Accelerate Auto Reflects on Action-Packed Black History Month
Awards, activations and historic experiences helped celebrate legacy and leadership
MISSISSAUGA, ON, March 5, 2025 — The theme for this year’s Black History Month was: “Black Legacy and Leadership: Celebrating Canadian History and Uplifting Future Generations.” A not-for-profit dedicated to increasing representation of Black talent across Canada’s automotive industry through collaboration, networking and mentorship, Accelerate Auto spent the month doing just that.
February was filled with programming that celebrated the importance of Black leadership in the Canadian automotive industry while establishing strong connections with future generations, including:
2025 Black Automotive Professional Awards (BAPA)
The second annual Black Automotive Professional Awards (BAPA) were presented at the Automotive News Canada Congress during the kick-off to the Canadian International AutoShow. The awards recognize Black individuals who exhibit excellence and dedication in their work within the automotive industry, as well as their communities.
This year’s distinguished recipients include:
Leadership Excellence Award: Abdel Ali
Women's Leadership Award: Shereena Robinson
Emerging Leader Award: Stephanie Henry
Young Professional Award: Genevieve Aguigwo
2025 Canadian International AutoShow Student Activation Event
Accelerate Auto hosted more than 100 students from eight schools within the Toronto District School Board at the 2025 Canadian International AutoShow. The annual program creates awareness about the automotive industry and its many career opportunities with the help of valuable partners in the education, non-profit and private sectors, including Georgian College, Ontario Centre of Innovation, Ontario Tech University, Toronto District School Board and the Automotive Business School of Canada, Canadian Black Book, taq, and Motor Vehicle Retailers of Ontario.
Students took part in a scavenger hunt, followed by roundtable breakout sessions with automotive and educational professionals from Georgian College’s Automotive Business School of Canada, the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network, Ontario Tech University, Honda Canada and Subaru Canada. Discussions covered everything from customer service and sales to public relations, human resources and internships, providing insight into the breadth of the industry.
Black Grapes 2025: Featuring Wines by Black Winemakers
On February 20th, Accelerate Auto was proud to be a sponsor of Black Grapes. The event showcased the significant contributions of Black individuals to the world of wine, while providing a platform for young, up-and-coming Black artists to showcase their talents. Participants were able to network in a casual, inspiring and empowering environment.
Empire Nights: Leaders in Auto and Tech Mobility Sectors – How a Diverse Workforce Can Increase Innovation
Accelerate Auto was pleased to partner with the Empire Club of Canada to host the first all-Black panel in the Empire Club’s 122-year history, with the theme: Leaders in the Auto and Tech Mobility Sector — How a diverse workforce can increase innovation. Established in 1903, the Empire Club’s mission is to facilitate meaningful conversations on diverse topics that impact Canadians and the world.
Hosted at the historic Storys Building in Downtown Toronto, the lineup of speakers consisted of established experts and thought leaders from a variety of specialties within the automotive industry.
Speakers throughout the evening included:
David Adams – President, Global Automakers of Canada
Stephanie Henry – TV Journalist & Founder, She Auto Know
Yolanda Biswah – President, Canadian Black Book
Jerome Chinner – SVP, Dealer Development and Support, SCI Lease Corp.
Shereena Robinson – Director of Human Resources, Porsche Cars of Canada
Christopher Nabeta – Executive Chairman, Accelerate Auto
"We have had a really eventful month," says Shannon Miller, Executive Director, Accelerate Auto. “We are happy to continue to drive impact, advance Black talent in the automotive sector, and support the next generation of automotive leaders. This is just the start of the work done by our team year-round.”
About Black History Month:
Each February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and celebrations that honour the legacy and contributions of Black people in Canada and their communities. The Ontario Black History Society (OBHS) was established in 1978. Its founders petitioned the City of Toronto to have February formally proclaimed as Black History Month. In 1979, the first-ever Canadian proclamation was issued by Toronto. Black History Month was later adopted by Nova Scotia 1988, Ontario in 1993, and the entirety of Canada in 1995.
About Accelerate Auto:
Accelerate Auto is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing Black representation in the Canadian automotive industry. We provide Black talent and youth with access to mentorship for skills building and peer networking to support professional growth and career development. We facilitate career pathing through the form of internships to attract more Black talent to automotive and build awareness of opportunities within the industry. We are dedicated to creating a stronger and more diverse automotive workforce. www.accelerateauto.ca
For more information about Accelerate Auto, please contact us at info@accelerateauto.ca.
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