Building Black Success Through Design (BBSD) is a FREE 12-week mentorship program offered through the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto. This program is for Black high school students (Grade 9 to 12) who are interested in Architecture and Design. The goal of the program is to inspire Black students to pursue excellence and innovation within design industries and academia, enhancing diversity within the field and therefore building Black success through design. 

The program structure offers Black youth the opportunity to be mentored by Black university students in design – akin to peer-mentorship. The BBSD university mentors share their fresh knowledge and experiences in design programs with mentees who are preparing to pursue post-secondary education in design. Throughout the BBSD program, mentees will address the concept of design for belonging within their projects centered on a site within the General Toronto Area. The sense of belonging is an indicator of substantive inclusion for Black students within the design industry, making it a suitable theme for the design project.

The program will run from the second week of January 2024 until the final showcase in April 2024. Workshops, informational sessions and lectures will be online on Wednesdays from 6:00pm to 7:30pm, and the general program courses will be in-person on Saturdays from 11:00am to 4:00pm at the Daniels Building (1 Spadina Crescent). It is expected that students will attend each session and if they are unable, will provide suitable notice beforehand.

The application period is currently open and will close on Sunday, November 26 – To learn more and apply, please visit the Daniels Faculty website: https://www.daniels.utoronto.ca/outreach/building-black-success-through-design-2024

For more information about the program, please contact: bbsd.daniels@utoronto.ca