For the first time, the Black Teachers Association of Alberta is offering programming to students across the city.
The group started two years ago with just 10 members, but it's grown to more than 60. It's mission is to empower students and highlight the accomplishments of Black people across the prairies
Conroy Smith teaches his lesson in the kitchen. He came to Canada from Jamaica as a temporary foreign worker at Tim Hortons. A decade later, he opened his own restaurant on 118 Avenue.
"Food is something that makes us proud as Black people. When there was nothing else, there was always food," he explained to CTV News Edmonton.
Smith is offering cooking classes at Norquest College, where he teaches aspiring chefs how to make curry chicken and rasta pasta.
"It's like regular pasta but colourful...we're going to pan sear chicken with jerk marinade," he said.
The intro to Jamaican cuisine is part of a month of free programming from the Black Teachers Association of Alberta.
M.E. Lazerte teacher Andrew Parker co-founded the association.
He used to play basketball for the University of Alberta and Edmonton Energy, but two years ago, his focus shifted from sports.
"I used to be heavily involved in basketball. But when George Floyd died, when he died, my world changed," Parker explained.
With a backpack full of teaching material and a steady game plan, Parker has been spreading knowledge. And it's paying off, this week his students organized black trivia.
"I liked learning about Jean Augustine, the first black woman elected to parliament," said student Mohammad Massaquoi.
February is Black History Month.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Touria Izri
