Brandon Hay is a part-time faculty member with the George Brown College's (GBC's) Community Worker Program. When he's not in the classroom, Hay works at the City of Toronto in community development. The father of three is also the founder of the Black Daddies Club — a unique community program that brings together Black fathers across the GTA. We sat down with Hay to learn more about his career and his commitment to Black families.
Brandon, can you give us the “CliffsNotes” version of your career at GBC?
I joined the college in January 2024. I was initially teaching the Field Placement seminar class in the Community Worker program. This year, I have been teaching in the Social Work department for the Field Placement Seminar (Year 2 students) and the "Understanding and Working with Groups" class for Year 1 students.
GBC is wrapping up its Black Futures Month celebrations. What do these events mean to you?
The idea of Black Futures Month is new to me, in comparison to Black History Month. It's a significant shift, moving from the idea that all of our greatness is behind us to the realization that we have even more beautiful things to accomplish in the future. I think these events are about bringing hope during a time that can be a bit daunting and scary for many people, especially those living on the margins.
Is there a particular Black Futures event you’re most interested in attending?
The lineup of Black Futures events looks stellar. I really appreciate the accessibility of these events, with some being virtual and others in person.
What does Black History Month mean to you, and how do you typically recognize it?
My reality is that I know my Blackness is a 12-month experience throughout the year. However, for me specifically, I usually co-produce an event called the Journey to Black Liberation Symposium and the Black Liberation Ball. These events focus on the various intersections of Blackness, and the idea that Blackness is not a monolith. The work I am interested in revolves around viewing Blackness as expansive, rather than confining Black identity to a box.
How do you think post-secondary communities can better support Black employees, students, and alumni?
I think we need to avoid tokenizing Black employees, students, and alumni. We should offer paid opportunities rather than expecting them to do free labour during Black History Month. Instead, we should make them feel valued all year long.
Can you tell us all about the Black Daddies Club?
The Black Daddies Club celebrates its 18th anniversary in 2025, and we have three main mandates that we work with:
- To co-create spaces for Black men and Black fathers to connect with each other about issues that impact us (decreasing the isolation that many Black men navigate).
- To work with the media and produce content that depicts Black men and Black fathers in a more nuanced light.
- To host community-based education events that are relevant and accessible to Black people from various intersections.
Any words of wisdom that might (especially) resonate with our Black students and employees?
I don’t know if I have any words of wisdom, but I will share a belief of mine: the journey to Black liberation is intertwined with our similarities and differences as Black people. It doesn’t matter how you identify within your Blackness. My question to you — and to myself — is, how are we making space for other Black people’s differences (queerness, disability, citizenship or refugee status, fatness, etc.), and how are we making space for our own differences in our lives and in our classrooms?
Any words of wisdom for fellow Black Daddies out there?
We (Black fathers and Black men) are out here. We have always been here, and we are not going anywhere. It’s important for us to co-create spaces for healing and brave conversations in intimate Black men’s spaces that already exist—whether it’s in barbershops, lunch halls, classrooms, around domino tables, at parties, or even in prison cells (an unfortunate truth). We should use these spaces to talk about what we’re going through, learn to connect through our vulnerability, and build trust with other Black men and Black fathers. Some of you might already be doing this, but for those who aren’t, please consider this an option. We need and deserve spaces where we can be seen, validated, and nourished as Black fathers and Black men.
