The Daughters of the Diaspora Bursary Series

REACH in New Brunswick is proud to support 

The Daughters of the Diaspora Bursary Series.

The tradition of empowering youth has long been a part of many Black organizations in New Brunswick. Groups like the Women’s Auxiliary of the Black Community in Saint John and the Coloured Willing Workers Club of Woodstock would do this by giving a gift of money to newly graduated youth from their community.

Carrying on the tradition, this bursary series created by Mr. Kenneth Scott, aims to highlight and honour the memory of Afro-New Brunswick women and has been developed to encourage New Brunswick youth to educate their minds, be of service to their community, and passionately follow their dreams.

As a retired elementary school teacher who was born and raised in Saint John, Mr. Scott remains a passionate advocate of culturally relevant pedagogy, anti-oppressive education, and inquiry-based learning. He is acutely aware of the many people who have guided and supported him throughout his life and has never lost sight of the Black women, past and present, who enriched his life. His poignant words resonate: “I am my mother’s legacy. Her influence on me is unquantifiable. I created this bursary to honour my mother and the other women like her, and all Black women whose existence has historically been downplayed or muted. Our battle against the erasure of who and what we are as a people should start with recognizing and honoring women of African descent.”