Caribbean Culture will be in the Limelight at Pride 2022

By Neil Armstrong

Photo courtesy of Pride Toronto Pride 2022       Spice          

 

Thousands will be in for a treat at Pride 2022 when two of the leading figures in dancehall and soca — the “Queen of Dancehall” Grace Hamilton aka Spice, Jamaican dancehall recording artist, singer and songwriter, and Patrice Roberts, Trinidadian soca star — hit the stage on the Pride Festival Weekend, June 24-26.

 

With a career spanning over 20 years, Spice will be the headliner to kick off the weekend on the TD main stage at Yonge-Dundas Square in the heart of Toronto on June 24, 9:00-11:00 p.m. and Patrice Roberts will be the headliner at Blockorama, the longest running and largest stage at Pride, on June 26 at 9:00 p.m., the closing day of the festival. This happens at the Bud Light Seltzer Wellesley Stage annually which is directly across from Wellesley subway station.

 

Spice is recognized to be one of the biggest dancehall artists in the world. Her mixtape “Captured” debuted at #1 in 2018 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, and in 2021, released her debut studio album “10”. Earlier this year, Spice became the first female dancehall artist to be nominated for a Grammy in the best reggae album category.

Patrice Roberts was named the youngest female Road March winner for her collaboration with Machel Montano titled “Band Of The Year” in 2006.

The legendary DJ Blackcat will warm things up before Spice performs, and from 7:00-9:00 p.m. it promises to be an epic Ballroom Night. “Toronto KiKi Ballroom legends stand up & let it all out. Father Twysted Miyake Mugler welcomes the Toronto Chapter & the winners of the ballroom TV show LEGENDARY Season 2, The Iconic House Of Miyake - Mugler to the stage for a show-stopping performance. International, producer, founder, promoter & resident DJ for LEGENDARY MikeQ is here to “let it all out” on the turntables,’ notes the Pride 2022 program guide.

Photo courtesy of Pride Toronto Pride 2022        Patrice Roberts

 

Organized by Pride Toronto, founded in 1981, events are stacked throughout June — Pride Month — and enthusiasts can check pridetoronto.com for a full listing of what is being offered.

For over 20 years, Blockorama has been a celebration of and for the Black LGBTQ+ community and allies, organized by the collective, Blackness Yes! It was born from the lack of representation for African, Black and Caribbean LGBTQ community members during Pride Toronto’s yearly festival and has been a space that celebrates Black love, joy, music, and community.

 

On June 25, 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., “Blockorama After Dark” will be held at the Wellesley Parking Lot for the first time. The annual Blockorama on June 26 — closing day of the festival — runs from 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the Wellesley Stage.

 

 

This year, the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP) — Canada’s largest Black-specific AIDS service organization — has been selected as Pride Toronto’s Charity of Choice and will be celebrating the first in-person Pride festival since the onset of COVID-19 under the theme, “Proudly Different, Beautifully Diverse.”

 

“We’re excited to be back on the road this year for an in-person Pride. And we invite all to be a part of all initiatives planned for this summer’s Toronto Pride,” says Black CAP. The 2022 Pride Parade will be held on June 26, starting at 2:00 p.m.

 

The agency has organized two fundraising events during Pride Month: “Leather ‘n’ Lace,” a Pride masquerade event, with Barbados’s Queen of Soca, Alison Hinds, Toronto-based singer/songwriter James Baley, and DJ Donovan on June 17 at Steam Whistle Brewery Biergärten and Taproom at 7:00 p.m., and “Chic – Le Freak” Pride Drag Brunch with Ongina, the Drag Queen extraordinaire from RuPaul Drag Race at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel on June 12 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tickets are available on Eventbrite for both events.

 

Photo courtesy of Black CAP            Alison Hinds   

Since 1989, the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP) has worked to respond to the threat of HIV and AIDS in Toronto’s African, Caribbean and Black communities. Its work is guided by the motto, ‘Because All Black People’s Lives Are Important’, which serves as a reminder of its commitment to the human rights and dignity of all Black people who are vulnerable to HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 

 

As Black people continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS — making up 20% of Ontario cases despite being merely 5% of the province’s population —their experiences are made worse by the stigma, racism, homophobia, and poverty that create inequitable access to essential supports and services. Black CAP works specifically to confront these barriers. 

The agency offers a range of services and programs catered to the identities, experiences and needs of Toronto’s richly diverse Black population. From awareness campaigns and harm reduction programs to newcomer settlement services and peer support groups, its programming is a holistic and expansive response to the Black community’s needs. 

 

Over the past 33 years, Black CAP has been able to extend the reach of its mission and mandate thanks to local, provincial, national, and international campaigns and initiatives; purposeful partnerships and collaborations with like-minded organizations; the meaningful involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS; and the tireless commitment of their staff and volunteers who recognize the urgent need for this work. 

Photo courtesy of Black CAP          James Baley

 

From June 4 to 30, St. Lucia-born, Montreal-based interdisciplinary artist Adéx Lava will hold his first art installation and exhibit, “Murder Music: The Malice Afterthought,” in the North Hall at the Stackt Market, 28 Bathurst Street.

 

“In this installation and exhibition - I explore the intersections of violence, dancehall, memory, and same-sex love. The work is an archival account of the 2009 Stop Murder Music (Canada) campaign. Stop Murder Music (Canada) was a campaign that opposed Caribbean artists who produced music with lyrics that glorified the murder of homosexuals,” says the artist.

 

Adéx Lava is a writer, visual artist, cultural raggamuffin, installation artist, performance artist, photographer, events curator, and political
activist, notes Pride Toronto.

Drawing on his interest and training in the arts and law, he creates work that
focuses on “The Law of Artistry” — a fusion of exposing the visceral experiences of
injustice, our environments, and the intersections of law and beauty. He is the founder of the provocative art collective known as “the LAVA collective.” Adéx Lava  lives, plays, and works on the islands of Montréal & Saint Lucia.

The launch of the exhibit will take place on June 4, 7:00pm – 9:00pm. Regular viewing hours for the exhibit are 11:00 am-11:00pm. Adéx Lava is inviting viewers to use the hashtag #murdermusic360 and #themaliceafterthought to share their thoughts, comments, and images.

On June 23 at 5:00 p.m. in the same venue, there will be a panel discussion to complement the exhibit with moderator Kimahli Powell, executive director of Rainbow Railroad; Gareth Henry, executive director of Black CAP; Montreal-based artist Adex; Lady Phyll, Pride 2022 International Grand Marshal and executive director of Kaleidoscope Trust in the UK; and a musician.

 

 

Meanwhile, just over a month after the Pride Toronto Festival another event will celebrate Black LGBTQI+ communities from around the world in the city.

 

Pride Toronto is collaborating with Global Black Pride and Blackness Yes! to produce the first in-person and hybrid event in Toronto.  

 

Global Black Pride, the first global Pride event that brings together Black LGBTQI+ communities across all continents, will hold its first-ever physical programming in Toronto from July 28-31.

 

The event will celebrate Black culture and diversity, providing a space for activists and community-based organizations across the globe to engage and reflect. 

 

Pride Toronto says this additional programming will help “build on the incredible work Blackness Yes! has been doing for the community for many years and brings additional attention and learnings to the experiences of the Black 2SLGBTQ+ community worldwide.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention Honoured to be Pride Toronto 2022 Charity of Choice

 By Neil Armstrong

Photo contributed     Gareth Henry, executive director of the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP) and Drag Queen Boa at the launch of the Pride Toronto 2022 Program launch

The Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP) is honoured to be the Pride Toronto 2022 Charity of Choice and excited to participate in person during June, Pride Month, and at the annual Festival Weekend (June 24-26) which for the past two years were held virtually because of the pandemic.

 

Chosen by Pride Toronto’s community advisory panel, the Charity of Choice is one of the honoured positions for the Pride 2022 commemorations.

 

Since 1989, Canada’s largest Black-specific AIDS service organization has responded to the threat of HIV and AIDS in Toronto’s African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities. Black people make up 20% of Ontario cases despite being merely 5% of the province’s population. Our work is guided by our motto — ‘Because All Black People’s Lives Are Important’ — which serves as a reminder of our commitment to the human rights and dignity of all Black people who are vulnerable to Sexually Transmitted and Blood-borne Infections (STBBI). Black CAP is an important resource for thousands of Black people in Toronto living with, or at risk for, HIV, AIDS and STIs. 

 

“The agency works to create culturally relevant outreach, prevention and support services for people infected with, affected by, or at risk of contracting HIV. Despite social barriers like HIV stigma, racism, homophobia, and poverty that make our work more difficult, what we do is necessary,” said Gareth Henry, Executive Director of Black CAP at the Pride 2022 Program launch at the CN Tower on April 28.   “Black CAP provides much-needed counselling, settlement, practical and peer support, employment, housing, and social support services that help people achieve their goals. We also work with men, women, youth, and LGBTQ + communities to increase their knowledge and reduce their vulnerability to HIV, AIDS, and sexually transmitted infections.”

 

Through collaborative and innovative partnerships, Black CAP has provided a safe, caring, and welcoming environment to many individuals who identify as 2SLGBTQ+, many of whom belong to BIPOC and immigrant communities.

 

Using a participatory approach to our community-based programs, Black CAP secured funding to work with 2SLBTQ refugees or newcomers to Canada to provide them with a sense of belonging. 

 

Currently, Black CAP is collaborating with the City of Toronto to address employment equity for the transgender community. We are creating a Trans/Non-Binary Employment Service Plan that includes among its goals the engagement of the African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) Trans and Non-Binary Community to find out about their employment experiences and needs. We plan to create and offer an employment readiness module for ACB Trans and Non-Binary youth. 

 

Our vision is to see an inclusive Toronto and, by extension, Canada where 2SLGBTQ+ are honoured, supported, and will participate in the policy and decision-making processes. It includes an environment in which reform takes place to address institutional racism and creates opportunities for equal and barrier-free access to housing, healthcare, and other social services.  

 

Black CAP is currently partnering with organizations such as the Dignity Network, the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat, the HIV Legal Network, Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance, and the Gay Men's Health HUB (HQ) to foster the rights of 2SLBTQ+ communities.  

 

In addition, the agency currently offers a wide range of programs and services developed and implemented for and by members of the 2SLBTQ+ community. These programs support the overall wellbeing of community members and create social and political change, which address access to more effective healthcare services and empower participants to self-advocate.   

Black Candidates Gear Up for Upcoming Ontario Election

By Neil Armstrong

Photo contributed          Andria Barrett, Ontario NDP candidate for Brampton South

 

As someone who always wants to make the community better, Andria Barrett, the Ontario New Democratic Party candidate for Brampton South, believes she can make a change in the city she loves.

 

A big supporter of small businesses, she will hold the launch of her campaign to win a seat in the Ontario election happening on June 2 at a Black-owned restaurant in the city’s downtown on May 5. 

 

“I’ve always had an interest in working with the community and advocating,” says Barrett.

 

She says this started in high school when she was the president of the Students’ Council and also head of Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving.

 

Seeking political office was the natural next step for the alumna of the Claude Watson School of the Arts program at Earl Haig Secondary School in Toronto. Immersing herself in student politics, the arts, and academics provided her with a great experience, she says. 

 

Barrett says it is important that people who live in a community have their voices and their concerns heard, including the younger generation. The first-time candidate says it is imperative that they see people who look like them — a female or a Black woman who is trying to represent them.

 

She says the NDP has a Black Caucus with members from different parts of the diaspora and is the first provincial-led party to do so.

 

Barrett notes that because the caucus exists issues that are important to Black people are represented. Citing Little Jamaica as an example, she says MPP Jill Andrew is trying to ensure that the province protects that space and the business owners there. The party also had a private member’s bill to address anti-Black racism in the province.

 

 

Barrett says running in an election costs a lot of money and that can be a barrier for some people. However, she feels supported by the current NDP Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) who willingly respond to her questions or concerns.

 

“The Black Caucus has a team that if you have any questions, need support, want to know how the system works, you can reach out.”

 

When it comes to finances, Barrett says she is very happy that the party has a special equity fund set aside for a group of candidates that typically have challenges when it comes to fundraising.

 

When out canvassing, the main concerns she has heard from constituents relate to the high car insurance in Brampton — Bramptonians pay higher than most people in Ontario — and healthcare, senior care and long-term care. The city has over 700,000 residents but only has one hospital, says Barrett. 

 

“We are underfunded when it comes to our healthcare and we need more hospitals. The nurses and healthcare professionals, they do the best they can but they are just overcapacity.” 

 

Barrett grew up in different parts of Brampton for most of her life and many of her relatives are based there. Her sister, who is a nurse, has been working in a long-term care home for over twenty years in the city.

 

Barrett says she cares about what happens in her neighbours’ household just as much as she cares about her own.

 

“We are all going through the same struggle and I relate and I want to help and advocate to make things better. I am a great listener and I am a doer. I get things done.”

 

Recently, Barrett held a town hall with a group of young women between ages 18 and 25 and listened to their insightful questions about student grants, the environment, car insurance, support for teachers and educational workers and the broken system in their schools.

 

The prominent business leader serves on several boards, including the Culinary Tourism Alliance, and has volunteered for organizations like the Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario. 

 

Her campaign launch on May 5 at Lot 25 in downtown Brampton will include special guest NDP federal leader Jagmeet Singh, guest speaker former educator and politician Zanana Akande and a performance by Liberty Silver.

Photo contributed        Jamaal Blackwood, Green Party of Ontario candidate for Brampton East

 

 “I am running for office because of the change I want to see. There are a tremendous number of issues that are currently taking place within different communities of Brampton and families are forced to deal with these issues due to lack of support from their government,” says Jamaal Blackwood, who is the Green Party’s candidate in Brampton East. Among the issues he identified are people wanting a better life for their families and youth needing more resources to succeed within the education system. 

 

Blackwood, 28, a student at the newly named Toronto Metropolitan University, says he has noticed that more Black people have decided to join the fight for change. “It is important to encourage even the youth to rise to the cause and making sure they have the support when doing so.” 

 

The first-time candidate says it took a while for people to support him because he is young and representing a party that many do not know much about. “However, I knew getting into politics it would not be easy and require me to do a lot of late nights when balancing school, work and running for office. I accepted the challenge and did my due diligence by going door to door and speaking on the issues that mattered most to the people within the communities.”

 

Blackwood says among the major issues in his riding are noise pollution, bad air quality and the lack of safety for youth attending schools within the area. These have been ongoing concerns that constituents have expressed to their current city councillors and MPP. 

 

“I knew that standing with the community on this issue was more important than asking people to vote for me. I believe in respect and every human being having their rights and, we, as politicians should uphold their rights and do what we must to protect them as their leaders.”

 

He notes that Ontarians should vote because they are the ones who get to choose which individual will represent them and their families. Acknowledging that some find it hard to believe anything politicians say, he advised citizens to do their research. 

 

Youth have complained about the lack of resources for their education and the lack of youth facilities to provide mentorship, leadership and support toward their goals as they navigate through difficult times within their families or at school, he says. 

 

Blackwood says his parents taught him financial literacy and how to understand the economy. They told him about the challenges they faced in Jamaica as youth walking long distances from home to school or having little to nothing but making sure their siblings were taken care of while their parents worked. 

 

 “Things were not easy for them growing up and coming to Canada and that is something I always remember when doing anything.” 

 

Barrett and Blackwood are among the twenty-two Black candidates running in the June 2 election. 

 

The Ontario New Democratic Party candidates are: Andria Barrett (Brampton South), Marjorie Knight (Cambridge), Laura Mae Lindo (Kitchener Centre), Felicia Samuel (Scarborough-Rouge Park), Jill Andrew (Toronto-St. Paul’s), Faisal Hassan (York South-Weston), Gemma Grey-Hall (Windsor-Tecumseh), and Rhyan Vincent-Smith (Oakville North-Burlington).

 

The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario candidates are: Patrice Barnes (Ajax), Charmaine Williams (Brampton Centre), Alicia Vianga (Scarborough-Guildwood), David Smith (Scarborough Centre), Patrick Mayangi (Ottawa-Vanier), and Mark Saunders (Don Valley West).

 

For the Ontario Liberal Party, the candidates are: Mitzie Hunter (Scarborough-Guildwood), Marilyn Raphael (Brampton South), Manal Abdullahi (Scarborough-Rouge Park), Linda McCurdy (Windsor West), Julie Mbengi Lutete (Etobicoke North), Ismail Mohamed (Kitchener South-Hespeler), and Granville Anderson (Durham).

 

The Green Party of Ontario’s candidate is Jamaal Blackwood (Brampton East).