the steel city this past April. Recognizing the difficulties local BIPOC businesses can face, she chose to focus her work on supporting them.
“The sad reality of this life is we don’t have as many opportunities as some of our counterparts. In the GTA, there are about six or seven Black-owned businesses with a similar business model. But the prerequisite is you have to be Black, but I was like, ‘What about the Spanish girl? What about the Ecuador girl? What about the Asian girl?’. . . We all suffer with similar issues,” said Adefala.
“The sad reality of this life is we don’t have as many opportunities as some of our counterparts. In the GTA, there are about six or seven Black-owned businesses with a similar business model. But the prerequisite is you have to be Black, but I was like, ‘What about the Spanish girl? What about the Ecuador girl? What about the Asian girl?’. . . We all suffer with similar issues.”
Ayodele Adefala, founder of ark collective
Her business approach has broadened her search for brands to collaborate with while also keepingt the products in the collective diverse.
Right now, Ark Collective has over 20 brands with various products such as clothing, jewellery, accessories, skincare, health and wellness and home decor.
“You get to see the vendors in person who can tell you more about the product. I feel like [a storefront has] a more genuine approach to it and that’s what makes us unique,” explained Adefala.
She plans to add food items to the collective soon and hopes to make the Ark Collective a one-stop shop where customers can purchase anything they might need.
Adefala also rotates through vendors every three months and she hopes this system will help keep the store seeming fresh and different every time a customer steps in.
Moving forward, the Ark Collective aims to expand the variety of products they carry and continue to participate in more pop-up markets to bring more exposure to the brands in their store.
“I want them to walk away with that ‘do good, feel good’ mindset and feeling when they are coming in,” said Adefala.
C/O Khadija Hamidu
McMaster alumna Khadija Hamidu has created an online platform to showcase Black culture and the BIPOC community in Hamilton
Activism and social justice movements around the world have greatly shaped this past year. Across Canada and the United States, thousands of people joined in on public demonstrations, protests and initiatives, like defunding the police, while other forms of activism and support took place online. Melanin Market Hamilton is one of the many online communities that have emerged during the pandemic in response to these social justice movements.
Founded in late January of this year, Melanin Market Hamilton is a project started by Khadija Hamidu, McMaster University alumna of 2016 and now an executive director of Workforce Planning Hamilton. The Instagram page represents her love for community development. It aims to highlight and celebrate Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) creators, businesses, achievements and opportunities in Hamilton. Previously, the page has featured Blackspace, a student-run club at McMaster, as well.
The Instagram page represents her love for community development. It aims to highlight and celebrate Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) creators, businesses, achievements and opportunities in Hamilton.
“I started doing experiential learning at McMaster and then going into community developing. And that's what made me fall in love with community work and community development as a whole.” explained Hamidu.
Prior to starting the Instagram page, Hamidu worked at the YMCA Hamilton as a teacher. She forged a real connection to the Hamilton community during her time at McMaster and had decided to stay in the city. Although her passion for community work dates back to her undergraduate years doing experiential learning, it wasn’t until the pandemic she found the spark she needed to start Melanin Market Hamilton.
“I think the pandemic just started this whole new era of Khadija—trying to do new things, trying to focus on things that truly make me happy. Things that I really wanted to focus on was definitely something that highlighted the change of the pandemic,” explained Hamidu.
Hamidu recognized the struggles of the small businesses during the pandemic and she was inspired to create a platform for them. Melanin Market distinguishes itself from Blk Owned Hamont, an online space for Black entrepreneurs and businesses to showcase themselves, by carrying a broader focus on the BIPOC community as a whole.
“I think there's a huge community here that needs to be almost uplifted and I wanted to be a part of that and give people the opportunity to showcase the work through my lens, through Melanin Market,” said Hamidu.
“I think there's a huge community here that needs to be almost uplifted and I wanted to be a part of that and give people the opportunity to showcase the work through my lens, through Melanin Market.”
Khadija Hamidu, Melanin Market Hamilton Founder
As part of this goal, Hamidu runs a series called Spotlight Fridays on the page where she interviews BIPOC creators, leaders and business owners, sharing their missions and goals with her audience.
She is also looking for more collaborative projects with local organizations to better connect members of the community. For instance, she has been talking to Hamilton Bike Share to organize outdoor activities for the Black community and promote healthy living.
“I think we as Hamiltonians are very proud, and I want to be able to put that into the Black community as well because we are very much focused on local businesses . . . but sometimes, I don’t see that transferring over to the Black community. I want to be able to connect the two a little bit more,” said Hamidu.
“I think we as Hamiltonians are very proud, and I want to be able to put that into the Black community as well because we are very much focused on local businesses . . . but sometimes, I don’t see that transferring over to the Black community. I want to be able to connect the two a little bit more.”
Khadija Hamidu, Melanin Market Hamilton Founder
Engagement on Melanin Market Hamilton has been great so far. In the early days of operating the platform, Hamidu had to search for businesses and people to feature by visiting different parts of Hamilton and scrolling through social media. However, more people have begun to reach out to her as well. It has grown into a platform well appreciated by both folks from Hamilton and other cities such as Montreal where she promoted a few businesses during her trip there this summer.
“Being able to celebrate the Black community, no matter where I am, I think is the ultimate goal. I’m the type of person to always embrace where I currently am . . . It was just transitioning from Hamilton to Montreal but still keeping the same theme alive,” said Hamidu.
For Hamidu personally, Melanin Market has opened many doors for new connections. Prior to starting the Instagram page, Hamidu explains she very much disliked Instagram and was unaware of groups like Blk Owned Hamont that existed to celebrate the Black community in Hamilton. However, through this initiative, she has been able to discover new businesses and people she never knew existed before.
Moving forward, she is excited about expanding her work as a community connector and increasing her outreach to include more collaborations with other organizations.
“The love of Hamilton is clear. I’m happy to be a part of this community and I’m happy to showcase the work that’s being done in this community as much as I possibly can. My love for Hamilton is always going to be here and it’s just connecting the two between my love of the Black community and Black culture as well as the Hamilton area,” said Hamidu.
Yoohyun Park/Production Coordinator
Discover local BIPOC wellness brands to curate your own self-care kit
With reading week around the corner, there is an audible sound of relief echoing through campus and understandably so. It has been an exhausting few months for everyone, constantly adapting to new changes and challenges.
Some of us may have lost our jobs; others may be worried about the health and safety of our loved ones. Although it has only been a month into the new school year, you may be feeling tired and overwhelmed, and that’s totally okay. It’s normal to feel anxious, stressed, burnout or whatever else you may be experiencing right now. That’s why it’s all the more important we engage in self-care in our daily routines.
Practicing self-care can help redirect your attention away from the stresses of daily life, to your mind and body and it looks different for everyone. It might involve watching a movie, doing a long skincare routine, meditating, running or perhaps it’s spending time with family at home. Whatever it may look like for you, if you are looking to add to your current routine or start one this reading week, here is a list of seven Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) brands that may help you in your self-care journey.
Glowing Gardens
If you are interested in healing through aromatherapy, Glowing Gardens offers hand-poured, vegan-friendly and cruelty-free scented candles in unique shapes and colours. One of their best sellers is the Baby Buddha candle, however, you can find others in angel, peach and abstract shapes as well.
It also offers Moody Jars, which are candles layered in various scents and colours in a single cup, and healing crystals. The candles are soy or beeswax based, both of which are sourced from Canada.
The face behind the brand is Deanna Clarke, a candle maker and makeup artist. Her love for candles grew into Glowing Gardens last year, and since the launch of her brand, she has taken part in many virtual markets and pop-ups in Hamilton and surrounding areas.
Xubriance
Established in August 2020, Xubriance is a self-care and healing-focused business, selling handmade bath scrubs, bath teas, body butters and crystals.
The brand name was inspired by the word exuberance and the founder’s first name, Bri. Taken together, the name represents strength, energy, positivity, excitement and self-love. The company’s mission is to share self-care and healing tools and aid people through their healing journeys.
Perfectly Imperfect
Perfectly Imperfect is a local skincare brand, offering organic and inexpensive skincare products. You can find everything from handmade body butter and bath bombs to face steamers and soaps. Even if you’re not interested in looking after your skin for aesthetic reasons, the very act of taking care of yourself through a skincare regime can be soothing and comforting.
Steel Town Athletic Club
Self-care can also look like physical exercise. Steel Town Athletic Club is a local community group focusing on BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ folks to run in a safe, comfortable and fun environment. Currently, the club offers community group runs in a socially distanced formation. Interested members can join the trail running program, where you explore trails and waterfalls in Hamilton; Wednesday BIPOC exclusive run night, a program that provides a safe space for BIPOC folks to run together; and club race team, a group competing in local and virtual road, trails and team events.
Goodbodyfeel
Practicing mindfulness encompasses self-acceptance, self-awareness and self-care. Goodbodyfeel helps their clients to achieve just this. As a pilates, yoga and mindfulness studio, Goodbodyfeel offers live-stream classes, one-on-one sessions and workshops to inspire empowerment and a sense of community.
They are currently running a workshop called Sharing Privilege which focuses on facilitating conversations on anti-oppressive work. Attendees can explore how to decolonize their current behaviours and ways to sustainably share their privileges. The goal of the program is to foster a safer space for discussions for marginalized folks. Having an opportunity to express your voice and reflect on pressing issues can help you process and collect your thoughts and feelings, which is important for mitigating emotional exhaustion.
My Sweet Tooth
Run by a couple from China who met at McMaster University, this delicious Asian fusion bakery may be just what you need after a long stressful day. My Sweet Tooth specializes in everything from cakes to cream puffs, mochis and boba drinks.
Give yourself a reward for all your hard work and achievement with one of their exclusive treats. Self-care includes acknowledging your accomplishments, and taking time to do something for yourself as a reward. Even if it may not be buying yourself a treat, rewards can help you appreciate your progress.
Ark & Anchor
Nestled in the intersection between King Street West and Queen Street South is the Ark & Anchor café. The café's many different clubs and events help it stand out among others on the block. If you are looking for a fun activity to unwind and a community to share your interests with, these clubs may be of interest to you. Finding hobbies and making time for self-indulging activities can help you to find balance in your life. Programs include roleplay game Mondays, board game Thursdays and a monthly book club called Ship’s Log.
Self-care is an endless journey. Whether you find joy in aromatherapy, skincare, physical exercise, eating or pursuing a hobby, we all need a self-care routine. These BIPOC businesses can help you explore your interests and build better self-care habits.
C/O Robert Bye, Unsplash
Check out these advocacy and social justice groups on and off campus to start finding your community
Community is a crucial piece of any university experience. It will be even more important this year as we return to campus, particularly for the many students for whom it is not only their first time in Hamilton but also their first time away from home entirely.
Finding and building community can be difficult enough after a move, nevermind during a pandemic. It can be difficult to know where to start. One place might be the issues in the world you’re passionate about. Groups or organizations dedicated to these issues are wonderful places where both community and social justice advocacy can thrive. Furthermore, having a strong sense of community, while also tackling these issues you care about can help you cultivate support systems not only as you navigate university but also in the face of larger issues.
Included below is a list of groups both on and off campus, sorted by the social justice issues they’re concerned with, who are doing some excellent work in the Hamilton community. It should be noted this is not an exhaustive list of all the wonderful groups and organizations in Hamilton; there are many more groups that can be found both on campus and off.
If you identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, are passionate about 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and peer support:
If you’re passionate about anti-racist and anti-oppressive work, check out:
If you’re passionate about climate and environmental justice, check out:
If you’re passionate about food security and nutrition, check out:
If you’re passionate about healthcare and public health, check out:
If you’re passionate about housing and supporting unhoused individuals, check out
Holding space for community stories through arts and culture journalism
C/O Anne Nygard
As the year comes to an end, it’s important to take the time to reflect on the past few months. This serves not only as an opportunity to measure and celebrate our successes but also to recognize our shortcomings. It allows us to hold ourselves accountable to the goals and promises we set out in the beginning.
As a section, there are two tenets that have guided our reporting this year: community connections and Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour perspectives.
We have strived to place particular emphasis on the student community, especially during these strange and trying times. The fall semester saw the return of the Humans of McMaster column and in the winter semester, we have been able to report on how events such Mac Dance annual showcase and faculty musicals have been able to proceed in the pandemic.
We also have been thrilled to feature a number of student-led businesses and initiatives. These include but are not limited to Ashantae Handcrafted, Alethea Clark and her mother’s health and beauty business; the Potential Excellence podcast produced by second-year students Brian Osei-Boateng and Tevin Wellington; Desu Beauty, fourth-year Abi Oladesu’s makeup business; The Wig Hall, second-year Inès Ndzana’s wig company and ISAIAH III, fourth-year student Aaron Parry’s clothing brand celebrating African-Canadian identity and culture.
While many of these businesses were born out of student’s newfound time during the pandemic, they also reflect their unique interests and passions.
“Everyone has their own outlets of dealing with [burnout] and [ways] of finding healing and time to actually rest so that you can reenter the world. Art has always been mine for that. I think developing a business that reflects my creative interest and my community interest is kind of a daily reminder to actually do art to be creative and to look after myself,” said Parry.
“Everyone has their own outlets of dealing with [burnout] and [ways] of finding healing and time to actually rest so that you can reenter the world. Art has always been mine for that. I think developing a business that reflects my creative interest and my community interest is kind of a daily reminder to actually do art to be creative and to look after myself.”
Aaron Parry, founder of isaiah iii
Although the traditional Supercrawl celebrations were cancelled, we were still able to cover how the event affected students and also offer insight into how students have been affected as members of the larger Hamilton community during the pandemic.
There are few articles this year that have not alluded to the pandemic. It’s hung over all of us. It is difficult to forget about as we are constantly confronted with reminders of it, including the monotony of learning and working from home and the shift from print to online publication.
It was important to us to help capture how the events of 2020, including the pandemic-affected students and particularly their ability to form community. This desire spurred the creation of the new Sil Time Capsule series as we sought to share the experiences of students in the larger, international community as well.
“2020 has been an eventful and unprecedented year and as a student newspaper, we have a responsibility to acknowledge these events, inform our peers and raise awareness about them. We also have a responsibility to address the ways in which they have affected and influenced not only the wider world but also our own community. This Time Capsule series is one way by which we are working to do justice to the events and issues of this year and their influence on the communities big and small of which we are a part,” explained both Adrian Salopek and myself in the introductory article on the Time Capsule series.
We also attempted to raise awareness about opportunities for students to connect with the McMaster and Hamilton communities even if they were not in the city proper, such as through pen pal initiatives, the Hamilton Public Library and series like virtual nightclub Bedroom Dancing. These initiatives are examples of the way the community has stepped up to support each other and bring some joy to each other during these difficult days.
“I hope that [the attendees] can feel invigorated to move a little more in their own way . . . [and] connect with the community. That’s my ultimate goal,” explained Rachel Mae, also known as DJ Donna Lovejoy, who co-hosted Bedroom Dancing.
We have strived to hold space for the stories and voices of the BIPOC community at McMaster and Hamilton, which have often been underrepresented in the Silhouette’s coverage.
Representation matters and as a section, it’s been extremely important to us to report on stories that reflect the diversity of our community. We've been delighted to feature businesses and organizations like Mixed in Hamilton, Take Up Space, Beads in the Trap, Shop Boho, BlkOwnedHamont and Filipinas of HamONT. However, in the future, we could strive to feature more Indigenous stories in our arts and culture coverage.
Representation matters and as a section, it’s been extremely important to us to report on stories that reflect the diversity of our community. We've been delighted to feature businesses and organizations like Mixed in Hamilton, Take Up Space, Beads in the Trap, Shop Boho, BlkOwnedHamont and Filipinas of HamONT. However, in the future, we could strive to feature more Indigenous stories in our arts and culture coverage.
In our annual Sex and the Steel City special issue, we endeavoured to bring these two tenets of community and BIPOC perspectives together to do justice to the diversity of cultures and communities on campus and in Hamilton.
“I think COVID-19 has made this issue all the more urgent. This pandemic has upended relationships, cancelled sex lives and wreaked havoc on our collective health. But it has also highlighted the importance of these things. We crave connection perhaps more than we ever have. So in this year’s Sex and the Steel City, we have sought to tell stories of connection. Not just stories of romantic relationships, but also stories of the relationships with our family members, our friends and ourselves. I hope you know that you’re part of a community that loves and looks forward to this issue, be it your first Sex and the Steel City or your millionth,” wrote Arts & Culture Editor Rya Buckley in her opening letter for this year’s Sex and the Steel City issue.
We also attempted to revive the Sil’s Black Futures issue and while it was not quite as successful as we had hoped it would be, we were grateful to be able to offer a platform for Hamilton’s first Black Film Festival, the new Black and IPOC-focused clubs making a difference on campus and what McMaster alum Michael Abraham has been up to. Just as these individuals and their initiatives hold space for the Black community, it was important to us to hold space for their stories.
“The reason why I am part of these clubs is because I want to do whatever I can to best support the Black community. Because oftentimes a major issue is just lack of information. People aren’t aware of these opportunities. In being in these roles, we’re able to share different opportunities with the people who are part of our club . . . and just keeping them tapped in because that’s really important. Overall, [I am] just looking for ways to support the community in whatever capacity that I can. That’s why I’m involved in these clubs,” said Anu Popoola, a second-year student involved in the Black Student Mentorship Program and Black Aspiring Physicians McMaster.
The last few weeks in particular we have placed renewed emphasis on sharing BIPOC stories, especially those close to the hearts of section staff. We are grateful to have featured initiatives such as speqtrum’s Food Talks series, Goodbodyfeel’s fueling reclamation initiative and Red Betty Theatre’s Decolonize Your Ears. We’ve also had the privilege to interview businesses such as Thirty Wolves Designs and Verte Beauty.
“It’s overdue. This kind of investment into BIPOC leadership is overdue [and] it’s easy reparations for the folks who are like, “Oh, I’m so overwhelmed. How I can contribute to anti-racist work?” Here you go, here’s a really easy way to do it. Just help fund it, help spread the word, help empower our future changemakers. If we’re fully fueling BIPOC leadership, we are fueling an equitable future,” explained Robin Lacambra, founder and owner of Goodbodyfeel.
While Lacambra was speaking about her studio’s fueling reclamation initiative, the same can be said of all institutions and industries. Being a reporter is a privilege and it’s one we endeavoured to wield wisely as we’ve strived to support our community through this trying year, while also holding space for BIPOC stories and voices in our section.
There is always room for improvement though and hopefully, in the future, the section continues to allow these tenets to guide their work.