The African Diaspora Youth Conference changed Shauntae Robinson-Weekes’ life, giving her the courage to pursue post-secondary education. She attended in 2008 as a grade 11 student Toronto’s Oakwood Collegiate Institute.

“I had never been on a university campus before,” says Robinson-Weekes, just finished her second year of studies in French and psychology at the University of Windsor. She says she had been afraid she couldn’t afford university until she saw the example of so many of the event’s organizers and speakers.

“This conference instils hope, letting you believe that if other people succeeded at university, you can do it too.”

As assistant coordinator of the 2012 conference, on the UWindsor campus May 10 to 12, she hopes to instil that same hope in a new crop of high school students. Now in its ninth year, the conference brings secondary students with an interest in learning about the African diaspora to campus for educational workshops, social events, and tours of local historical sites.

“I had fun at the conference and I wanted to help out,” Robinson-Weekes says. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the students’ change their feelings toward post-secondary education over the course of their time here.”

Learn more on the Web site of the African Diaspora Youth Conference.