The Community and Culture Series focuses on building community and culture through various interactive events. These events highlight the importance of belonging, identity, and culture. For example, the Curls and Coils: Everything Black Hair workshops have gathered the BE YU community to discuss the history and importance of hair as Black-identifying individuals. We encourage our students in the community to create connections through these events, foster conversations, and establish meaningful experiences.

In partnership with the Student Community & Leadership Development (SCLD) Peer Leadership and Professional Development Series, BE YU offers a series of peer-led leadership workshops where participants can build and maximize their leadership capacity, foster strong student leadership connections, and cultivate community and inclusive excellence.

Attending workshops held by BE YU students are able to get a foundational Leadership Certificate that can be added to their co-curricular. To earn a foundational certificate students must attend all 8 leadership workshops. Once the necessary workshops are complete students can apply for the certificate and add to their co-curricular record.

The BE YU Mentorship Program aims to improve Black student academic performance, strengthen their awareness of on-campus resources, create a safe space for relationship building among peers and faculty, and foster a sense of belonging within the wider York community. Our focus is to provide robust mentorship to students using their lived, academic, and professional experience to increase their sense of belonging, confidence, self-esteem and social capital. We offer mentorship opportunities to students of all identities across all faculties.

Students are matched with peer mentors in the same program, department or faculty, or with similar interests supporting their journey in their university degree.

Please email beyu@yorku.ca to schedule an appointment with a BE YU Mentor.