Sunday 10 March 2024

Jay Williams Memorial Fund Established to Honour His Legacy

 By Neil Armstrong


Photo contributed    Jay Williams, educator, speaker and education consultant


In the aftermath of the sudden death of educator, speaker, and education consultant Jay Williams, 40, many of his friends and colleagues have spoken about continuing his legacy.

To make that possible, his family has established the Jay Williams Memorial Fund to honour the legacy of the gregarious teacher, mentor and coach who died in the wee hours of February 29.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Fund at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/m/99794 (https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/m/99794).

“Your gift will continue the work Jay began, reaching students and those who teach and mentor them. Thank you for honouring Jay’s life with your generosity,” said the family. 

In an announcement of the funeral details, his mother, Paulette Senior — who was appointed to the Senate of Canada in December and sworn in during the first week of February — and the entire family thanked everyone for the messages of “condolences and outpouring of support as we navigate our heartbreak and our way through life without him.”

The viewing and visitation will be on Friday, March 15, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at McEachnie Funeral Home, 28 Old Kingston Road in Ajax, Ontario. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 16 at 10:45 a.m. at Apostolic Pentecostal Church, 1920 Notion Road in Pickering, Ontario. 

Williams was an educator for 14 years at the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and was the coordinator of equity as well as held portfolios in equity, anti-racism, anti-oppression, the Black Student Success and Excellence initiative at the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement and Model Schools for Inner Cities. 

 

Williams had a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Education and Promotion from Dalhousie University and a Bachelor of Education from Ontario Tech University. 

“Jay was driven by a passion to use education as a platform to make lasting impact. Inspired by his commitment to equity, he helped students achieve success despite daunting circumstances, and an education system and teaching methods that limited their ability to reach their full potential.

“Jay inspired students and colleagues with his energy, authenticity, and belief that as we know better, we must become better. As a consultant, speaker, and author he advocated for policy changes within the education system that were essential for students to realize their goals,” noted his family.

They said his aim was to “connect with people to facilitate the process of informing and (re)educating in all environments, not just educational settings.” He believed in “the importance of being a role model to engage, empower, motivate, and inspire not only students and educators but society as a whole.”

Arun Chetram, a friend of Williams since elementary school, said, “JJ was my first best friend growing up at the ripe young age of 5 years old. We made an immediate connection that remained in place until his tragic last day. 

 

“JJ was the glue of our community, the connective tissue that brought various circles of the community together and it truly was one of his superpowers, bringing his community and people together. To know who JJ was is to also know that all the success and recognition he obtained, was not by fluke, but from his tireless work ethic to always do better and to uplift those around him and most importantly the next generation. 

 

“He tackled injustices and social issues head on, never forgetting where he came from but also ensuring he remained true to self. His loss is a void that will never be replaced. His legacy lives on through his family, his friends, and the countless number of students that he influenced. I will forever miss him. His energy, his infectious smile and aura was undeniable because he truly cared about and loved those close to him immensely. While time is the only healer, it will be extremely difficult to make sense of him being taken away from us too soon. For all of the amazing things he set out to accomplish and the everlasting impact he had on so many, it's hard to not think of what was to be, because the truth is, he was only getting started. 

 

“I love you my brother and I'll ensure I do my part to keep your legacy going,” said Chetram.

 

Storyteller, author and managing director of Blackhurst Cultural Centre, Itah Sadu, recalled how excited Williams was when he and his mom invited her to tell stories at his school. “He was a primary grade student, I was just blossoming in my career, and boy, that day he made me feel like a superstar as he sat straight back, eyes filled with excitement and his face glowing with all the potential in the world.” 

The co-owner of A Different Booklist said she had several opportunities to work with the dynamic educator and witness his progress. 

“In January, I danced with him and several educators at a “wind down Friday” at the Blackhurst Cultural Centre. It was joyous. I will always remember how he wrapped me up as an Auntie in the warmest embrace. Thanks to his mom and family for sharing this brilliant young man and gift with us,” she said.

Karen Murray, system superintendent, equity, anti-racism, anti-oppression for the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement at the TDSB, said Williams was loved. “By being his authentic self, he made a difference in the lives of students, families, and staff for generations to come.” 

Abhi Arulanantham, principal of Edgewood Public School, said Williams was someone “whose mere presence made you pause, and when he spoke, you just knew that he was someone committed to doing what he could to make the world a better place for others, especially young Black folks.

 

“He and I spoke just a few days before he passed, and our conversation was about how difficult it is to carry the burden of doing equity work in a system that is not set up for racialized folks. We ended the conversation with him saying he was going to come by my school in a few days so that he could ground himself with students and remind himself of why he does the work he does despite all the obstacles. This is how I will remember him - as someone who would completely put himself out there in a harsh world full of obstacles, just so that he could ensure that our students - our future - are better. Jay was special,” she said.

 

Lindsey Marshall, coordinator, Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement (Acting), said Williams’s authentic commitment to Black student success and excellence was reflected in the way he lived and engaged in his work both in and out of the classroom. “I know Jay's impact and legacy will continue to shape the fabric of education for generations to come.”

 

He was the only child for his mother and leaves behind his father Ron Williams and five siblings.

 

 

Saturday 9 March 2024

Centenarian Lillie Johnson Celebrated for Her Work at Order of Canada Investiture During Black History Month

By Neil Armstrong


Photo contributed      Lillie Johnson at the Order of Canada investiture


Lillie Johnson’s relatives are very proud of their “Aunt Lillie” or “Aunt Cissy” as they call her. 

Speaking on their behalf at the investiture of the Order of Canada at Extendicare Rouge Valley in Scarborough on February 27, her nephew-in-law, Legiston Ferron, said “Every family should have a Lillie Johnson for her tenacity, her strong opinions — and she’s usually right — and her softer sense of true caring, good humour, and her ability to mentor young people and to have fun at the appropriate time.”

He said the family and people of Cornwall Mountain in Westmoreland, Jamaica, were proud of the centenarian who will mark her 102nd birthday on March 16, 2024. 

“She’s very special not only to us, but also to the people and organizations she has touched over the years. Aunt Lillie, you have made them all better with your infectious drive and dedication to task. Your passion, especially for the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario, is legendary and deeply appreciated. You’ve done more in your lifetime than many others could ever dream of doing and you are one of the most amazing women that I’ve ever known. Congratulations on your well-deserved recognition as an Order of Canada recipient.”

Referencing the Irish playwright and critic George Bernard Shaw’s famous quote — 'Some men see things as they are and say why, I dream things that never were and say, why not' — Ferron said, “Lillie Johnson dreamt of things that never were and asked why not.” Also present was Johnson’s niece, Verna Robinson.

His remarks concluded the presentation of the Order of Canada insignia by Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

Johnson was among 78 new appointments to the Order announced by Governor General Mary Simon in late December 2023. Through their exemplary commitment, they inspire and challenge us to join them in making Canada a better country, said the announcement.

Reading the citation to accompany the presentation of the insignia, Dr. Jim Lai, the aide-de camp of the lieutenant governor, noted that investitures into the Order of Canada usually take place at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. However, at the request of the governor general this investiture was happening in Scarborough.

 “Nurse and educator, Lillie Johnson, is a dedicated public health advocate. Founder of the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario, she led the organization for four decades encouraging greater understanding of the disease at the public and academic levels, and successfully lobbying for its inclusion in newborn screening in Ontario. She has also been involved in the development of specialized organizations to further address the health needs of the Black community.

“By command of the Right Honourable Mary May Simon, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, Lillie Johnson of Scarborough is hereby invested as a Member of the Order of Canada,” he said, which was followed by applause from all those gathered for the occasion including some of the residents, staff and administration personnel.


Lillie Johnson with Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario


Johnson was born on March 16, 1922, in St. Ann, Jamaica, to parents who were both teachers. She was one of ten children and after graduating from Wolmer’s High School, she attended Shortwood Teachers College, taught at various schools in the 1940s before leaving for Edinburg, Scotland to become a nurse in the 1950s, and then went to England where she studied midwifery and worked in Oxfordshire. 

Johnson returned to Jamaica and worked at the University College of the West Indies for a few years before leaving to work as a nurse at Beth Israel Hospital in New Jersey. In 1960, she migrated to Canada to work for the Canadian Red Cross, then at St. Joseph’s Hospital and subsequently the Hospital for Sick Children. She was the first Black director of public health in Canada — between 1982 and 1988, she was the director of public health for Leeds-Grenville & Lanark District in Eastern Ontario.

Elaine Thompson, who shares Johnson’s power of attorney with veteran social justice advocate Beverly Johnson, said she has known her for many years, from being her Mary Kay customer to attending her health briefings for CUSO, the international development agency for Canada, and being a board member of the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario (SCAO), which Lillie Johnson founded in 1981.

Thompson said she nominated Johnson for the Order of Ontario which she received in 2010. In 2014, Johnson’s memoir, “My Dream,” was published as a Canada 150 series publication.

“The most important lesson I have learned in life is how much I have been influenced by family and home environment: the sincerity, the honesty and the love for people regardless of colour, race or creed. That has had a great influence on the work that I have done,” writes Johnson in “My Dream.”

Dr. Michael Guerriere, the president and chief executive officer of Extendicare, said they were extremely proud to have Johnson as one of their residents and congratulated her on the appointment and expressed how honoured they felt that she was being invested into the Order during Black History Month. He noted that her passion and pursuit of improving health care has changed countless lives.

Among those in attendance at the investiture were Dr. Christopher Morgan, founder of the Black Health Alliance, and Ulysse Guerrier, president of the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario.

“At some point in time she had a burning desire to help those people in a particular community that many people didn’t recognize were invisible, unaware, and were not getting the type of treatment that they deserve, and that was the sickle cell community,” said Dr. Morgan, noting that Johnson, with Beverly Johnson and others decided to establish the SCAO. 

“Lillie has been a pioneer, tireless in her efforts,” he said, noting that Johnson’s love of people kept her going and she encouraged people to believe in themselves.



Photo contributed   Left to right: Michael Guerriere, President & CEO, Extendicare; Legiston Ferron; Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario; Rev. Amirold Lazard, Church of the Nativity, Malvern; Beverly Johnson, Elaine Thompson and Dr. Christopher Morgan with Lillie Johnson


Guerrier said he met Johnson in 1998 when he moved back to Toronto from Montreal where he was involved in a sickle cell organization.

He said he told her that the reason he came to the SCAO was to find out what the organization could do for him. “She paused for a moment, she looked at me and then she said, ‘Instead of you asking what the association can do for you, why don’t you ask yourself what you can do for the organization?’ After she told me that, I’m like, what! like I need help, I’m coming to you and this is what you tell, so I was upset.”

After a few months, he attended a brunch with his brother at her invitation where he met other people with sickle cell. Since 2000, Guerrier became more involved and is now the president.

Johnson’s spiritual leader, Reverend Amirold Lazard of the Church of the Nativity, Malvern, blessed the ceremony.


Photo contributed   Elaine Thompson, Lillie Johnson and Neil Armstrong



Elaine Thompson in conversation with Lillie Johnson with in the background, left to right: Ulysse Guerrier, president of the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario; Dr. Christopher Morgan, founder of the Black Health Alliance; and Legiston Ferron, Johnson's nephew-in-law


A reception was held in an adjoining room where a cake with a congratulatory message was complemented by sandwiches, sandwich wraps, tea, and bottles of water. 

 

Sunday 3 March 2024

KasheDance Boosted by Major Funding from Canadian Government


By Neil Armstrong


Photo contributed   Left to right: Jill Cato, Assistant Artistic Director of KasheDance; Marci Ian, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth and Member of Parliament (Toronto Centre);  Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage; and Kevin Ormsby, Founder and Artistic Director of KasheDance

A professional Afro Contemporary dance company in Toronto founded by Jamaican Canadian Kevin Ormsby has just received major funding from the Government of Canada.  

KasheDance, which was established in 2009 and will celebrate its 15th anniversary with the production, Retrospek, in April, offers a professional dance training program that takes dancers’ careers to the next level while addressing systemic barriers in the performing arts industry.

This week, Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage, and Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, and Member of Parliament (Toronto Centre), announced a $200,000 investment to support KasheDance’s training program. They toured the facility and met with staff who showed off their talent and ingenuity.

A new recipient of Canada Arts Training Fund, the dance company will receive $100,000 in 2024-25 and $100,000 in 2025-26. This funding responds to historic funding inequities for Indigenous and racialized training schools. This priority was announced in Budget 2022, as part of a $5-million funding increase for the Canada Arts Training Fund.

“I am continuing a legacy of African Diasporic dance companies before KasheDance. To receive support from the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage for the diverse training of Canadian artists in dance is truly an honour. This support serves as an affirmation of a Canadian future where diverse approaches to training and the development of dance artists will showcase Canada's unique creative sector both nationally and internationally,” said Ormsby. 

 

The founder, artistic director and choreographer said he is “fully committed to utilizing this funding to foster the growth of professional dance artists while promoting the sustainability of historically marginalized and racialized arts organizations. It reinforces our dedication to the evolution of the creative sector and adapting to the changing needs of artists."

 

The dance technique used by the company, KasheDanceTek, was created by Ormsby and incorporates Afro Caribbean and contemporary movements, music, philosophies and training techniques. KasheDance has performed at the Canada Dance Festival, Dancing on the Edge Festival, Dance Immersion’s presentation series and at many other acclaimed venues in Canada, the United States and in the Caribbean.

Minister St-Onge said seeing vibrant, diverse forms of dance explored and taught is inspiring. 

“KasheDance is a beautiful example of how cultures can be shared through art. Its training program will help teach new dancers these styles and provide opportunities for communities to experience it. It’s wonderful to be here and to see firsthand how much our investments really mean for people and communities. Our government is proud to support groups like KasheDance,” she said.

The company is the only formal professional, Black-led dance training program operating on an ongoing basis in Toronto, where there is a lack of training opportunities for Black artists in Black artistic traditions. This support, through the Canada Arts Training Fund, will allow KasheDance to expand and further develop its professional training program.

Minister Ien said as a proud Torontonian with Caribbean roots, she is thrilled to see the vibrant spirit and cultural richness that KasheDance brings to Toronto and Canada. 

“Its performances showcase the beauty of Caribbean heritage, while also serving as a powerful reminder of the diverse tapestry that makes Canada truly exceptional. I am so proud that our government supports KasheDance’s arts, and I know that it will continue to inspire and uplift audiences."

February is Black History Month in Canada, which is a time to recognize Black excellence, especially organizations that are leaders in their fields like KasheDance, said Canadian Heritage.

Graduates of KasheDance’s professional program are working with KasheDance and other Canadian performing arts companies, such as Little Pear Garden Collective, Kaeja Dance, the Shaw Festival, the Stratford Festival, Fujiwara Dance Creations, the Collective of Black Artists, the Luminato Festival Toronto and Coleman + Lemieux.



Photo contributed   Members of KasheDance with Ministers Marci Ien and Pascale St-Onge, left to right: Jill Cato stooping, Vanessa Sandre, Kevin A. Ormsby, Orin T. McRey, Cheryl Chan, and Kaitlin Standeven. Sitting are Dwauntea Chambers and Ariel Simms


The company is unique in Canada due to its use of the Critical Response Process to create, teach, research and present dances based on the realities of African Diasporic experiences. This creative process includes giving and receiving feedback throughout the progression of a work’s creation.

Trained in classical ballet and contemporary dance, Ormsby is an internationally recognized dancer, choreographer and teacher. He is the program manager of Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario and is on the faculty of the dance program at Centennial College in Toronto. 

He is also a frequent guest instructor at the National Ballet School, the University of Madison-Wisconsin and the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas – Austin. Ormsby is a 2014 Canada Council for the Arts Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award in Dance recipient, a 2016 Ontario Arts Council Chalmers Fellowship and a Toronto Arts Council Cultural Leaders Lab Fellow.

KasheDance is the Company In Residence at Citadel + Compagnie, a Toronto-based dance company and creation centre. Through this relationship, the organization has a dedicated space for sustained development, creative work, presentation and training. It is also a home to national and international guest artists and choreographers.

 

Wednesday 28 February 2024

Reimagined Play Looks at the Impact of Colonialism on the African Continent

 By Neil Armstrong



Photo contributed      Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu, director of "Three Sisters" by Inna Ellams after Chekhov


Aficionados of theatre will have a chance to see a reimagined play with a 12-member Black cast on stage at the Soulpepper Theatre, starting today.

The adaptation of Russian author and playwright Anton Chekhov's play, “Three Sisters, which was written in 1900, and reimagined in 2019 by Nigeria-born, British poet and playwright, Inua Ellams, will be showcased in a collaboration of Soulpepper Theatre and Obsidian Theatre.

The play, first performed in 1901 at the Moscow Art Theatre, has been recreated to locate the iconic characters in Owerri, Nigeria, in 1967, on the brink of the Biafran Civil War. 

A year has passed since their father died but the three sisters – Lolo, Nne Chukwu and Udo – are still grappling with his loss. What’s more, they’re stuck in a small village in Owerri, Nigeria and are longing to return to the cosmopolitan city of their birth, Lagos. What they don’t know is that the Biafran Civil War is about to erupt and change their lives and their country. Chekhov’s classic play is reimagined to explore the devastation of colonialism and a fight for emancipation through the lens of a family and love, notes a synopsis of the play.  

Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu, artistic director of Obsidian Theatre Company, is the director of “Three Sisters” by Inua Ellams after Chekhov which opens on March 7 and runs until March 24 at Soulpepper Theatre in the Distillery District, with a few previews starting February 29.

A decade ago, she was at Soulpepper Academy, a training program for theatre artists, when she first experienced “Three Sisters” by Chekhov. It was produced by Soulpepper, and actor d’bi.young was the only Black person in it. Tindyebwa Otu was mesmerized by her presence and performance.

She felt a personal connection to the story and was asked in a scene study to play one of the sisters. As one of three sisters and a brother, she felt a connection to the Russian family — their longings, disappointments, joys and failures.

“But I am looking at it inside my own body as an African woman and as an immigrant. The characters in the play are longing for home, a place that used to be home that is no longer, and there is this desire to go back to that place.”

When she was appointed as the new artistic director of Obsidian in August 2020, this was one of the first plays she read, and she was fascinated to see Ellams’s reimagination of it in this context of an African country in the 1960s. 

Tindyebwa Otu said it was telling a story about a part of African history that very few people in the west knew and it did so in an epic dramatic way.  The play also has an all-Black cast which was thrilling and something rarely seen. 

After talking about it for a couple years, she and Weyni Mengeshaartistic director of Soulpepper Theatre Company, decided to make it happen. “It came together from the desire to do something meaningful and epic together,” said Tindyebwa Otu.

She said assembling the team was a big part of the production and it was exciting “to be able to see, wow, we have such a breadth of Black talent in Toronto who can tell this story and do it well.”

The cast includes Akosua Amo-Adem, Virgilia Griffith, Daren A. Herbert, Sterling Jarvis, JD Leslie, Tawiah M’Carthy, Ngabo Nabea, Makambe K. Simamba, Tony Ofori, Oyin Oladejo, Ordena Stephens-Thompson and Amaka Umeh.

Tindyebwa Otu said the play is humorous and relatable because it focuses on human beings going through their journey, “but they look like you, they may sound like you, they may remind you of someone who looks like you or sounds like you.” 

At the heart of the play is a look at the impact of colonialism and neo-colonialism on the African continent.

The artistic director said there are also plans to have an African marketplace and more surrounding “Three Sisters” during its run.

Thursday 22 February 2024

Black Opera About Nova Scotian Contralto Portia White ‘A Love Letter to Black Women’

By Neil Armstrong


Photo credit: Librettist/Director HAUI      The three Aportias, left to right, Neema Bickersteth, Adrienne Danrich, and SATE


The upcoming world premiere of “Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White” is considered a “love letter to Black women” by Haui, the director and librettist, as it sets out to reclaim the Black Canadian contralto’s story, evoking memories of the past as a form of political resistance.

On June 14, 15 and 16, it will be presented at the Canadian Opera Company Theatre on Front Street in Toronto, the city in which White lived after moving from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and died of cancer on February 13, 1968, at age 56. 

White, who was born in Truro, Nova Scotia, was the first Black Canadian concert performer to achieve international fame in the mid-20th century, touring North America and performing in Europe while being hailed as the best classical voice of her generation. Yet despite such artistic accomplishments, her story has been erased from Canadians’ collective memory.

For Haui, it is poetic justice to share White’s work in an artform that rejected her.  It is a recovery of what she did in her lifetime as someone who walked the streets of Toronto and Halifax and tells her story not just as an icon, but also an individual who faced struggles and battled breast cancer, said Haui, who also describes White as Black royalty.

Spoken word, rap, folk songs, hip-hop, R&B, and classic opera repertoire collide in an explosive score that seeks to break down musical silos and unite artistic and cultural communities.

Sean Mayes, composer, said it was important to include the various genres of music to showcase the Black culture from which White came. Evidence of that creativity was showcased on February 20, at “A Musical Scripture,” a preview of the Black opera, at the Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre in the Canadian Opera Company’s opera house, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

The sneak peek included sopranos Neema Bickersteth as Portia Body, SATE as Portia Soul and Jonelle Sills (standing in for Adrienne Danrich who is based in New York City) as Portia Spirit accompanied by pianist Joy Brown, percussionist Matthew Machanda, and assistant director/assistant producer Sheree Spencer.

“It is February 13th, 1968, the night of Portia White's death. Portia lifts the veil, stepping over into the spirit realm, where she is fractured into her Body, Soul, and Spirit. Within the Bardo (the crossroads between life and death), memories compound as Portia revisits pivotal moments in her past. A figure from her former life begets a maelstrom of memories, fragments of her family, and echoes of her earthly existence, which Portia must decode and decipher. As Portia contends with letting go, she must learn to reconcile in the hopes of ascension. Is it better to be remembered; or is it how we live that truly matters?” That synopsis captures the quandary in which White finds herself as she contemplates her mortality.

In her career, there is a pivotal decision she is forced to make, a life of music or motherhood at the age of 24.  “Portia must leave her son Gerald/Jimmie to fend for himself. The figure of the boy returns, who Portia now understands is the lost soul of her son. In her defense, she imparts knowledge mother to son, justifying that life is not easy and that her child must keep on climbin'. Thinking she has made amends, Portia sends her son on his way to fend for himself, enduring the secrets of his past and never to say a mumbalin’ word,” notes the synopsis. 

In Act I, White finds herself once again at the crossroads between life and death, where she encounters her "rival," Marian Anderson. “Portia must wrestle with understanding the history and future of racial barriers, the heartaches of a promised land uncharted, and a rebirth for black equality while contending with her overwhelming desire to find inner cohesion in her fractured state. She can finally break bread with Marian; however, she is once again faced with the form of her son.”

In Act II, amidst the Bardo, Portia Spirit and Portia Body urge Portia Soul to ride on and continue through the intermediate realm to deal with her unfinished business. Portia encounters the echoes of World War Two and the effects on women in the workforce. These memories parallel her recollection and climb to international success as she prepares for her New York premiere amidst the growing racism from the American South.

The opera includes a vignette of White and Viola Desmond, “her dearest comrade, and they discuss the legacy of blackness. They find strength together through their sisterhood and feminine power, unknowingly conjuring the spirit of a lost lover.” 


“Portia is faced with the pressures of her performing for Queen Elizabeth I of England. Yet, unbeknownst to those around her, she continues to battle the pains of her illness. Portia wonders if royalty is all it is cracked up to be. Rather than conforming to history's pressures, Portia bends time to redefine what might have happened had she been able to step into her fullest blackness as "the Daughter of Destiny.”

“As she shakes time, her father reappears to her. She spends one last moment with the whole world in her hands. Portia realizes her past actions do not define who she was; instead, it is how we live that truly matters,” notes the synopsis.



Mackenzie Morgan, right, Director, Community Partnerships & Programs, with the some members of the cast and creative team, left to right: composer Sean Mayes, soprano SATE, soprano Neema Bickersteth, soprano Jonelle Sills, director and librettist HAUI, pianist Joy Brown, percussionist Matthew Machanda, and assistant director Sheree Spencer at the Free Concert Series on February 20, 2024, where a musical scripture preview of the opera was presented

The cast and creative teams are composer Sean Mayes with Haui; director and librettist Haui; assistant director Sheree Spencer; dramaturg Neema Bickersteth; conductor Sean Mayes; set & projection design Laura Warren; lighting design Bonnie Beecher; costume design Diseiye Thompson; sound design Wayne Hawthorne; stage manager Kat Chin; and choreography & intimacy director Aria Evans. The three sopranos are Neema Bickersteth as Portia Body, Adrienne Danrich as Portia Spirit, and SATE as Portia Soul.

Haui is an award-winning mixed-media artist who defies categorization. Haui's work explores themes of race, gender, and orientation, shedding light on stories often relegated to the peripheries of history while blurring lines between theatrical mediums. To date, Haui has worked as a director, designer, and deviser of new work for theatre, film, opera, and visual arts working for Canada's leading arts organizations, including the Canadian Opera Company, Stratford Festival, National Arts Centre, Shaw Festival, Canadian Stage, Luminato Festival, Black Theatre Workshop, and more.


Recently Haui was associate director on the Toronto production of "Choir Boy" by Tarell Alvin McCraney. In 2023, Haui directed "Private Flowers," an exploration of queer history produced by Toronto History Museums, supported by the National Ballet of Canada's open residency program and the Ontario Arts Council. Later this year, Playwright's Canada Press will also publish his writing/poetry as part of an anthology of works exploring Black history.



A roundtable chat with the creative team of Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White after a preview of it was presented at the Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto


Mayes, who was born in Toronto and based out of New York City, enjoys an active and varied career internationally as a conductor, music director, orchestrator, arranger, composer, author, and educator across North America and Europe, with his work spanning numerous musical styles and performed in some of the world’s largest theatres and concert halls, moving between Broadway, theatre, opera, classical and pops.

In New York, he shares his time as conductor for two Tony Award-winning Broadway productions, the new MJ: The Musical and Hadestown. At home in Canada, he was music director and conductor of the all-Canadian premiere of The Color Purple in 2019, for which he was awarded the Merritt Award for Outstanding Musical Direction.

At the media tour held just before the preview of the opera about Portia White, Al Ramsay, a director of the COC’s board and chair of the COC’s community partnership & programming team; Mackenzie Morgan, director, community partnerships & programs; and Avril Sequeira, director of public relations spoke of opera company’s initiatives to be more representative and inclusive of Canada.

In the Winter 2024 Program, Perryn Leech, COC general director, notes that for the month of February the lineup for its Showcase Series focuses on performances and programming from African and Caribbean artists. He also highlighted the Free Concert Series on February 20 as an “exclusive first listen to the music of Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White” describing its premiere in June as “a major milestone in this project’s journey.”



Al Ramsay, a Director of the COC and Chair of the COC's Community Partnership & Programming Team with arts patron Kamala-Jean Gopie and soprano Jonelle Sills



The Showcase Series features artists and creatives from the Asian, African and Caribbean, and Latin American diasporas, to celebrate and amplify voices of colour through creative expression, storytelling, and cultural participation. Performances are free but require registration.

Meanwhile, the Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre is “committed to removing barriers to support access for all attendees. In line with this commitment, admission is free to all performances, and we invite our attendees to embrace a spirit of inclusion for their fellow concert-goers.”

 

Apart from the Free Concert Series and Showcase Series, the relatively new Community Partnerships & Programs department of the COC includes initiatives such as Opera Makers Programming, COC Summer Opera Intensive, and COC Teen Council.

 

The department is committed to making opera accessible and dedicated to providing diverse access points and opportunities for the next generation of creatives.

 

It connects young people, parents, educators, and communities with meaningful and experiential learning opportunities. “Our programs are designed to spark creative power through culturally responsive and engaging learning opportunities,” notes the department.

 

Some members of the COC Teen Council engaged members of the creative team of “Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White” in a roundtable chat after the preview on February 20.  Their questions were insightful, and the discussion provided an opportunity for members of the public who were curious about the opera to ask questions and hear directly from the creatives.


Al Ramsay, a director of the Canadian Opera Company's Board and Chair of its Community Partnership & Programming Team makes a presentation with Avril Sequeira, Director of Public Relations



Kamala-Jean Gopie and soprano SATE, who plays Portia Soul, in the opera


The Canadian Opera Company will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2025.

 

Monday 19 February 2024

Black Canadians Welcome Mandatory Black History Learning in Ontario

By Neil Armstrong



Patrice Barnes, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education, Government of Ontario

 

Several figures in the Black community have welcomed the recent announcement by the Ontario government that it will be introducing new mandatory learning in Grades 7, 8 and 10 history classes on the exceptional contributions and history of Black Canadians who helped build Canada.

Starting in September 2025, students in these grades will learn that Black history is Canadian history and find out about the various Black communities that emerged, developed and contributed to the development of Canada, including pre- and post-Confederation.

Over the next year, the ministry will consult with historians, educators and the Black community, which will inform the new learning.

“It’s important that all students learn about Black communities in Canada and their enormous impact on the growth of our country. Black people have been a part of the Canadian story since the 1600s,” said Patrice Barnes, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education. 

“And that’s why we aim to deepen students’ understanding of our country’s diverse and vibrant heritage by embedding this mandatory learning. It highlights the numerous significant milestones, which will help students develop a greater understanding of our country’s rich heritage.”

The government also said it is continuing its work on a modernized and up-to-date curriculum to ensure students graduate with real-life job skills and knowledge that they need to succeed – in the classroom and beyond. With the expedited growth in technological advancement and rise in entrepreneurship, the province is introducing updated curriculum starting in the next school year that prepares students for the jobs of tomorrow, it said.

“Black history is Canadian history,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education. “By mandating learning on the contributions Black individuals made to our country’s founding and success, the next generation of Canadians will better appreciate the sacrifice, patriotic commitment and long-lasting contributions Black Canadians have made to Canada. As the economy and technology continue to change, we will continue to modernize curriculum, with an emphasis on STEM education, so students have the skills and confidence to graduate into good-paying jobs.”

Reacting to the government’s move, the Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA) Black Trustees’ Caucus (BTC), which has been advocating for this change in the curriculum since its inception, said it is thrilled that it has come to fruition.

 

“The minister has said it before, and BTC strongly affirms, Black history is Canadian history. The Canadian identity is not a singular story. Learning about Canada's Black communities and Black leaders will help all students be prepared for a future that is not limited to the confines of their immediate surroundings, but one that encompasses an appreciation of how this country's rich heritage was formed,” said Kathy McDonald, Chair of Black Trustees' Caucus.

 

She said learning about the Black experience, both past and present, will help all students move beyond the awareness that celebrating Black History Month entails. “In strong public education systems, students learn their true and full histories, they recognize how lessons from the past can help create better futures, and they understand how diverse historical and current perspectives help build strong foundations in democratic societies.”

 

McDonald said the BTC is grateful that the ministry will continue to modernize Ontario's curriculum through consultation and engagement with Black communities as it is vital for a range of voices and perspectives to be honoured and valued in the creation of this new curriculum.




Kathy McDonald, Chair of Black Trustees' Caucus, Ontario Public School Board's Association


The OPSBA represents public district school boards and public school authorities across Ontario, which together serve more than 1.3 million public elementary and secondary students. It advocates on behalf of the best interests and needs of the public school system in Ontario.

 

"OPSBA welcomes this announcement, which is an important moment for all Ontarians. Embedded curriculum will help ensure our students learn about the history, contributions, and excellence of Black Canadians,” said Cathy Abraham, President of the OPSBA.

 

Shernett Martin, CEO and Executive Director of ANCHOR Canada, said Black history is Canadian history. 

“From coast to coast to coast, the Black experience permeates throughout our communities. This announcement slated to include Black Canadian history for Grades 7, 8 and 10 will ensure that students across Ontario will be introduced to stories and profiles inherent to our Canadian identity that celebrates history, diversity and culture. Minister Lecce’s commitment to expanding the Ontario curriculum is another important step in making Ontario’s curriculum a curriculum for all."

In the meantime, the Peel District School Board (PDSB) said it is well positioned for the recent announcement about mandated content on Black history in the curriculum. 

 

It said Black history is Canadian history and has already been integrated into the design of classroom learning across many schools in the PDSB. The Board’s theme this year for Black History Month is “Afrofuturism: Examine the Past, Question the Present, Imagine the Future.” 

 

In a media release, the PDSB noted that according to the Smithsonian Magazine, Afrofuturism expresses notions of Black identity, agency and freedom through art, creative works and activism that envision liberated futures for Black life.

 

Developing an understanding of Afrofuturism allows students and staff the opportunity

to explore the past, present and future significance of Black culture and its contributions

to our everyday lives. 

 

During Black History Month, schools across the Peel District School Board will participate in several activities that recognize and celebrate the rich heritage, history, culture and contributions of Black Canadians as well as Black communities from around the world.

 

“As we participate in festivities and events over the course of this month and beyond, we take the time to recognize the outstanding achievements of Black Canadians in all

areas of Canadian life including in science, technology, media, the arts, sports,

education, law, healthcare, military services, financial services and more. PDSB’s “We Rise Together 2.0: Black Student Success Strategy” is an example of our commitment to amplifying the contributions of Black Canadians in all areas of the curriculum,” it said.

 

Lisa Hart, Superintendent, Equity, Indigenous Education, School Engagement and Community Relations, said the PDSB is committed to ensuring equitable outcomes for African, Black, and Afro-Caribbean students through meaningful opportunities to engage with authentic and rich content. “Our work is grounded in an ethic of care that celebrates Black excellence and brilliance all year long.”




Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the Emancipation Day Underground Freedom Train Ride organized by Blackhurst Cultural Centre in Toronto on July 31, 2023


 

On February 7 — one day before the Ontario government announced mandatory Black history learning in those grades in schools — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed in Ottawa that the federal government will extend its observation of the United Nations (UN) International Decade for People of African Descent, 2015-2024, to 2028.


“Black Canadians have helped make Canada the country we love. From groundbreaking trailblazers in halls of fame and history books to unsung heroes in communities across the country, Black excellence is all around us. However, as we grow and become more diverse, Canada’s painful history of anti-Black racism continues to impact Black communities, preventing many from reaching their full potential. We can – and we must – do better,” notes a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

It noted that the UN Decade “helps us build inclusive programs to empower people of African descent and advance our work to combat racism, discrimination, and xenophobia faced by people of African descent in Canada and around the world. While the UN Decade ends this year, we are reaffirming our support to Black communities.”

The prime minister said this will be an extension of the federal government’s efforts to promote equality and empower Black Canadians. Using the frameworks of the UN Decade, this extension will support Black Canadians and strengthen their leadership in business, social justice, and community, it said.

“Diversity is a fact, but inclusion is a choice. By extending our efforts under the International Decade for People of African Descent in Canada, we are reaffirming our commitment to support Black Canadians. Using the frameworks set out by the UN, we will invest in Black-led programs, advance racial justice, and ensure Black Canadians have the opportunities they deserve to reach their full potential,” said Prime Minister Trudeau.

The government said it has made transformative investments to empower Black communities across the country. “Since endorsing the UN Decade in 2018, we have committed up to $860 million to Black-focused initiatives – from racial justice to entrepreneurship to economic dignity. Through the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative, we have invested in more than 2,300 projects to grow charities and non-profit organizations, for Black Canadians, by Black Canadians.”

Last year, the government selected the Foundation for Black Communities to manage the Black-led Philanthropic Endowment Fund. The Fund will provide long-term, sustainable funding to charities and non-profit organizations fighting anti-Black racism and improving social and economic well-being in predominantly Black communities. 

“With the Black Entrepreneurship Program, we are helping thousands of Black Canadian business owners and entrepreneurs start up, scale up, and succeed,” noted the statement.

“The UN Decade has been an important roadmap to help us recognize the distinct rights, culture, and accomplishments of the more than 1.5 million people of African descent living in Canada today. But just as the contributions of the Black diaspora to this country have endured for generations, so too must our commitment extend beyond the bounds of any single decade. I remain committed to supporting recognition, justice, and development for Black communities across Canada through 2028 and in the years beyond,” said Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities.

The principles of the UN Decade continue to guide Canada in its efforts to combat anti-Black racism and remove systemic barriers for marginalized communities, the statement noted.

In 2018, Canada endorsed the UN International Decade for People of African Descent, which runs from 2015 to 2024. In so doing, Canada became the first country belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to formally recognize the UN Decade.