Future Black Female partnered with organizations in the Niagara region to host a conference focused on the unique needs of Black girls and women entering the workforce.

The conference drove towards systemic change as we advocated for an inclusive workforce in Ontario.

About the Keynote Speaker: Dr. Beatrice (Betty) Moraa Ombuki-Berman, PhD, ME, BSc, a Full Professor of Artificial Intelligence in the Department of Computer Science, Brock University was the Keynote Speaker. Raised in Kenya and educated in Japan, she was the past Graduate Program Director of Brock’s Dept. of Computer Science and the Founding & former Interim Chair of Brock’s New Department of Engineering. She was an inspirational multi-lingual Black woman who claimed her space in a field with very few Black women. She currently Co-Directed Brock’s Bio-Inspired Computational Intelligence Group.

Workshops and panels focused on:

• Ageism - how GenZers experienced discrimination due to their age.

• Micro-aggressions against Black girls and women in professional spaces (including school/college/university).

• Diversity - what exactly did that mean and why was it relevant to the success of Black girls and women in the workforce.

• Mindfulness and self-care for professionals.

• Professional development skills (e.g. interview and resume building).

This conference provided strategies for equity and inclusion of Black female youth in the workforce and made sure their careers began in nurturing environments where they were empowered to make meaningful contributions.