On the 28th of February, we wrapped up a month of events during Black History Month.

The event started in the morning with an interactive online webinar titled "Black, Past, Present, and Future," facilitated by Marycarmen Lara-Villanueva and Reuben "Newtown" Hodari Clarke. Their emphasis was on moving beyond superficial engagement, fostering meaningful dialogue, and inspiring tangible actions. Our featured guest, Sharnette "Brooklyn" Watson, brought Activism in Action to the forefront. As a talented artist and the first female host of '106 and York,' Brooklyn showcased how she leverages art as a powerful platform for advocacy and change. Her commitment to mentoring youth through dance exemplifies the holistic approach to using the arts for social impact. 

In the afternoon, we held in-person celebration of Black culture, art and heritage, focusing on the impact of Black artists and their impact on our society. We were amazed by performances from Charmaine Dunchie-Jamieson who sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and the Canadian national anthem, and Thadel Wilson, a young and brilliant Canadian Pianist, who  played traditional and contemporary tunes that had everyone dancing!

Whether it was Louis March, African-Canadian community champion, youth advocate and founder of the zerogunviolence-movement.com who spoke during an event at our Corner Drop-in, educating the children at our Lord Lansdowne Child Care Centre about the importance of Black History Month, screening Hidden Figures, a story about three female African-American mathematicians who played important roles at NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program, or the day-long celebration on the 28th, events like these help strengthen our knowlege and honour the legacy of Black people in Canada and their communities. 

Thank you to our featured guests, dedicated volunteers, maintenance teams, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee, organizing staff, and all participants for celebrating Black History Month with us!