TRU BLSA

🚨History was made at TRU this week!!🚨

On Feb 25th, TRU President, Dr. Airini formally signed the Scarborough Charter during a Black History Month community panel hosted by the TRU Black Law Students Association and the EDI & Anti Racism Office. The co-presidents of BLSA had an actual seat at the table during the signing!

The signing of the Charter indicates TRU’s commitment to measurable and accountable action to address anti-Black racism and Black inclusion across the institution.

We were joined by executive director of the Charter, John Ariyo, who flew all the way from Ottawa for this event!

This event was not just symbolic, it was a call to action and TRU has answered that call. This will shape the future of TRU for years to come and we are so grateful we got to be apart of it! This was a powerful moment, not just for TRU, but for Black students across campus. It has given our students a chance to be seen and heard. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event happen!

The 2026 Black Law Student Association conference has come and gone 🎊 This year our chapter sent the 1L’s: Kenyan, Jada, and Zaena. We had an amazing time!… But if you’ve been keeping up with our stories, you already knew that 😙 Huge thanks to for hosting us! Until next year

Black history month is in full swing! Last night, we had Dr. Marva Ferguson to give us real talk about being black in academia, in professional spaces, and in life.

The night was an awesome moment to connect theory with practise! The and .tru had the chance to talk about how we connect to black history and black futures.

Huge thanks to for making this possible!

Black history month is in full swing! Last night, we had Dr. Marva Ferguson to give us real talk about being black in academia, in professional spaces, and in life.

The night was an awesome moment to connect theory with practise! The .tru and .tru had the chance to talk about how we connect to black history and black futures.

Huge thanks to for making this possible!

The TRU Black Law Students Association alongside is proud to share an exciting opportunity for Black law students across Canada: the inaugural Calgary Black Firm Hop.

This initiative offers a unique chance to visit and engage directly with leading law firms such as Bennett Jones , Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, McCarthy Tétrault, and others. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with legal professionals, gain insights into the profession, and receive mentorship from some of the most respected names in Canadian law.

Black lawyers remain critically underrepresented in Western Canada, and programs like this are essential to creating pathways toward greater diversity, inclusion, and equity within the legal profession. The Calgary Black Firm Hop represents a meaningful step toward that goal.

We strongly encourage all interested Black law students to complete the interest form and be part of this important initiative. The deadline to submit is June 13, 2025.

This is our moment to show up, connect, and help shape the future of our profession. Please share and repost widely to ensure this opportunity reaches those who need to see it.

https://lnkd.in/gCZKQpe4

The 57th NBLSA National Convention in Atlanta, March 12-16, 2025, at the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway Hotel was transformative for TRU BLSA. We connected with top law firms like Kirkland & Ellis and diversity-focused organizations at the vibrant career fair. Plenaries on DEI challenges inspired Canadian advocacy ideas, while NBLSA’s governance impressed us compared to BLSA Canada’s bilingual model. Advocacy competitions, networking, and a gala celebrating 57 years of Black excellence fostered bonds with students from UConn, Maine, and Harvard Law. Ben Crump’s keynote, paired with his book Open Season, urged us to combat systemic injustice. The “Ubuntu” theme drove workshops and community service, energizing us to build a more inclusive legal community in Canada. Thank you, NBLSA! — TRU BLSA

It was an honour to be invited to the innagural Ubuntu Gala. This marks the beginning of a push to connect the British Columbia Black Law Students’ Association of Canada Chapters forming a ‘BC Chapter’ of sorts. A future consisting of a Vancouver Balck Firm Hop and an annual BC BLSA conference rotating between each school is a future where black representation in the legal field will be stronger out west, with more alternatives to the Toronto market for black law students and lawyers to feel a sense of community.

We were able to have executive members of both the .tru and .tru , Ayomide Maxwell and attend the acsa.tru annual gala themed Sankofa Soireé meaning “to go back and get it” – a symbol of learning from the past to create a better future.

We heard from talented student performers such as , , and as well as insightful speakers including .i.c.y_.nae who discussed an interesting perspective on framing, taking the disadvantages of being black (for example having such a small black law student membership at ) and reframing them to something positive (having the opportunity to bring the biggest increase in black law students in the country as the has done before us).

We want to thank the work of the acsa.tru leadership, especially the co-presidents .ceo and .kesewah for working day in and day out to provide a cultural hub for black students to feel home away from home. You set an example for us all.

The .tru and .tru launched the Ayomide Maxwell Advocacy Award to recognize those who turn advocacy into action. Inspired by the theme “As We Lift, We Rise” at the Conference, we reflected on the responsibility of using privilege to uplift others. A defining moment came at the TRU Community Legal Clinic, where one of our team members met a client surviving on just $12,000 a year—less than what some make in twenty days on the rigs. That experience reinforced the need to support those making a real impact.

Last friday, we proudly celebrated four incredible advocates: .i.c.y_.nae , who amplifies marginalized voices through TRUSU’s Board and her podcast Breaking the Silence; , who champions racial justice and financial literacy through Black Rap and The Omega; Gurjot K. S., who helped pass Bill C-5 for trauma-informed judicial training; and Azadé Aria, who fights for women’s rights and LGBTQ+ inclusion through TRU’s Human Rights & Social Justice Club. In a world of ‘for-show activism,’ these individuals prove that real change happens through action, and we are honored to recognize their work.

BLSA TRU at the National Stage: Building Momentum

For the first time in 34 years, the was held in Alberta, and we were proud to be there, represented by our President, Ayomide Maxwell. While we came up just short in the race for National Chair, the experience reinforced a key lesson—titles matter, but impact matters more.

Beyond the election, we built stronger connections with BLSA chapters across Western Canada, particularly , whose Black Applicant Pathway has brought in 20+ Black law students in two cohorts. Inspired by their success, we’re working to establish a similar initiative at TRU.

Looking ahead, we’re collaborating with , , , and to bring Black Firm Hops to Vancouver, Calgary, and Ottawa, expanding opportunities beyond Toronto and Montreal.

This is just the beginning. Onward and upward! 🚀