As a Black youth coming to Canada from Zimbabwe, Tapo Chimbganda (PhD ’17) had a difficult time adjusting to a new country. She felt isolated and saw first-hand many of the barriers that young Black women face. It was this early experience that inspired her to start Future Black Female, an organization that seeks to guide and empower Black girls and young women to achieve their goals with the support of others in their community.
“Coming from Zimbabwe, a lot of things were fast-paced and changing for me,” says Dr. Chimbganda. “I wasn’t sure where to start, there weren’t many resources for support, or a community to help me. I did a lot on my own, made lots of mistakes, and there was a lot of social isolation and rejection which took a mental toll.”
Dr. Chimbganda sought to help open doors for Black youth who were often disadvantaged when it came to pathways that were available to them. In 2019, she founded Future Black Female (FBF), an organization with a focus on Black girls and young women aged 16-22. Future Black Female’s main pillars of support are financial literacy, economic security, mental health, education, and career pathways.
“There were so many barriers as a Black woman and as an immigrant with an accent, it was hard,” says Dr. Chimbganda. “Hearing similar stories from a lot of people, I decided to start this organization to fill in the gaps that girls and women face.”
Dr. Chimbganda’s goal is that FBF provides a resource that young girls and women can rely on for support at a time in their lives when they need support the most.
“Our organization works to lay firm foundations for young people so that 10 years from now their trajectory is more successful and grounded,” says Dr. Chimbganda. “We chose to support girls and young women because your teenage years and early adulthood are such an important time for people because they are approaching big milestones in their education, social lives and careers.”
FBF programming covers many key topics for young Black females, including gender-based violence, financial literacy, and networking opportunities.
“We recruit youth of all genders that get trained to be peer facilitators helping identify gender-based violence and how to access care and support,” says Dr. Chimganda. “The work we do for financial literacy is based in the Niagara region, supporting all youth, covering topics such as budgeting, credit scores, and planning for retirement.”
An important upcoming campaign for FBF is their Brick-by-Brick Capital Campaign, fundraising for a community space in the Niagara region where youth can learn important skills for their future, gain access to resources, and create pathways for employment and entrepreneurship.
“Our youth have been talking about an after-school space for themselves,” says Dr. Chimbganda. “I have encountered Black youth with no laptops, internet, and other crucial resources for their schooling. It’s small details like that that many people don’t think about. This campaign helps cover some of those digital equity gaps. Food security is also a key need for Black youth locally, so this space is also very important for addressing this need.”
With the growth that FBF has made in only a few years, Dr. Chimbganda can feel the positive change she has driven in the community and has received an important piece of feedback that hits close to home.
“Whenever I encounter other Black women who have become successful in life, they always say ‘I wish there was a Future Black Female when I was a younger,’” says Dr. Chimganda. “That puts into perspective the importance of the work we are doing.”
To learn more about Future Black Female, visit: https://www.futureblackfemale.com/