The Mic Is Yours 🎤

National Black Student Speech Competition

Black Students IN Canada — We Want to Hear From YOU!

What if you had the opportunity to share your story, your thoughts, and your message with thousands of Black students across Canada?

What would you say?

The Black Student Associations Across Canada Conference (BSAACC) is excited to introduce THE MIC IS YOURS, a national speech competition celebrating the voices, experiences, perspectives, and leadership of Black youth across Canada.

Whether you're passionate about Black excellence, identity, leadership, overcoming challenges, or creating change in your community, this is your opportunity to inspire others.

And the best part? You don't have to be a professional speaker. You just have to be YOU!

You could win a financial education award AND have your speech featured at the Black Student Associations Across Canada Conference on Friday February 5th, 2027!

🏆 THE PRIZES

🥇 FIRST PLACE — $500 Future Leaders Education Award

  • - Winning speech featured during the national BSAACC virtual conference on Friday February 5, 2027

  • - Official National Speech Competition Winner certificate

    - A gift from our sponsors for your entire Black Student Association at your school

🥈 SECOND PLACE — $250 Future Leaders Education Award

  • - Recognition during the national conference

    - Official certificate of achievement

  • - A gift from our sponsors for your entire Black Student Association at your school

🥉 THIRD PLACE — $100 Future Leaders Education Award

  • - Recognition during the national conference

    - Official certificate of achievement

  • - A gift from our sponsors for you

What Are the Future Leaders Education Awards?

These awards are designed to recognize and invest in the potential of Black youth across Canada.

Prize money is intended to support each winner's future educational journey, whether that includes college, university, skilled trades, or another post-secondary pathway.

Winners do not need to be graduating or accepted into a post-secondary institution to receive their award.

Awards will be distributed following winner verification, in accordance with the official contest rules. Recipients are encouraged to save or use their award toward their educational future, but proof of educational spending is not required.

🎙️ YOUR SPEECH. YOUR MESSAGE.

Your speech should be original, authentic, and meaningful. It can be motivational, inspirational, thought-provoking, personal, or a call to action.

Need some inspiration?

Here are a few speech ideas:

  1. I Am More Than What You See: How have your identity and experiences shaped who you are?

  2. The Change Starts With Us: How can Black youth create positive change in their schools, communities, and beyond?

  3. Standing on the Shoulders of Greatness: How does Black history inspire your future?

These are suggestions, not required topics. We aren't looking for the most complicated vocabulary or the most polished performance. We're looking for authenticity, passion, creativity, and a message that deserves to be heard.

WHO CAN ENTER?

The competition is intended for students who meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • - Self-identify as Black, including students of African, Caribbean, Afro-Indigenous, or other Black heritage

    - Are currently enrolled in Grades 9–12, or an equivalent secondary-school program, in Canada

  • - Reside in Canada

  • - Submit an original speech and video

  • - Provide all required consent and entry information

  • - Agree to the official competition rules

* Students do not need to be members of a Black Student Association or Black Student Union to participate.

* Students do not need to attend a school that has registered for the BSAACC conference.

* No purchase, conference registration, or payment is required to enter or win.

OFFICIAL COMPETITION RULES

1. Eligibility

The competition is open to eligible Black students enrolled in Grades 9–12 or an equivalent secondary-school program in Canada. Participants must meet all published eligibility requirements.

2. Entry Fee

There is no entry fee. Purchasing access to the BSAACC conference does not increase a participant's chances of winning.

3. Submission Requirements

Each participant may submit one original speech, delivered by the participant in a

video lasting between 3,no more than 4 minutes long. Video must be filmed landscape style.

Videos must be clear enough for judges to evaluate the speech. It can be submitted in English or French.

4. Original Work

Speeches must be the student's own original work. Students may receive general guidance or feedback from teachers, family members, or mentors, but the ideas, message, and final speech must reflect the student's own work.

Speeches substantially written by another person or generated by artificial intelligence are not eligible.

5. Appropriate Content

Speeches must be respectful and suitable for a national student audience. Entries containing threats, harassment, hateful content, or material that infringes the rights of others may be disqualified.

6. Selection of Winners

Eligible speeches will be evaluated using the published judging criteria. The three highest-ranked eligible participants will receive the advertised awards, subject to verification and the tie-breaking procedure in the final official rules.

7. Prize Distribution

Education awards will be paid after eligibility and required documentation have been verified. Winners do not need to provide proof of acceptance to a post-secondary institution.

For winners who are minors, prize distribution may be coordinated with a parent or legal guardian.

8. Video Permissions

Participants retain ownership of their original speeches. By entering, participants agree to the judging and administration of their submissions.

Any public broadcast or promotional use of a student's speech, image, name, or video will require the applicable additional consent, including parent/guardian consent where required.

9. Winner Notification

Winners will be contacted using the information provided in their entry forms. Winners must respond and complete the required verification and consent process within the period specified in the final official rules.

10. Privacy

Personal information will be collected and used for administering the competition, communicating with entrants, verifying winners, and distributing prizes in accordance with the published privacy notice.

Student information will not automatically be added to promotional mailing lists.

11. Competition Administration

BSAACC reserves the right to verify eligibility, investigate suspected rule violations, and disqualify entries that do not comply with the published rules, subject to applicable law.