A hub for Vancouver’s Black community.

In British Columbia, Black residents make up about 1.3% of the population. When a community is that small, belonging can be harder to find, and opportunities can be harder to reach — especially when referrals and existing relationships so often determine who gets approached.  

Black Block Association was created to change that. Led by young Black professionals in Vancouver, the nonprofit works to increase representation and serve as a hub for the city’s Black community through events and community-building programs.  

“My hope is that we can build spaces that strengthen bonds and cultivate a sense of belonging, while also giving Black artists and business owners a place to sell their products, promote their work, and grow their networks,” says Ayobami Suara, VP of Operations at Black Block Association.

The most visible expression of that work is the Black Block Party, held annually downtown at the north plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Once a year, the space fills with vendors featuring a wide mix of local businesses and craftspeople, alongside live performances from singers, dancers, and drag artists.

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Behind the scenes, Mumbi Gitau, outreach coordinator for Black Block Association, says Vancity’s support has helped protect two non-negotiables: keeping the event free to attend and ensuring artists are paid for their work. That support aligns with Vancity’s renewed commitment to the BlackNorth Pledge, which includes directing 3% of Shared Success community grants to Black-led and equity-deserving organizations over the next five years.

“Vancity has been our partner since the organization’s inception in 2022,” says Mumbi. “And in 2025, Vancity made sure to allocate some of its funding toward vendor grants. This opened the door for many vendors who wouldn’t have been able to participate otherwise.”

Building the network year-round.

Beyond the party, the nonprofit also runs the Black Access Network (BAN), part of its professional programming. The networking event brings together young professionals, industry leaders, and allies, creating space for people to meet across sectors and build connections.

BAN describes its focus as connecting aspiring Black professionals with partner organizations that have pledged to hire Black candidates, alongside resources to support personal and professional development. One of those partner organizations is Vancity, which relaunched its Talent Programs Initiative last year to expand access to jobs, training, and career-growth opportunities for Indigenous, Black, and Trans people.

Kelly Chhor, Director Diversity Equity Inclusion and Reconciliation at Vancity, says the initiative is a key part of Vancity’s broader Equity Strategy, which was shaped with community partners and informed by employee voices across the organization. The initiative is supported through a year-round career posting and embedded procedures across Vancity’s recruitment process.

“We want Vancity to be a place where people feel welcome, valued, and respected — at work and in the communities we serve,” says Kelly. “This isn’t a journey that ends. We’ll continue learning, unlearning, and listening closely to what the community is telling us.”