About.The Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA) first began as an idea that Black and oppressed communities must have access to resources and opportunities for advancement. On May 5, 2018, a group of community members came together to discuss how we could build a more diverse and connected Newmarket community. One pivotal point in the discussion was around a concern for youth, and how the organization can support a generational legacy of education, empowerment and unity that will foster pride in identity, culture and history for the people of African descent. We understood that there was also a need for rootedness and belonging, and a firm understanding of the past so that we can step boldly into the future. We concluded that growth and sustainability meant building strength, partnerships and intercultural understanding.
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Established in 2018
NACCA is a registered nonprofit organization providing strong leadership for our diverse resident Black community, especially Black youth. We serve the Newmarket and surrounding areas.
Our Mission: a group of like-minded individuals who are committed to sharing and celebrating our stories– the stories that form the foundation of our collective history. Our Vision: to be a community that is strong and connected, where Black youth are connected to their past while firmly stepping into their future, and where the town of Newmarket and environs are welcoming and supportive. Our Values: Mentorship & Education - we believe that education is the foundation for success and mentorship is the road map. We embrace life-long learning and professional development. Youth Engagement – youth are the future, it is that simple. Youth involvement is at the heart of who we are as we keenly listen to the call for leadership and self-determination in our youth. Innovation – we believe in the potency of new ideas. We welcome ingenuity and question outdated wisdom with an unconventional scale for learning, changing and making new. Cultural Diversity – we believe that difference makes us stronger and more creative. We understand that difference is common and inseparable from human dignity. Empowerment – Being great is a habit not a goal, so we do not settle for good. We believe that we have the authority to be great and work to see its manifestation in equitable outcomes. |
Our FrameworkWe operate within an Anti-Oppression & Anti-Black Racism paradigm to:
WHAT DOES ANTI-OPPRESSION AND ANTI-BLACK RACISM MEAN? We believe that there are present-day institutional policies, structures, practices and behaviors that are specifically aimed at the people of African descent which are discriminatory and which comes out of our distinct historical experience of slavery and colonialism. These practices create attitudes and beliefs that are upheld to protect the power structure of institutions and often appear as invisible. The effect on the people of African descent encompasses a range of experiences of trauma, hardship and inequality that we experience on a daily basis. Although Canada prides itself on being a multicultural society, we know that marginalization and isolation of the "other" is pervasive and show up in virulent forms in various sectors of our community and country. This is the understanding that an anti-Black racism and anti-oppression analysis underscores. |
Building Community
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Youth Mentorship
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Building & Strengthening the Black Family Unit
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