A GoFundMe campaign has been started to support a club at University of the Fraser Valley that works to highlight, cultivate and educate about Black culture in Abbotsford.
Black Connections started at UFV in 2014, and is seeking donations to “expand its budding influence,” says the statement on the GoFundMe page.
The club has participated in activities such as Black networking events, business expos, We Are Abby, Abby Fest, Jam in Jubilee, and the NYTC (Not Your Typical Canadian) Block Party at The Reach Gallery.
“Having been self-funded and with little support, with the exception of February, we have been able to organize some of the most amazing events here in Abbotsford with limited partners and media attention,” the group states.
“But there comes a time when you realize you can only do so much with little backing.”
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The group says that when the club was started, members envisioned having space they could call their own “to create, inspire, and promote our image, our cultures and our businesses here in the Fraser Valley, so we can participate in this community at an equal footing.”
They say that, with the recent events transpiring in the US causing global unrest, the club needs support more than ever.
“We’ve seen members of different races reach out to the Black community on social media, asking, ‘How can we help?’ ‘How can we be allies?’ One of the most significant ways you can help is to donate.”
The crowdfunding campaign can be found by searching “Support Black Connections” at gofundme.com.
As of noon on June 10, the club had raised about half of its $10,000 goal. Questions or comments can be emailed to blackconnections@hotmail.com.
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