In honour of Black History Month, University Canada West proudly recognizes the voices, achievements and contributions of our Black community. This is a time to reflect on the legacies of Black leaders, innovators and changemakers, as well as to celebrate the experiences and impact of our own students and faculty.
To mark the occasion, we asked our students: “What does being part of the Black community mean to you, and how has that shaped your journey?” and our faculty: “What does being part of the Black community at UCW mean to you?” Their reflections highlight the power of identity, the importance of representation and the influence of community in shaping academic and personal growth.
Through their stories, we honour the richness of lived experience and the profound contributions of Black voices to our UCW community. This month and every month, UCW is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all perspectives are celebrated and empowered.
Student Reflections
“What does being part of the Black community mean to you, and how has that shaped your journey?”
Favour Essien
MBA Student
To me, Black History Month is an annual audit of the standards we uphold. While it rightly honours the legacy of those who came before, its real value lies in the responsibility it places on the present. As an international MBA student and Career Leader, I approach my journey less as personal ambition and more as stewardship. Each milestone I reach contributes to a broader narrative of competence and reliability. It is a reminder that excellence remains the most effective response to limitation, and that our responsibility is to leave a footprint that makes the path clearer for those who come after us.
Imaobong Kingsley Archibong
MBA Alumni
Being part of the Black community means carrying resilience, history and responsibility with intention. It has shaped my journey by grounding me in perseverance, faith and purpose, especially while navigating academic and professional environments that were not always designed with my lived experience in mind. My identity has taught me to lead with empathy, speak with clarity and remain committed to collective progress, understanding that success is not only personal, but also about opening doors and creating space for others.
Nwadiani Mon-John Ekaose
MBA Alumni
Being part of the Black community means resilience, adaptability and carrying stories that often go unseen. It has shaped my journey by teaching me how to keep going even when systems are not built with you in mind.
As a Black entrepreneur in Vancouver, I’ve faced challenges ranging from access to funding and visibility to being taken seriously in business spaces. These experiences pushed me to be resourceful and intentional. Owning both a restaurant brand like Vansuya and a hibiscus-based drink brand has been about more than business, it is about representation, culture and proving that our ideas deserve space in mainstream markets.
Chevaneese Bennett
MBA Student
Growing up, I never saw myself as beautiful simply because I was Black. My understanding of beauty was strongly influenced by my friends and the people I saw on television. Most of the images presented in the media reflected light-skinned individuals, and I often compared myself to my lighter-skinned friends, believing that beauty looked a certain way. Because I rarely saw people who looked like me represent positively, I began to question my own appearance and worth. At that time, I did not understand that beauty comes from within and, while culture shapes who we are, it does not define our value.
Being part of the Black community means strength, resilience and shared experience. It means carrying a history of struggle while still finding ways to rise, succeed and support one another. My journey has been shaped by learning to accept myself and unlearn the ideas of beauty that were imposed on me. I strongly believe in Black excellence, but I also strive to see people beyond skin colour. I focus on individuals’ character, attitude and values rather than their race. This mindset has helped me grow not only as a Black woman, but as a person.
Oluwabukunmi Ayodeji Ateji
MBA Alumni
Being part of the Black community often means carrying both heritage and responsibility. I stand on the work of those who created space for me, and I consciously try to widen that space for others. Growing up and building an early career in Nigeria, then transitioning into graduate study and teaching in Canada, Black identity is not only about race, but also about culture, language and the confidence that comes from knowing I have already navigated demanding systems at home before stepping onto a global stage.
This perspective has shaped how I show up in classrooms and professional settings. With my background in the Nigerian financial markets, Nigerian universities and now Canadian business education, these stories have now become tools to encourage other Black students who are still trying to see themselves in these spaces. It also means I am often visible as a “first” or “only” in some rooms, which can be challenging, but it gives me the opportunity to model excellence, intentional networking and integrity for people who look like me and are coming behind me.
Pettal Dilworth
MBA Student
As a soon-to-be Black graduate, my experience at UCW has shaped and empowered me to become a leader. Coming to the university, the Black population was very small, which opened my eyes and made me wonder whether others like myself were aware of the opportunities that exist for them. This realization empowered me to step out of my comfort zone and become involved in as many areas as possible, contributing wherever and whenever I could while also becoming more aware and informed. Volunteering at UCW allowed me to motivate others, because when students attend events and see another African American student on the other side, it gives them courage and reassurance that they too can excel and be part of something greater.
Faculty Reflections
“What does being part of the Black community at University Canada West mean to you?”
Dr. Eleazar Anthony Noel
Assistant Professor
For Dr. Eleazar Anthony Noel, being part of the Black community at UCW means belonging to a collective grounded in shared histories, resilience and excellence, while also representing broader minority experiences. It carries a responsibility to be visible, to lead by example and to inspire not only Black students but other minority groups by demonstrating what is possible through education, perseverance and community.
Hala Mousa
Sessional Instructor
Being part of the Black community at UCW means showing up fully as myself—a Sudanese Canadian woman, educator, and researcher—in a space where Black voices have historically been underrepresented. It means carrying the stories, struggles and creative resistance of my community into the classroom and beyond. For me, it is both a responsibility and a gift. It means building community across difference, finding solidarity with colleagues and students who share similar hopes and making visible the intellectual and cultural contributions of Black peoples, particularly those from the African continent. It means ensuring that we are not only present but shaping conversations.
Mekdes Ayalew Tessema
Sessional Instructor
Being part of the Black community at UCW allows me to learn about the achievements and journeys of Black faculty and scholars. It creates space for meaningful conversations about Black intellectual contributions while allowing me to share my own experiences and path to achievement.
