$25K in 25 Days: Our Publicity Campaign for the Mother of Black History Month

Jean Augustine is a national treasure and living legend. The first Black women elected to the Parliament of Canada, she went on to become the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and Minister for Multiculturalism and the Status of Women. She came to Canada under the Canada-Caribbean Domestic Workers Program but decided that would not be her lot in life.

Dr. Augustine knew that education was the key to opening doors. She went to Toronto Teachers’ College before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto. She earned her Masters in Education and then went into a career in teaching, later becoming a principal. But she was not stopping there. Dr. Augustine became a respected politician – making history! However, education has remained at her core and is her personal passion. This is the reason why she established the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora at York University in 2007.

Dr. Augustine has a vision of the $3M required to sustain the Chair in perpetuity being raised “by the community for the community.”  With the support of York University and the community, she has raised $1.8M and needs everyone’s help to complete the goal of raising the remainder $1.2M.

This is where the $25K in 25 Days Campaign comes in – the challenge to the community to step up and show up! I conceptualized the promotional fundraiser with three things in mind:

·        to bring awareness about the Chair and all the necessary work it is doing for the Black community

·        jumpstart fundraising to meet the overall goal

·        celebrate Black History Month with the Mother of Black History who continues to make Her-story – 25 years ago she ensured that Black History Month would be officially recognized in Canada

Accenture Canada, which presented Dr. Augustine with the 2019 Accenture Inclusion Vanguard award, agreed to generously donate up to $25, 000 to match dollar for dollar contributions from the community and other corporations.  The campaign kicks off February 1st on Dr. Augustine’s Instagram along with the 25 Days of Jean, which highlights just a few of the ways she has impacted the landscape of Canada.

CBC Toronto has agreed to be our Media Sponsor with editorial support on their television, radio, and digital platforms. And I am extremely proud to announce that FKB Media Solutions is the publicity sponsor.

I am very confident that we will surpass the goal and raise more than the possible $50 000 in 25 days. At the age of 83, Dr. Augustine is beloved, well-respected and a leader in the Black community. To find out more about the excellent work of the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora or to donate to the campaign (which is a registered charity that issues tax receipts), click HERE.