Legacy Awards creators Shamier Anderson and Stephan James, responsible for bringing Canada’s first Black award show to a live telecast on CBC TV and CBC Gem, have been announced as Playback’s Changemakers of the Year.

The duo created B.L.A.C.K., an acronym for Building a Legacy in Acting Cinema + Knowledge, in 2016, a non-profit focused on Black creatives and hosted parties during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Anderson and James then founded The Black Academy in 2020. The division of B.L.A.C.K.’s year-round operations include awards, educational programming, panel discussions and other initiatives. It also recognizes both Anglophone and Francophone Black talent.

“We felt in Canada there was a gap when it comes to honouring and acknowledging Black individuals, specifically in the talent sector,” Anderson told Playback Daily in 2020, adding that he and his brother, both natives of Scarborough, Ont., had been inspired by organizations and events in the U.S. such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and BET Awards.

“After seeing that model and how they celebrate African-Americans, we thought it was also important to celebrate our African Canadians.”

Today, it is an official event partner at TIFF and the Canada Media Fund. They are currently “developing a robust slate of projects with their Bay Mills Studios banner,” according to Playback.