People of black Canadian communities have experienced historic and ongoing racism and other forms of discrimination, in all forms, especially the racial discrimination, policing, incarcerations, and biases since their arrival upon this country. Since the 1950s, they have had to consistently push Canada to live up to its ideals of freedom, and justice for all. They have sought ways to nurture and protect Black lives, and for autonomy of their physical and intellectual bodies through nonviolence, education, literature, sports, media, and legislation/politics.

The achievements of Black Women and men in Canada are not limited to those recorded and retold in our history books. Their impact is felt in communities where they are unsung heroes who care for their families, in boardrooms where they are leaders of industry, in laboratories where they are discovering new technologies, and in classrooms where they are preparing the next generation for the world they will inherit. As we celebrate the successes of Black people of Canada, United Black People of Canada (UBPC) recalls that progress did not come easily, and that our work to widen the circle of opportunity for all Black Canadians is not complete. With eyes cast toward new horizons, we must press on in pursuit of a high-quality education for every Black child, a decent job for every Black Canadian who is able, and a fair chance at prosperity for every Black individual and family across our Nation. At UBPC, we pay tribute to the contributions of past generations and reaffirm our commitment to keeping the Canadian dream alive for the next generation. In honor of those women and men who paved the way for us, and with great expectations for those to follow, UBPC hopes to continue the righteous cause of making Canada what it should be—a Nation that is more just and more equal for all its people.

In an effort to live, and maintain and protect socio-cultural, political and economic success of Canadians of African descent, UBPC is bringing people together that want to get things done. It is a rare thing in our Black community to get together from across the country as diverse as we are and come to consensus on almost anything; this is not something that as a community we have been successful at in terms of mobilizing people from across the country. UBPC as the ‘meeting of minds’ is like a think tank and tries to engage people who are not spending a lot of time in the strategic conversations that can lead to actions that can influence and develop policy frameworks and research that truly bear witness to our experience. So, it’s about for us, by us, about us.”

UBPC is a special space where Black communities meet to organize their thought efforts, inspire folks to participate in meaningful engagements, and offer sanctuary during times of crisis. To promote awareness of the myriad of issues and activities, UBPC was formed to express struggles, hope and for solidarity in the face of incessant discrimination, hate and racism. By resisting inequality and being an advocate for Black people, UBPC hopes to achieve triumphs, successes, and serve as a model for justice and social transformation.

I am because we are! That is the spirit of Ubuntu, the African philosophy that emphasizes 'being self through others'. Ubuntu, a "Nguni" word from South Africa, addresses our interconnectedness, our common humanity and our responsibility to each other. Ubuntu is a call to service and participation; resulting in service to humanity in a practical way. Central to Ubuntu philosophy is that no man is an island— every individual human being is part of a larger world. It shows that we are all interconnected and therefore interdependent, heightening awareness of our mutual responsibility and accountability to each other. Ubuntu embraces respect for the diversity of what it means to be human. It cherishes the critical value of taking care of our community, in a way that is considerate, communal and radically generous. Ubuntu is an eternal African philosophy of 'Oneness' – this oneness is an understanding of the interconnectedness of all life.

United Black People of Canada (UBPC) is rooted on a genuine desire to promote the interests of Black individuals, groups and communities. UBPC is predicated on precept that draws on the talents of a diverse community to establish high standards for collaboration, debate, delegation of responsibility and ethics. The belief of the UBPC team was driven by development ethics that exemplifies conception of development as an ethical or philosophical enterprise constituted by three questions:

• What is a good life?
• What is a just society?
• What duties do we owe to the environment?

A good life is a function of having a virtuous character, and a just society is one that respects persons in their capacity for virtue and operates on the moral logic of the common good. The UBPC team believes in 'living our purpose' by making a difference and helping others which is a core aspect of team spirit in line with the Ubuntu philosophy. UBPC promotes the ideals of 'unity of purpose' through collaborating with other social organizations and community groups. UBPC assumes social responsibility, and ensures its entity status through others by means of collective caring, leading to dignity and respect within communities.

Ubuntu - or the essence of being human - is about promoting diversity, inclusion, integrity, mutual accountability, and teamwork, all on which UBPC is anchored. It is doing what you would do for yourself to others as well, and injects a level of much-needed accountability in business and people management. UBPC is built on a strong sense of team unity. UBPC principles include sharing, collective ownership of opportunities, responsibilities and challenges, the importance of people and relationships, participatory leadership, loyalty, reconciliation, experiential learning and knowledge management.

Ubuntu emphasizes 'living a purposeful life' and intentionally doing so. This Ubuntu axiom is consistent with UBPC’s policy of making sure that every individual on its team is engaged in purpose-aligned work, which ultimately helps them to be at their best while simultaneously giving them a sense of meaning and fulfillment. When we realize that 'your success is my success, and my success is your success’, we don’t have to dampen our spirits, and dim our light. We shine so everyone can shine!

According to Desmond Tutu, a South African theologian, Ubuntu does not mean that people should not consider themselves, but that they do so in a way to enable the community around them to improve. Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa, explained Ubuntu as “the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in this world, it will be in equal measure due to the work and achievement of others.” UBPC sticks to this course by building a formidable team because it takes a team to get the work done, staying true to the African proverb, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent a night with a mosquito.” Making a difference requires that we show up for each other. It is important to spend time developing relationships, trust, and spaces for reflection.   Commitment to innovate, solve problems, and serve people demands that we create a culture in which people feel safe, seen, heard and respected.