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black history
To combat the school system’s systemic silence on Black Canadian history, they took matters into their own hands.
From the minds of babes.
As we reflect on current events, sociopolitical uncertainty throughout the world seems to have only risen from where it sat at the beginning of the year. Nearly every day brings news of yet another racist, bigotry, or sexist comment from south of the border. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are under serious threat.
I was only 9 years old when I came face to face with a 'racist'. The sad thing about this encounter was not only what was happening to me, but the other person, who had no idea that they were actually inciting racial hatred. That person was another 9 year old girl.
The Haitian and Dominican republics share a porous border and a long, complicated and bloody history. The island's fissure divides it along colonial, linguistic, socioeconomic and cultural lines. In the era of globalization and international collaboration it's time to reexamine the Haitian-Dominican relationship.
Adapted for the small screen, The Book of Negroes' Canadian debut occurs one month ahead of the U.S.A. premiere, appositely scheduled for Black History Month. As with any historical film depicting the bowels of inhumanity towards people of colour, it is an uneasy subject matter for the mostly lily-white CBC personalities.
By steadfastly refusing to square the circle of African-American expectations, Mia Love follows in the footsteps of Caribbean-Americans who came before her. With each successive generation of Caribbean immigrants bestowed upon the American people, voices are raised, improbable plateaus are reached.
These three, blonde, 20-somethings were dressed as cotton pickers and had painted their faces in the most offensive, unrealistic mud black I've ever seen. They said absolutely nothing, only smiled, mouth closed. Here before me, like never in my life, were three white people targeting us, the non-white people in the bar.
Even if we can suspend the notion that body parts can be fashion accessories, this Vogue piece wreaks of 'columbusing': The art Of discovering something that is not new. Like J.Lo and Beyoncé's original (wider) noses, the curvy booty is a hereditary endowment of Africa. African features are as old as time.
The Toronto Star and other publications have touted the success of Ontario's Africentric school system. The problem is, one would expect higher test scores and improved behaviour from students who attend such a school, as the program will self-select parents who care more about their children and are engaged in their education. The fact is, as confirmed in countless studies, that the collapse of the black family within a segment of the black community is the primary reason so many of our children fall through the cracks of society, to be broken against the hard, unbending steel of racism, prejudice, failure and depression. No amount of "specialty schools" can change that.
