THE ACADEMY

Our history, DNA, impact and relationships

OUR HISTORY

OUR VISION

OUR VALUES

OUR IMPACT

OUR PARTNERS

How it all began.

The East Preston Empowerment Academy (EPEA) now rebranded as "The Africadian Empowerment Academy (AEA)" was founded in 2014 by Pastor LeQuita Porter, Dr. Wayne Adams, William Porter, and Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard.

The program began as a ministry of the East Preston United Baptist Church when Dr. Thomas Bernard and Pastor Porter spoke at a men’s brotherhood event. Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard was asked to speak about her research around Black and African Nova Scotian men’s survival and thrival and the men were extremely engaged.

When asked “What is holding you back?”, the majority replied that it was a lack of education or lack of literacy. It was then that Dr. Thomas Bernard and Pastor Porter realized an opportunity was presenting itself and they founded EPEA with the goal of investing in minds and empowering lives through education and training. AEA has grown over the years to now include 14 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff and a strong board of directors.

Our vision & mission.

OUR VISION

People of African descent become full participants and recognized in the fabric of Nova Scotia’s vibrant economy.

THE MISSION

To advance education by providing courses, classes, and programs in technical subjects, computer literacy, and communication with a primary focus on skilled trades to enhance skills development, including leadership skills, and professional development for people of African descent and members of the general public.

Our values.

People

A commitment to empowering people of African descent, through education, to realize their economic potential and improve their overall quality of life.

Community

A commitment to encouraging individuals who benefit from our programs to pay it forward to help strengthen African Nova Scotian Communities and foster greater participation in the broader Nova Scotian economy.

Partnerships

A commitment to building mutually beneficial alliances with individuals and organizations that share our values – striving for economic and social inclusion for people of African descent.

Africadian generates significant socioeconomic benefits to the broader local and provincial economies

Our impact.

The Africadian Empowerment Academy (AEA) has demonstrated exceptional economic and socioeconomic impact in Nova Scotia, solidifying its role as a transformative force for the African Nova Scotian community. Through its programs and initiatives, AEA has achieved the following between 2021 and 2023:

Economic Contributions

Boosting Nova Scotia’s GDP: AEA contributed $3.11 million to the province's GDP, generating $1.08 in value for every funding dollar invested.
Enhancing Labor Income: A total of $1.62 million was contributed to labor income, reflecting AEA’s ability to improve livelihoods and support economic stability.
Job Creation and Sustainability: AEA created or sustained 38 jobs, achieving a remarkable ratio of approximately 13 jobs per $1 million invested, directly addressing unemployment challenges in local communities.

Government Revenue Generation: With $489,000 in government revenues generated, AEA further underscores its role in fostering a sustainable and equitable economy.

Socioeconomic Contributions

Over the years, AEA has supported 555 individuals in Nova Scotia through the successful delivery of 23 projects and programs, significantly contributing to local community development. These efforts are focused on key areas:

Improving Access to Education: AEA provides specialized training programs that empower individuals of African descent with skills, tools, and confidence to achieve their lifelong dreams. This commitment ensures greater educational access and opportunities for personal growth.
Strengthening Labor Market Integration: By helping individuals in trades enhance their skills and facilitating their entry into the job market, AEA bridges the gap between training and employment, ensuring sustainable labor market integration.
Supporting Better Employment Opportunities: The organization hosts seminars on essential topics such as computer literacy and public speaking, enabling community members—from youth to seniors—to enhance their professional prospects and growth.

A Catalyst for Change

The Africadian Empowerment Academy continues to be a catalyst for economic and social inclusion in Nova Scotia, showcasing the value of investing in community-focused empowerment programs. Its impactful contributions highlight the potential of education, skills training, and employment support to drive meaningful change and build a thriving, inclusive society.

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Our partners.

Our partners are our secret. Well, an open secret. With their support, we've gotten to where we are today. As a non-profit organization with a big vision and mission like ours, it is typical that we utilize a huge amount of diverse resources in the fulfillment of our daily obligations.

Certainly, this bestows upon us a huge sense of responsibility in how we source, harness and maintain the vast amount of resources that come our way. These resources include but are not limited to financial resources, human resources, physical resources, information technology resources, networks and partnerships. By leveraging these resources, we are able to continually create meaningful impacts, achieve our strategic objectives, amplify our success and produce the kind of community growth that we yearn for on a daily basis.

This is why we treasure our partners and continue to seek meaningful ways to expand these networks. If you are not currently supporting us, we know you probably already support other visions and have a ton of options but we want you to still consider us. Let's talk about how we can form a partnership. It pays to support Africadian.

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