CACC STAGES Project: Building Empowered Communities

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The Calgary African Community Collective, known as CACC, is proudly rooted in Treaty 7 territory, where the Bow and Elbow Rivers meet — a place of gathering, connection, and shared purpose for generations. With generous funding from The City of Calgary, CACC launched the STAGES Project — Seeding Transformation and Growing Empowered Societies — to build a stronger, more equitable future for the Black African community. A dedicated CACC team — including the Executive Director, Project Lead, Operations Coordinator, and Community Outreach specialist — worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life through exceptional leadership and teamwork. Workshop 1 of the Grassroots Anti-Racism Capacity Building Series was carefully co-designed with the community, using The City of Calgary's five learning modules to guide participants toward meaningful understanding and action. Participants from diverse age groups registered for the workshop, though data revealed a notable gap in youth under thirty-five — a critical finding that will shape how future sessions are designed and delivered. Post-workshop feedback showed high satisfaction across all dimensions, with strong facilitator ratings and clear calls for ongoing advocacy, proving that grassroots capacity building truly empowers Black youth organizations as bold change agents.