Why I am fighting against social injustice in Canadian communities – Vicsoleil

It’s hardly possible to describe Victor Beausoleil, better known as Vicsoleil, without ascribing to him the quest for social and political inclusion of blacks in communities across Canada.

Vicsoleil, an international author, co-founded advocacy groups to seek the greater and common good of black migrants who came to seek greener pasture in the country, as there have been perceived systemic design to create a ceiling against people of colour.

At just 24, Vicsoleil co-founded the Redemption Reintegration Services (RRS), a youth-focused initiative in the country, and also Social Economy Through Social Inclusion (SETSI), a platform to facilitate “incubator and accelerator for African Canadian businesses and start-ups”.

Explaining the impact of creating barriers economic and social barriers against black communities, Vicsoleil pointed to increase in violence behaviours, stating that it informed his drive to demand equity for them.

“Many of my friends at an early age died due to gun violence in Toronto. Many were also incarcerated due to poverty, systemic oppression, absent fathers, criminalisation, and school-to-prison pipeline in the under-served and marginalised communities in Ontario,” Vicsoleil recounted.

Continuing, Vicsoleil said: “Inequality has a corrosive effect on contemporary society. The consequences of inequality are fragile economies, societal unrest and lost generations of future leaders.

“My colleagues and I at SETSI aim to ensure peoples of African descent in Canada are engaged as full citizens with political and economic power and sovereignty,” Vicsoleil stated.

“We facilitate an incubator and accelerator for African Canadian businesses and start-ups.

“We advocate for greater inclusion, diversity, equity and access within the social finance, social economy, and community economic development sectors within Canada. We also facilitate weekly capacity-building webinars for community members seeking to scale innovation and cultivate greater impact in the entrepreneurial initiatives,” added Vicsoleil.