The Black Academy has revealed the 11 participants selected for the third iteration of its skills development program.

The program is designed to increase the number of Black Canadians working in the screen industry by providing bespoke, paid training and on-screen credits. The 2024/25 edition, which began last summer and continues into the spring, consists of the audio, post, producing, production management, wardrobe and writing streams. It is managed by the Black Academy and Toronto-based Insight Productions.

The 2024/25 cohort is composed of lindsey addawoo, Lovey Reid Graham and Chantal Le Hunte in producing; Fola Babalola in production management; Fiyin Coker, Howard Hamilton and Camille D’Andrade in post-production; Paul (Pablo) Joseph and Liam Myrie in audio; Yemie Sonuga in writing; and Cassandra Yeboah in wardrobe.

In response to previous participant feedback, this year’s iteration includes new sessions on financial literacy hosted by RBC, resume building, sessions with CBC and Telefilm executives, how to seek representation or an agent and additional networking events. Also included are sessions on how to join a union or guild in collaboration with the Directors Guild of Canada, Writers Guild of Canada, the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.

Program mentors include Jemeni G for writing and producing; Zannub Houssein for wardrobe; Sarah James for production management; Muzafar Malik for post-production; and Adrian
Sterling for audio. Also on board as mentors for the producing stream are Insight Productions VP and executive producer Shannon Farr and Jordan Rudder, producer and manager, production and partnerships.

According to a release, the cohort has collectively completed more than 1,100 hours of training. In total, the program has trained participants for more than 10,000 hours.

This year’s cohort were all employed on the 2024 Legacy Awards. Coker, Graham and Babalola have gone to work on Insight Productions’ Canada’s Ultimate Challenge, The Amazing Race Canada and on an Insight series in development.

The program is managed by Toronto-based director and producer Hannah Yohannes and overseen by the Black Academy’s Gail Case, Morgan Blades, Tse Daniel and Teneica Toban as well as Insight’s Farr and Rudder.

“Each year the participants have requested more opportunities to connect with each other and with potential employers and each year we’ve responded with more networking events and ancillary sessions,” said Stephan James, Black Academy co-founder and co-CEO, in a statement.

The skills development program is funded by the Canada Media Fund, CIBC, Ontario Creates, RBC Royal Bank, Telefilm Canada and TurboTax. Solotech is a partner for the audio stream.

Pictured, top row (L-R): Chantal Le Hunte, Yemie Sonuga, Paul (Pablo) Joseph, Liam Myrie and lindsey addawoo. Bottom (L-R): Lovey Reid Graham, Howard Hamilton, Camille D’Andrade, Fiyin Coker and Cassandra Yeboah. Fola Babalola not pictured.

Image courtesy of the Black Academy; Photo by Gerard Richardson