Christian Bassong's work to advance black economic inclusion in Canada
This article was provided by TD Bank Group.
Growing up in Cameroon, Christian never questioned his belonging.
Only in books and classrooms did he hear about racial segregation in North America or apartheid in South Africa.
This changed when Christian arrived in Montreal to pursue his university studies.
"For the first time, I experienced what it was like to live in a place where you don’t feel like you belong, are not treated equally and don’t have the same opportunities as others," said Christian. "It was in this context that I tried hard to escape reality and pretend to be invisible - despite the colour of my skin."
Christian put down roots in Canada, beginning his banking career in 2000 as a Contact Centre Customer Service Agent at another financial institution.
"That was a time when you were often the only Black employee in a department. If there happened to be other Black employees, you had to avoid being together for fear of being considered unintegrated," said Christian.
As he rose through the ranks in his banking career, Christian found himself searching for an environment where he could be his authentic self. Fifteen years later, Christian joined TD.
"TD was known as—and continues to be—one of the most inclusive organizations, and that aligned well with my personal values," said Christian. "Looking back, joining TD as a Branch Manager was one of the best decisions I ever made."
Upon joining TD, Christian discovered opportunities to help move the needle forward on various initiatives, both within and outside of the Bank. He joined Employee Resource Groups such as RENAQ, the Quebec Black Employee and Allies Network (where he would later become a leader), finding a community that provided Black employees with mentorship programs, networking opportunities, and recognition for their contributions.
Now, more than 20 years into his career, Christian serves as Regional Manager, Black Community Business Development for Quebec at TD. In his role, Christian is dedicated to serving the unique banking needs of Black customers, connecting them to specialists with expertise in real estate secured lending, to personal investment solutions, to small business financing.
Christian is also proud to support BECAP (the TD Black Entrepreneur Credit Access Program) — a lending program founded on providing more equitable access to credit for Black entrepreneurs, who disproportionally face hurdles securing funding for their businesses, helping to foster economic inclusion.
"Through the program, we help support self-identified Black entrepreneurs from the beginning of their financial journey, working with resources from inside and outside of the Bank to help them prepare their credit application," said Christian.
Although Black History Month is only 28 days, Christian encourages his peers to march forward beyond February, to continue efforts to fight discrimination, recognize the achievements of Black communities, and foster an inclusive society for all.
"As we know, contributions from Black communities around the world aren't recognized enough," said Christian. "I want to do everything in my power to make sure that we don't leave anyone behind. We need to make sure the voices of our Black customers are heard, and they know they can approach us with their financial needs."
As a proud, outspoken advocate for Black communities, Christian is no longer afraid to bring his full self to work.
“At TD, I discovered an organization where it’s possible to be your authentic self in a work environment, especially one that encourages you to do so.”
