This summer Freedom School, we will be hosting a community event, which is a ball (think Pose/Legendary not Foxtrot).  In this type of ball, people (mostly 2SLGBTQ+ and Black) compete in categories such as: vogue, runway, realness and bizarre.  Balls present an opportunity for community building among marginalized communities and sustenance.  A feature of balls/ballroom culture is the awarding of prizes.   We are hoping to award 10 Wonderland tickets to prize winners.  

A bit about our organization - Freedom School is being organized to provide Black children/youth in the GTA with much needed positive and self-affirming educational opportunities.  We currently run year round and summer programs designed to teach Black Canadian and global history and to engage children in artistic education that they would otherwise not have an opportunity to explore.  Through offering access to free childcare for young children, hot meals and bussing, it will be geared towards families from working class neighborhoods and contexts.  As we are catering to families with restricted financial access to educational summer activities, one of the most important parts of Freedom School will be accessibility.

Freedom School is a coalition of Black educators, parents, and youth resisting racism in the GTA and across Canada.  We are building a strong network of leaders and community members in Toronto to engage in educational events and other organizing around key issues in education affecting the Black community. This program has already been supported by organizations such as Community One Rainbow Grants and Laidlaw Foundations and we hope that you will be able to join us in supporting the development of uplifting programming for Black children in the GTA. Please let us know if you require additional information.