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The Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton’s eight-week camp for Black Indigenous Persons of Colour (BIPOC) finally came to fruition this year; the program was a dream of Veronica Tyrell, who has a park named in her honour in Oakville at Buttonbush Trail, in the Trafalgar Road and Dundas Street area. The dream was realized by her son Andrew.
The aim was to ensure attendance was specifically limited to children who would normally not be able to attend a summer camp and, most importantly, was free. And so, it took a while for the organization to financially "sustain a program as large as this," with backing from Halton Region and Ontario Trillium Foundation.
"I wanted to target the people who could not otherwise afford a day camp. I targeted places like Children’s Aid, and I said we’re putting on this camp and if they had families that fit what I envisioned helping. That was going to be Black, Indigenous and Persons of Colour who were going to be at home watching TV and not outdoors, not experiencing other people, and not networking with role models." - Andrew Tyrell
The program sustained a perfect attendance of 40 kids throughout the eight weeks.
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A wide range of guests taught kids how to dance, make music, experience nature, and even grow and cook vegetables - the kids learned how to cook the vegetables they grew with the help of a chef.
"Cooking is a bridge to having conversations with other ethnicities because the common element among all of humanity is that people have to eat." - Andrew Tyrell
The kids’ exposure to the world around them along with lessons in BIPOC history fostered confidence, built a positive cultural identity and improved their skills in whatever activity they were involved in.
The counsellors were high achieving Black young ladies who are headed to university to study health sciences, engineering and math. "The camp goers were urban kids who most likely never had a chance to explore green spaces and meet someone who could be a mentor for them," Tyrrell says.
Plans for a summer camp next year are certain, but Tyrell doesn't want it to get much bigger - an attendance of 40 is perfect.
"Oh yeah, parents are already asking where to sign up for next year. We had a waiting list for this summer’s camp."
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