Fellowship
why is fellowship important?
Being able to join a community with a common purpose and respect for each other, creates the platform from which Black culture in Calgary can flourish. We believe connecting with and growing as professionals will make our community a more equitable and fair place, establishing our city as a destination for Black professionals in Canada.
The Calgary Black Chambers is a non-profit organization consisting of individuals working to support diversity in and around Calgary. Our mission is to serve as mentors and advocates, fostering the growth of great students and future professionals.
Calgary Black Chambers (CBC) is built on the fellowship of Black professionals with varied professional backgrounds. Our members bring their diverse experience and education to help elevate current and future professionals. CBC is a safe place where we encourage professionals to connect, communicate, and collaborate with others, creating the foundation for the next generation of black leaders and entrepreneurs. As a society of black professionals, CBC has gained recognition and is highly respected as an organization that fosters Black excellence.
the values we represent
Mentorship
Mentoring is a process for the informal transmission of knowledge, social capital, and the psychosocial support perceived by the recipient as relevant to work, career, or professional development; mentoring entails informal communication, usually face-to-face and during a sustained period of time, between a person who is perceived to have greater relevant knowledge, wisdom, or experience (the mentor) and a person who is perceived to have less (the protégé).
Scholarship
We aid students who have demonstrated exceptional qualities of leadership and fellowship, achievements in non-curricular activities, including sports, community involvement, and activities and other attributes which, in the opinion of the CBC Scholarship Committee, indicate that the applicant is likely to become an outstanding citizen with a high commitment to the performance of public duties and/or community involvement.
Fellowship
The need for closer ties between various professionals and academics is obvious in many areas – Calgary is no exception. Our Fellowship Program is a great forum to achieve this goal. With shared experiences and stories, we work to tighten our social fabric and mobilize as a group towards our goals.
Advocacy
Advocacy usually involves getting government, business, schools, or some other large institution (also known as a Goliath) to correct an unfair or harmful situation affecting people in the community (also known as David, and friends). The situation may be resolved through persuasion, by forcing Goliath to buckle under social pressure, by compromise, or through political or legal action.
Becoming a Member
Our membership holds our values up as the aspiration of the Calgary Black Chambers. We have high expectations of our members to represent the Black community in Calgary and beyond.
To become a CBC member, we encourage each applicant to connect with two other members to solicit a recommendation. We hold open meetings for non-members so this is generally the best place to come in and start connecting with the various people within our group.
After you received two current CBC member recommendations, we’ll ask that you submit your application which consists of two paragraphs: A short biography and your reason for joining.
We have regular meetings so you’re encouraged to check our calendar periodically for the next meeting. If you let us know your email below, we can keep you in the loop about meetings and volunteer opportunities with the group.
Viola Irene Desmond was a Canadian civil rights activist, mentor and businesswoman of Black Nova Scotian descent.
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