Summer is popularly imagined as bringing joy to all young people. Yet it is not an equal break or of the same quality for all students. Learning loss is the decline in academic skills and knowledge that can occur when students are not engaged in structured learning, especially during extended breaks like summer. It disproportionately impacts Black and low-income students who face greater systemic disadvantages within the education system.Black families face challenges in accessing culturally relevant and affirming summer opportunities. As work by education researcher Obianuju Juliet Bushi and others has documented, for many Black families, the question isn’t just “what will my child do this summer?” It’s also “where can my child go to be safe, affirmed and supported?” Read more: Where can Black children go in summer? Black families face disparities and need equitable options Without access to affordable enrichment programs during the summmer, many students fall behind in reading and math, further widening the opportunity gap when school resumes in September. As the manager of research with the charitable, Black-led non-profit organization Youth Association for Academics, Athletics and Character Education (YAAACE) in the Jane-Finch area of Toronto, I share insights about how culturally responsive community programs can address opportunity gaps and how parents in Black families can support their kids’ successful transition back to school. This article draws on insights from conversations I have had with various YAAACE program participants, parents and educators, as well as the leadership of the organization, including Devon Jones, Dave Mitchell and Nene. Read more: If I could change one thing in education: Community-school partnerships would be top priority Anti-Black racism in educationDespite Canada’s reputation for multiculturalism, systemic anti-Black racism remains deeply embedded in the education system, contributing to unequal opportunities for students. The opportunity gap refers to the unequal access to resources, supports and learning experiences that affect students’ ability to succeed, often based on race, income and geography.In March 2025, the Ontario Human Rights Commission released the report “Dreams Delayed: Addressing Systemic Anti-Black Racism and Discrimination in Ontario’s Public Education System.”The findings confirmed that Ontario’s schools are saturated with systemic barriers for Black children and their families. These barriers include: disproportionate discipline; being streamed into non-academic tracks; lack of Black leadership in schools; Eurocentric curriculum; insufficient disaggregated identity-based data collection; and lack of access to culturally affirming environments. Read more: 'Dreams delayed' no longer: Report identifies key changes needed around Black students' education The cost is devastating and contributes to academic underachievement, racial trauma, disengagement and the reproduction of the school-to-prison pipeline. This is particularly the case in low-income communities. Centring Black excellenceBlack youth often face higher exposure to poverty, systemic underemployment, community violence and the emotional weight of intergenerational trauma and racism. While these experiences shape the mental health and academic outcomes of students, schools often lack culturally relevant supports or trauma-informed responses.Summer programs are one important part of countering anti-Black racism in schools. These can support student transitions by mitigating learning loss and helping to close the opportunity gap. Programs that centre Africentricity and Black excellence led by staff with lived experiences provide culturally responsive and emotionally supportive environments that affirm Black identities. Read more: Ontario can close students’ access and opportunity gaps with community-led projects This builds confidence in Black students and ensures students return to school in the fall better prepared to thrive academically, socially, emotionally and culturally.Community-driven youth programsSince 2007, YAAACE has provided academic, athletic, family supports, employment and mentorship to more than 1,000 children and families annually across Toronto. Its programs are led by Black educators and mentors who reflect the community and understand the lived experiences of the youth they serve in low-income communities like the Jane and Finch neighbourhood.YAAACE’s seven-week Summer Institute offers a model that affirms identity, cultivates belonging and accelerates achievement. Each summer, approximately 300 students from grades 3 through 12 attend the institute, which blends literacy and numeracy instruction with culturally responsive learning, arts-based programming, robotics, mentorship and athletics. Students are taught by Ontario-certified teachers and supported by Black staff and practitioners trained in trauma-informed care. For families who can’t afford camp fees, the program is free or subsidized.This is a results-based, community-driven intervention that mitigates the opportunity gap for Black students from low-income communities by creating access to experiential learning opportunities. It’s also violence prevention and intervention that builds character and supports students, with a focus on the early years. Cycle of empowermentYAAACE’s Inspire Academy Mathematics Program provides early access to high school math courses. Grade 8 graduates earn a high school math credit through an intensive summer course led by a team of teachers and teacher assistants in a supportive, inclusive environment. In cases where students are behind provincial standards, they receive additional supports with low staff-to-student ratios.Based on assessments administered by the teachers and reports provided to all the parents, students leave the institute more confident in their academics, better prepared to return to school and grounded culturally in who they are. Families report higher levels of engagement and lower levels of stress knowing their children are in safer, affirming spaces. Many of YAAACE’s youth return as peer leaders and mentors, reinforcing a cycle of empowerment.Programs like YAAACE do not just help kids do better in school. They also reduce long-term costs to the health care, justice and social service systems by interrupting cycles of trauma and marginalization before they escalate. Tips for parentsSummer is a crucial time to support children’s learning and well-being, especially for Black families navigating systems that often overlook their strengths. Below are three practical ways to support your child during the summer break and when school starts in September:Centre empowering examples of Black identity and culture: Expose your children to books, films, music and conversations that celebrate Black history and excellence, Africentricity and positive role models. Affirming cultural roots builds pride, resilience and a sense of belonging in systems that too often erase or distort those narratives from stereotypical perspectives.Create routines that balance learning and Black joy: Set daily routines that include reading, writing or problem solving but make the same amount of space for rest, play, creativity and movement rooted in Black joy. Learning should be holistic and joyful. It’s important as parents, guardians and community leaders that we not only talk about this but more importantly model it. ‘Refresh, Revive, Thrive: Black Joy in Education’ with Andrew B. Campbell, assistant professor at the University of Toronto. Stay engaged and be an advocate: Get to know your child’s teachers and school administrators, review school policies to be familiar with how to navigate them (for example, getting accommodations for your child’s needs) and request culturally affirming resources. Don’t hesitate to raise concerns, as your advocacy helps create more supportive learning environments and shows your child that their success is worth fighting for.Partnerships with Black-led organizationsTrauma-informed, culturally responsive education must become a system-wide standard. This becomes a reality by building long-term partnerships with Black-led community organizations. It means embedding mental health supports and curriculum content that reflect the cultural identities and lived realities of Black diasporas. And it means collecting disaggregated race-based data to track progress and guide informed decision-making. It starts by funding proven data-driven programs, training educators and holding systems accountable to measurable outcomes.Ardavan Eizadirad receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).