Dreams do come true. On the eve of the Giving Black Virtual Conference and Soirée, I am reflecting on my learning journey since planning our incredible gathering. This is literally a dream come true. I had thought about a climate action conference that tells the varying histories and stories of Black and Indigenous people as stewards of land, sea and air, and here we are. As we enter the Fall, I'm considering climate action in the context of the things I knew nothing about but learned on the way as a convenor of this important Black climate action discussion. July was a memorable month. My long-time friend from London, Englan d, Chris East BSc hons MCIOF was visiting Toronto for a conference. We met on July 15, on a day when the sky turned orange and the air became thick with smoke. Wildfires burning across northwestern Ontario had sent smoke hundreds of kilometres south, filling Toronto’s air with fine-particle pollution. For much of that morning and afternoon, Toronto sat at the top of global air-quality rankings. I tried to convince my friend that this was not a typical day in Toronto but we both feared it may become a trend.

Focus on Africa Interview. AgentsC's Founder and CEO, Olumide Akerewusi discusses the importance of African philanthropy and what makes it unique.