Advocate hopes flag will help groups ‘feel safe’ in Brant County

Our founder, Chantelle A. Campbell, had the opportunity to speak with The Hamilton Spectator about our work in the community. The resulting article, titled "Advocate hopes flag will help groups ‘feel safe’ in Brant County," captured the very heart of our "why."

It’s a question we get asked:

"Why a flag? Why focus on a symbolic gesture?"

Because symbols have power. For many in our community, seeing a flag raised to celebrate Black History Month for the first time is a powerful, public statement that says, "You belong here. You are seen. You are safe."

Advocacy is the First Step

For the Equity and Advocacy Social Justice Foundation, advocacy work—like the 2025 flag raising and our upcoming 2026 BHM Kickoff Celebration—is the essential first step. It opens a door for deeper conversations. It builds trust. It shows our community that we are here to show up, speak up, and stand with them.

But it’s only the beginning.

That public commitment to belonging is the foundation for our three pillars of action:

Access to Justice: A community can't feel safe if its members can't navigate the legal systems that affect their daily lives, from housing to employment. We provide the clear, free consultations to bridge that gap.

Economic Empowerment: Safety includes financial security. We work to level the playing field for Black entrepreneurs, helping them get the resources and write the proposals they need to build wealth and stability.

Community & Education: A flag raising is a single day. The work of our youth mentorship and civic literacy programs builds a legacy of engagement and belonging for every day that follows.

Join the Movement

We are honoured by the coverage in The Hamilton Spectator, and we are deeply grateful to our partners, like the County of Brant, who have joined us in this work.

This is what it means to insert equity back into justice. It’s not just one thing. It’s the symbolic and the tangible. It’s the flag and the free legal clinic. It’s the celebration and the business proposal.

It’s all connected. And it’s work we can only do together.

You can read the original 2025 article from The Hamilton Spectator here.