Semaji November 2017

Semaji Black Community Resource Centre

Supporting Youth, Building Communities, A Holistic Approach Volume 13, Issue 2 November 2017

Inside This Issue

2 A Word From The President Semaji Has Now Increased By 4 Issues*!!! See Below for The New Semaji Release Schedule 3 COMMUNITY -Word from The President Continued

4 JUSTICE Upcoming Schedule for Volume 13 (2017-2018) -Righteous Outrage Over Racism Is Now More Important Then Ever in Quebec Issue 3: December -- Release Date: Tuesday, January 2, 2018 5 HEALTH -The BCRC is Honoured by Hema Quebec Issue 4: February -- Release Date: Tuesday, March 6, 2018 6 COMMUNITY -Community Events Issue 5: March -- Release Date: Tuesday, April 3, 2018 7 COMMUNITY -Community Events Continued Issue 6: May -- Release Date: Tuesday, June 5, 2018

8 HERITAGE Issue 7: June -- Release Date: Tuesday, July 3, 2018 -Canada’s Black Walk of Fame

9 LEISURE CLUB Issue 8: August -- Release Date: Tuesday, September 4, -Historical Word Find 2018 -Cozy Up With This Book!! -Stay Tuned!!! *Thanks to our partner, Black Studies Centre (BSC), for the funding to increase Semaji issues.

Opinion: Righteous Outrage Over Racism Is Now More Important Than Ever In Quebec By Yvonne Sam (Chairman of the Rights and Freedoms Committee) Originally Published in Hu ngton Post, November 27, 2017 The cancellation of systemic government announced that it would security and culture. Premier Couil- racism hearings means that there look into the issue. lard mandated the Quebec Human will be no focus on understanding Rights Commission to organize and Then, in May, Kathleen Weil, immigra- lead the consultations, with the aim the perilous eects of the problem tion, diversity and inclusion minister, to put forward concrete and perma- on visible minorities' well-being. unveiled plans for a public consultation nent solutions that engage all of on systemic discrimination and racism Quebec society in combating these After Québec Solidaire MNA, Amir in Quebec, which was scheduled to problems. Khadir, tabled a 2,662-signature start in September. petition in the province's National The commission would submit Assembly, calling for "a consultation Public consultations would address recommendations to the govern- commission on systemic racism" to be discrimination in employment, educa- ment, which was expected to release created, Premier Philippe Couillard's tion, health care, housing, public Continued on Page 4...

the ndings and an action plan next spring. In a September ninth La Presse piece, Francois Cardinal also urged Couillard to In April, just a month before plans were abandon the consultations, if he didn't set to be revealed, the Parti Quebecois want to be found guilty of arousing the accused the Couillard government of ashes of intolerance. playing with re. The party launched a racialized people, have been left out in petition against the commission. If the truth is to be both known and told, the cold and they cannot aord to be not only is a trial needed, but also long put on hold. On Oct. 18, the Couillard government overdue. This continued reluctance to announced an overhaul to the controver- forthrightly confront racism persists and The overwhelming response of disbelief sial initiative, cancelling systemic racism is also responsible for the economic at the cancellation should herald the hearings and changing the focus to disparities which impede race relations beginning of new commitments to economic opportunities for visible gains. sustain and transform righteous minorities and immigrants. outrage into a collective resolve, Another challenge lies in the fact that focusing on strategies that would Couillard, among many others, covertly unapologetically bene t all aected “Blacks, along with other dismisses the fact that in Quebec, racialized minorities. Racism remains a racialized people, have certain privileges are aorded and major issue that cannot be ignored. The been left out in the cold and enjoyed by certain people, and further facts are undeniable and should discounts any relevance of past Quebec continue on the path of they cannot a ord to be put practices having a bearing today. To disingenuousness, a very painful on hold.” behave as if racism does not matter is to confrontation may eventually ensue. deny the absolute truth, and this again is According to Pope Francis, "racism part and parcel of how wide the divide today is the ultimate evil in the world." In addition, Weil lost her immigration and is. diversity portfolio to David Heurtel. The Premier Couillard cannot have his say project is now called "the commission on Plainly put, the cancellation means that and also his day — he put in motion an valuing diversity and ghting against there will be no focus on understanding independent process under the control discrimination." I hope that there are no the perilous eects of interpersonal and of the Quebec Human Rights Commis- plans to sweep racism under the rug, as institutional racism on both the psycho- sion, only to dabble at the rumblings of the emanating dust would be too much. logical and physiological well-being of a rabble. minorities. Let us not be misguided in My recent column, "Political Demission at thinking that institutional racism applies Sustaining righteous outrage is now the Quebec Human Rights Commission," to a physical institution or building. We more important than ever. is now being revisited, because there has are the institutionalized racism, and been no response to the announced become part of institutionalized Original article can be found at: cancellation. behaviour each time we fail to stand up, http://www.hungtonpost.ca/yvonne- turn a blind eye, walk away thinking that sam/righteous-outrage-- Quebec appears blind to the reality of it is not our problem, hold our heads over-racism-is-now-more-important-tha racism and discrimination, and also the down or fail to intervene when we see n-ever-in-quebec_a_23265250/ possibility of ensuing pain — a pain that someone being harassed or discrimi- unleashes itself in structural circles, nated against. meanders through the docks of court- rooms, nally ending in the unjusti able Yes, the very racism which Quebec has deaths at the hands of law enforcers. so long failed to acknowledge can psychologically aect its victims by Politically speaking, the pendulum of allowing society to deny their true value public attitude regarding racism and as individuals, and by compelling them discrimination has reached the limit of its to internalize the racist conceptions of swing, once again exposing the cold, hard themselves held by the dominant truth that the story of racism will never be culture. Notwithstanding the odds, it is told, especially since from the outset imperative that the present cancellation opposition parties had, in no uncertain be seen as an opportunity to bring terms, called on the government to scrap collective weight to bear. Sustained the consultation process altogether, public pressure is the only way to make claiming that it puts Quebec society on this happen. Blacks, along with other trial. The cancellation of systemic government announced that it would security and culture. Premier Couil- racism hearings means that there look into the issue. lard mandated the Quebec Human will be no focus on understanding Rights Commission to organize and Then, in May, Kathleen Weil, immigra- lead the consultations, with the aim the perilous eects of the problem tion, diversity and inclusion minister, to put forward concrete and perma- on visible minorities' well-being. unveiled plans for a public consultation nent solutions that engage all of on systemic discrimination and racism Quebec society in combating these After Québec Solidaire MNA, Amir in Quebec, which was scheduled to problems. Khadir, tabled a 2,662-signature start in September. petition in the province's National The commission would submit Assembly, calling for "a consultation Public consultations would address recommendations to the govern- commission on systemic racism" to be discrimination in employment, educa- ment, which was expected to release created, Premier Philippe Couillard's tion, health care, housing, public

2 Semaji Volume 13, Issue 2 November 2017 A Word From The President The Carl Whittaker Communology and Black Progress at Canada 150th and Montreal 375th Semaji Volume 13, Issue 2 November 2017 By Dr. Clarence S. Bayne President of BCRC Editor Ashlie Bienvenu and improvement in the wellbeing of the populations of African ancestry seem to The Black Community of Montreal has stem from the fact that the community Contributors Dr. Clarence Bayne recently (November 2017) lost a leader that racialized as not-White were fragmented Yvonne Sam played a key role in the settlement of the into a multiplicity of subcultures associ- Ashlie Bienvenu large inux of Black immigrants to Montreal ated with and having their origins in many in the period 1960 to 2000. Carl (Lamumba) countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and Whittaker. He was one of those immigrants other parts of the world. Moreover, that came to Montreal from Barbados, W.I., notwithstanding their racial identity in in 1966, to study at Sir George William Canada as Black (of African descent), these Layout/Design Ashlie Bienvenu University. It was a time of major social and cultures were essentially closed to each political change in the former British other, social and cultural distance, and colonies, and in North America. The histories of colonial capitalism, and emergence of Black organizations in neo-liberalist capitalism and administra- Montreal, during the sixties through to the tion. mid-nineties, follows a logical process, which I have described elsewhere, using The simulations of human social systems, BCRC patterns of simulated behaviours by using complex adaptive systems theory, 6767 Côte-des-Neiges, Suite 497 intelligent and cultural agents in complex show that the greater the fragmentation adaptive social systems. Human systems (greater the number of closed cultural Montréal, Québec, H3S 2T6 can be described using models of complex sub-groups) the smaller the objective and Tel: (514) 342-2247 adaptive systems where the interactions subjective wellbeing enjoyed by the Fax: (514) 342-2283 between all existing and possible agents members of the larger group. In the [email protected] that make up the system are often random seventies and eighties, the leaders of the www.bcrcmontreal.com and so large that the outcomes are new Black immigrant groups in Montreal, unpredictable. Making decisions about the Quebec, recognized this problem and best response to rapid change in the total moved aggressively to create alliances and environment is like taking a random walk in coalitions. One group lead by Clarence How do I submit articles to be submitted to space. The psycho-social and economic Bayne, Winston Nicholls, Carl Taylor, our quarterly Semaji newsletter? Articles for submission are accepted 30 days prior to George Richardson and Ivan Morrison, a environment can become so volatile that publication. Issues are published September, life gets stuck at the survival level of human former founding President of the Jamaica December, March and June. Email existence. The role of leaders (the social Association, moved to create a federation [email protected]. If you are submitting entrepreneur) in such a system is to search of Caribbean associations. This lead to the photos please send a jpeg with credit. for ways to ensure the sustenance of the creation of the Caribbean House (1964) by community and improve the well-being Black residents and students at Sir George How do I add/remove my Semaji subscription? William and Mc Gill Universities. At the Send an email to [email protected] (objective and subjective) of its members. requesting or removing subscription. Please put My research shows that Blacks in Montreal, national level Clarence Bayne and Dorothy in subject line “Add” or “Remove”. Changes to over the period 1960-2000, took signi cant Wills, in collaboration with leadership from subscription will be done within 48hrs. action to achieve this objective. They across the country, moved to create the created an impressive number of agencies rst ever national federation of Black aimed at providing services that informed organizations called the National Black Coalition of Canada If you have any comments or requests please the newcomers about workings and living contact Ashlie Bienvenu at in Montreal, entertainment, social activities, (https://bscportal. les.wordpress.com/201 [email protected] accommodation and essential services, 5/08/expression-- health, education and employment special-conference-1968-papers.pdf). At possibilities, rights and freedoms, and the same time (1968-1972), Carl Whittaker about Canadian culture, customs and was convincing local leadership to support traditions. The research shows that several his concept of “Communology develop- of these organizations were of a cultural ment” which used a version of and political nature and specialized in Pan-Africanism as the unifying principle. creating new social and cultural spaces, This cut across gender, country of origin, greater opportunity for full participation religion and ideology, focusing on and improvement in the wellbeing of the Africanness in the Canadian context as the members of the communities they served. only criterion for membership. Organiza- One of the serious barriers to the growth tional membership was only open to

Continued on Page 3...

to wonder what happened to Blacks who while there is signi cant evidence that many were part of the Canadian process. There are Blacks have bene ted and have distin- no institutions around that can mark with guished themselves as individuals, that, as a pride this tradition of our involvement in the people of African ancestry, we have not growth and building of Canada. I react very accomplished much. On the angry side of vehemently to this. I assess it as being the the equation, there are those that say that ultimate eect of the racism that is inherent the few have pro ted by the struggle of in White Canadian society. They deliberately many but have given back nothing. They write a whole people out of the Canadian suer the illusion that they are where they nation-building process, out of history; to are entirely on account of their own work groups that served the Black community the extent that what is known is from the ethic and industry. On the other side of the independent of gender, place of birth, work of Black scholars deliberately digging equation there are those that argue that the religion, ideology. He became the leading around the archives and reconstructing the social and political system is set up so that voice in the creation of the Black Community role that Black people played. It is as if we the country remains rmly under the control Council of Quebec (BCCQ) with its regional are a people like foot-steps on the sand just of a duality, the French settler classes and outreach associations and a number of Black before a wave comes in and washes away the English settler classes, and within those specialist organizations that predated its the last evidence that somebody did walk two groups all other sub-cultures and existence. There were 10 key organizations there. We are a people without a presence, ethnicities are represented in scaled involved, with outreach associations in La without an accumulated tradition within the preferences, determined by constitutional- Salle, Laval, the West Island, the South Shore, Canadian process. Now, how do you ized and social systems of inclusion and Cote des Neiges and NDG. Its activities establish that presence? We establish the exclusion. Predictably, as sub-cultures on touched on every aspect of Black cultural, presence by building institutions within the the lower level of the totem of mosaic psycho-social, economic, and political life. community that live on beyond the ethnicities, Blacks tend to show less BCCQ constituted the voice of the Black individual. My approach to community development and less representation at all community on matters that had to do with development is primarily institution levels of the society as a cultural sub-group. Blacks as a community in the Canadian and building. Institutions that mark the presence There are many factors accounting for this. Quebec societies, especially the English of Black people in Canadian Society. One is persistent race and cultural superior- speaking Black community. This movement Institutions that provide the services that are ity traditions and beliefs still held and active lasted for approximately twenty ve years necessary for every human being to grow in the conscious and subconscious psyches from 1970 to 1995. and to actualize whatever potential that of the two settler groups; and another is individual has through life. I am not as denial of the existence of systemic and At Canada’s 150th and Montreal 375th, we pre-occupied with issue-organizing as I am embedded racial discrimination in the social pose the question: What has been accom- with institutional development. Therefore, and economic arrangements of the society. plished? Before we address this question, let you hear me constantly say, “look, what we In Quebec, the far right and the nationalist me take you back to 1982, and an interview have to do is to create an organizational left are located between these two states. of Carl Whittaker, carried out by Cecil Roach, structure that present a representative Unfortunately, the positions of most the then Managing Editor of the BCCQ infra-structure to the Black Community; one governments seem to be determined by the magazine, Umoja that is there whether Carl Whittaker is there tug and pull between these two vectors. As I (https://bscportal. les.wordpress.com/2016/0 or anyone else. It's an institution that will last stated in an article in Community Contact, it 2/focus_vol1_no1.pdf.). In this interview they forever". should be no surprise that the enquiry on address the question of the status of the systemic discrimination and racism in Black Community in the Canadian and That was Carl in Quebec is cancelled. Some members of Quebec Societies. 1982. Today in Quebec’s La Muete will tell you that they are Quebec, under the not racists, that there is no systemic racism FOCUS: clouds of French in Quebec, and that such claims constitute a [Carl], You have been intricately involved in denial and blackmail by people who have no respect many of the organizational eorts in the neo-liberal for freedom of speech or have no logical Black Community. What are some of the betrayal, explanation of their demands. They things that you would like to see Black represented by the pronounce multiculturalism a failed people achieve in this society? “notwithstanding experiment that has no future. This is the clause”, Blacks are argument of a type of Darwinism based on Mr. Whittaker: still excluded from fascist logic: there shall be in the end only Well...look, the history of the Black people the history of one superior race. If I were to have to bet on goes back to the so-called founding Quebec, ignored at the 375th and reduced the ultimate superior survivor race, I would peoples...to the rst journey of Samuel de to an afterthought in some Borough events. not bet on La Muete. World relative rates of Champlain. In fact, the pilot and interpreter They are still at the lower end of John reproduction do not favour them. In fact, for Champlain was a man called Mathew Da Porter’s vertical Mosaic. We are still waiting multiculturalism is favourable to their long Costa, a Black Man. Therefore, our history for an apology and hoping to see a tear drop term survival as a people on the world scale. goes back into the very early period of from the young Justin Trudeau’s eye that The Black struggle in Quebec continues Canadian history. However, if you look across captures the pain that systemic discrimina- through the Black Community Forum. It has Canada, you see no evidence of this tion, racism, racial pro ling, and systemic adopted the principles of organizational presence. There are no Black institutions, exclusion have caused Blacks in Quebec and “collaborative unity and existential responsi- there is no recognition of the fact that Black Canada. bility”. It is committed to the building and people were among the builders of the strengthening of Black institutions and Canadian Nation. We have been deliberately Today, in the Back Communities of Montreal, creating eective communication networks excluded from the Canadian process, socially, there seems to be a prevailing opinion that, as the way forward. politically and economically. One then begins

and improvement in the wellbeing of the populations of African ancestry seem to The Black Community of Montreal has stem from the fact that the community recently (November 2017) lost a leader that racialized as not-White were fragmented played a key role in the settlement of the into a multiplicity of subcultures associ- large inux of Black immigrants to Montreal ated with and having their origins in many in the period 1960 to 2000. Carl (Lamumba) countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and Whittaker. He was one of those immigrants other parts of the world. Moreover, that came to Montreal from Barbados, W.I., notwithstanding their racial identity in in 1966, to study at Sir George William Canada as Black (of African descent), these University. It was a time of major social and cultures were essentially closed to each political change in the former British other, social and cultural distance, and colonies, and in North America. The histories of colonial capitalism, and emergence of Black organizations in neo-liberalist capitalism and administra- Montreal, during the sixties through to the tion. mid-nineties, follows a logical process, which I have described elsewhere, using The simulations of human social systems, patterns of simulated behaviours by using complex adaptive systems theory, intelligent and cultural agents in complex show that the greater the fragmentation adaptive social systems. Human systems (greater the number of closed cultural can be described using models of complex sub-groups) the smaller the objective and adaptive systems where the interactions subjective wellbeing enjoyed by the between all existing and possible agents members of the larger group. In the that make up the system are often random seventies and eighties, the leaders of the and so large that the outcomes are new Black immigrant groups in Montreal, unpredictable. Making decisions about the Quebec, recognized this problem and best response to rapid change in the total moved aggressively to create alliances and environment is like taking a random walk in coalitions. One group lead by Clarence space. The psycho-social and economic Bayne, Winston Nicholls, Carl Taylor, environment can become so volatile that George Richardson and Ivan Morrison, a life gets stuck at the survival level of human former founding President of the Jamaica existence. The role of leaders (the social Association, moved to create a federation entrepreneur) in such a system is to search of Caribbean associations. This lead to the for ways to ensure the sustenance of the creation of the Caribbean House (1964) by community and improve the well-being Black residents and students at Sir George (objective and subjective) of its members. William and Mc Gill Universities. At the My research shows that Blacks in Montreal, national level Clarence Bayne and Dorothy over the period 1960-2000, took signi cant Wills, in collaboration with leadership from action to achieve this objective. They across the country, moved to create the created an impressive number of agencies rst ever national federation of Black aimed at providing services that informed organizations called the National Black the newcomers about workings and living Coalition of Canada in Montreal, entertainment, social activities, (https://bscportal. les.wordpress.com/201 accommodation and essential services, 5/08/expression-- health, education and employment special-conference-1968-papers.pdf). At possibilities, rights and freedoms, and the same time (1968-1972), Carl Whittaker about Canadian culture, customs and was convincing local leadership to support traditions. The research shows that several his concept of “Communology develop- of these organizations were of a cultural ment” which used a version of and political nature and specialized in Pan-Africanism as the unifying principle. creating new social and cultural spaces, This cut across gender, country of origin, greater opportunity for full participation religion and ideology, focusing on and improvement in the wellbeing of the Africanness in the Canadian context as the members of the communities they served. only criterion for membership. Organiza- One of the serious barriers to the growth tional membership was only open to

Volume 13, Issue 2 November 2017 Semaji 3

to wonder what happened to Blacks who while there is signi cant evidence that many were part of the Canadian process. There are Blacks have bene ted and have distin- no institutions around that can mark with guished themselves as individuals, that, as a community pride this tradition of our involvement in the people of African ancestry, we have not growth and building of Canada. I react very accomplished much. On the angry side of vehemently to this. I assess it as being the the equation, there are those that say that ultimate eect of the racism that is inherent the few have pro ted by the struggle of in White Canadian society. They deliberately many but have given back nothing. They ...Continued From Page 2 write a whole people out of the Canadian suer the illusion that they are where they nation-building process, out of history; to are entirely on account of their own work groups that served the Black community the extent that what is known is from the ethic and industry. On the other side of the independent of gender, place of birth, work of Black scholars deliberately digging equation there are those that argue that the religion, ideology. He became the leading around the archives and reconstructing the social and political system is set up so that voice in the creation of the Black Community role that Black people played. It is as if we the country remains rmly under the control Council of Quebec (BCCQ) with its regional are a people like foot-steps on the sand just of a duality, the French settler classes and outreach associations and a number of Black before a wave comes in and washes away the English settler classes, and within those specialist organizations that predated its the last evidence that somebody did walk two groups all other sub-cultures and existence. There were 10 key organizations there. We are a people without a presence, ethnicities are represented in scaled involved, with outreach associations in La without an accumulated tradition within the preferences, determined by constitutional- Salle, Laval, the West Island, the South Shore, Canadian process. Now, how do you ized and social systems of inclusion and Cote des Neiges and NDG. Its activities establish that presence? We establish the exclusion. Predictably, as sub-cultures on touched on every aspect of Black cultural, presence by building institutions within the the lower level of the totem of mosaic psycho-social, economic, and political life. community that live on beyond the ethnicities, Blacks tend to show less BCCQ constituted the voice of the Black individual. My approach to community development and less representation at all community on matters that had to do with development is primarily institution levels of the society as a cultural sub-group. Blacks as a community in the Canadian and building. Institutions that mark the presence There are many factors accounting for this. Quebec societies, especially the English of Black people in Canadian Society. One is persistent race and cultural superior- speaking Black community. This movement Institutions that provide the services that are ity traditions and beliefs still held and active lasted for approximately twenty ve years necessary for every human being to grow in the conscious and subconscious psyches from 1970 to 1995. and to actualize whatever potential that of the two settler groups; and another is individual has through life. I am not as denial of the existence of systemic and At Canada’s 150th and Montreal 375th, we pre-occupied with issue-organizing as I am embedded racial discrimination in the social pose the question: What has been accom- with institutional development. Therefore, and economic arrangements of the society. plished? Before we address this question, let you hear me constantly say, “look, what we In Quebec, the far right and the nationalist me take you back to 1982, and an interview have to do is to create an organizational left are located between these two states. of Carl Whittaker, carried out by Cecil Roach, structure that present a representative Unfortunately, the positions of most the then Managing Editor of the BCCQ infra-structure to the Black Community; one governments seem to be determined by the magazine, Umoja that is there whether Carl Whittaker is there tug and pull between these two vectors. As I (https://bscportal. les.wordpress.com/2016/0 or anyone else. It's an institution that will last stated in an article in Community Contact, it 2/focus_vol1_no1.pdf.). In this interview they forever". should be no surprise that the enquiry on address the question of the status of the systemic discrimination and racism in Black Community in the Canadian and That was Carl in Quebec is cancelled. Some members of Quebec Societies. 1982. Today in Quebec’s La Muete will tell you that they are Quebec, under the not racists, that there is no systemic racism FOCUS: clouds of French in Quebec, and that such claims constitute a [Carl], You have been intricately involved in denial and blackmail by people who have no respect many of the organizational eorts in the neo-liberal for freedom of speech or have no logical Black Community. What are some of the betrayal, explanation of their demands. They things that you would like to see Black represented by the pronounce multiculturalism a failed people achieve in this society? “notwithstanding experiment that has no future. This is the clause”, Blacks are argument of a type of Darwinism based on Mr. Whittaker: still excluded from fascist logic: there shall be in the end only Well...look, the history of the Black people the history of one superior race. If I were to have to bet on goes back to the so-called founding Quebec, ignored at the 375th and reduced the ultimate superior survivor race, I would peoples...to the rst journey of Samuel de to an afterthought in some Borough events. not bet on La Muete. World relative rates of Champlain. In fact, the pilot and interpreter They are still at the lower end of John reproduction do not favour them. In fact, for Champlain was a man called Mathew Da Porter’s vertical Mosaic. We are still waiting multiculturalism is favourable to their long Costa, a Black Man. Therefore, our history for an apology and hoping to see a tear drop term survival as a people on the world scale. goes back into the very early period of from the young Justin Trudeau’s eye that The Black struggle in Quebec continues Canadian history. However, if you look across captures the pain that systemic discrimina- through the Black Community Forum. It has Canada, you see no evidence of this tion, racism, racial pro ling, and systemic adopted the principles of organizational presence. There are no Black institutions, exclusion have caused Blacks in Quebec and “collaborative unity and existential responsi- there is no recognition of the fact that Black Canada. bility”. It is committed to the building and people were among the builders of the strengthening of Black institutions and Canadian Nation. We have been deliberately Today, in the Back Communities of Montreal, creating eective communication networks excluded from the Canadian process, socially, there seems to be a prevailing opinion that, as the way forward. politically and economically. One then begins

4 Semaji Volume 13, Issue 2 November 2017

...Continued from Cover

the ndings and an action plan next spring. In a September ninth La Presse piece, justice Francois Cardinal also urged Couillard to In April, just a month before plans were abandon the consultations, if he didn't set to be revealed, the Parti Quebecois want to be found guilty of arousing the accused the Couillard government of ashes of intolerance. playing with re. The party launched a racialized people, have been left out in petition against the commission. If the truth is to be both known and told, the cold and they cannot aord to be not only is a trial needed, but also long put on hold. On Oct. 18, the Couillard government overdue. This continued reluctance to announced an overhaul to the controver- forthrightly confront racism persists and The overwhelming response of disbelief sial initiative, cancelling systemic racism is also responsible for the economic at the cancellation should herald the hearings and changing the focus to disparities which impede race relations beginning of new commitments to economic opportunities for visible gains. sustain and transform righteous minorities and immigrants. outrage into a collective resolve, Another challenge lies in the fact that focusing on strategies that would Couillard, among many others, covertly unapologetically bene t all aected “Blacks, along with other dismisses the fact that in Quebec, racialized minorities. Racism remains a racialized people, have certain privileges are aorded and major issue that cannot be ignored. The been left out in the cold and enjoyed by certain people, and further facts are undeniable and should discounts any relevance of past Quebec continue on the path of they cannot a ord to be put practices having a bearing today. To disingenuousness, a very painful on hold.” behave as if racism does not matter is to confrontation may eventually ensue. deny the absolute truth, and this again is According to Pope Francis, "racism part and parcel of how wide the divide today is the ultimate evil in the world." In addition, Weil lost her immigration and is. diversity portfolio to David Heurtel. The Premier Couillard cannot have his say project is now called "the commission on Plainly put, the cancellation means that and also his day — he put in motion an valuing diversity and ghting against there will be no focus on understanding independent process under the control discrimination." I hope that there are no the perilous eects of interpersonal and of the Quebec Human Rights Commis- plans to sweep racism under the rug, as institutional racism on both the psycho- sion, only to dabble at the rumblings of the emanating dust would be too much. logical and physiological well-being of a rabble. minorities. Let us not be misguided in My recent column, "Political Demission at thinking that institutional racism applies Sustaining righteous outrage is now the Quebec Human Rights Commission," to a physical institution or building. We more important than ever. is now being revisited, because there has are the institutionalized racism, and been no response to the announced become part of institutionalized Original article can be found at: cancellation. behaviour each time we fail to stand up, http://www.hungtonpost.ca/yvonne- turn a blind eye, walk away thinking that sam/righteous-outrage-- Quebec appears blind to the reality of it is not our problem, hold our heads over-racism-is-now-more-important-tha racism and discrimination, and also the down or fail to intervene when we see n-ever-in-quebec_a_23265250/ possibility of ensuing pain — a pain that someone being harassed or discrimi- unleashes itself in structural circles, nated against. meanders through the docks of court- rooms, nally ending in the unjusti able Yes, the very racism which Quebec has deaths at the hands of law enforcers. so long failed to acknowledge can psychologically aect its victims by Politically speaking, the pendulum of allowing society to deny their true value public attitude regarding racism and as individuals, and by compelling them discrimination has reached the limit of its to internalize the racist conceptions of swing, once again exposing the cold, hard themselves held by the dominant truth that the story of racism will never be culture. Notwithstanding the odds, it is told, especially since from the outset imperative that the present cancellation opposition parties had, in no uncertain be seen as an opportunity to bring terms, called on the government to scrap collective weight to bear. Sustained the consultation process altogether, public pressure is the only way to make claiming that it puts Quebec society on this happen. Blacks, along with other trial. Volume 13, Issue 2 November 2017 Semaji 5 The BCRC is Honoured by Hema Quebec health

BCRC was recently honoured with an award, from Hema Quebec, for all of the work that we do to increase the Black Community’s representation in blood donations. For several years, BCRC has hosted an event, the Dr. Charles Drew Blood Drive, every June. We also supported an initiative which allowed more Black women, who genetically have lower blood iron levels, to give blood. This allowed for greater representation of the Black community in blood donations. It also lessened the risk for people who receive blood for sickle-cell anemia, since blood received from people who have the same genetic characteristics are less likely to result in harmful antibodies.

Thank you to all the contributors that have made this event possible over the years. These contributors include the generous people who came to donate blood, the BCRC volunteers, as well as the donations that we have received from various industries, most notably Maxi, to oer the blood donors a free BBQ. Please show your support for this initiative by contributing to the next Dr. Charles Drew Blood Drive in June (Date will be forthcoming in the following issues). 6 Semaji Volume 13, Issue 2 November 2017

Community Events and Information community

Continued on Page 7... Volume 13, Issue 2 November 2017 Semaji 7

community

...Continued From Page 6

Word Find Answers from Last Issue

O R C H N X Y G C O X B B V L Z N L D P C O O P S S G C Z Z A J Q V B J I R S Y I E B W O K M Y D Q G P O A U R G Q N N N B Q G W A M U Y Z N H E K A O T K W D T S I T H L J O C T Y D J B U Q X H T S C N V W X D E Y U R C C S T E D Y W L K Y B E P P J E S N Y F D H S K D N Q A T R T N V B B K N U W W Q C J D H I A V A I R Z N B L Z E E F J U Q N C B E L C O F V D E E F O J X J U S H B O S I Y X M J N L X Y L T N O K Y X T Q P N K F E E S P M B O V Z C B F K Z E R R Y E K D N J I M X Y F M K M K L W T G W K W K N Y P N P C I X L G N L Z I B Q G U Y Y C U S N V I T S U H B 8 Semaji Volume 13, Issue 2 November 2017 Canada’s Black Walk Of Fame: Portia White By Ashlie Bienvenu

With the holidays right around the corner the Metropolitan Opera (Black Past). While heritage I’m sure everyone has had the opportunity White did not make any recordings in the to hear the carolers in the streets, or studio, there are a few concert recordings, holiday music on the radio. So, for this most notably the song Think on Me, which issue, we will be looking back to a famous can be found (Canadian Encyclopedia). musical gure, Portia White. White, an Afro-Canadian from Nova Scotia, was admired for her ability to sing “spirituals the “singer who broke the colour barrier in with pungent expression and beauty of Canadian classical music (Historica utterance (Historica Canada)." She was also Canada).” Due to her lifelong achieve- described as having a voice which was "a ments, and contribution to the Black gift from heaven (Historica Canada)." community, “White was named a ‘person White is signi cant to the Black Commu- of national historic signi cance’ by the nity due to her eorts to break through Government of Canada (Canadian the colour barrier and become the rst Encyclopedia),” in 1995. White was also Black Canadian to gain international fame awarded with a stamp of herself in 1999, a as a concert singer (Canadian Encyclope- sculpture in front of a Baptistst Church in dia). This can be seen through her early her hometown in 2004, and an award in years and performances, her time as a her name, the Portia White Prize, which is teacher, and the awards and recognition given every year to “an outstanding Nova that she later received. Scotian in the arts (Canadian Encyclope- dia).” White was also awarded the Dr. Born in Turo, Nova Scotia, in 1911, to Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement William A. White and Izie Dora White, Award posthumously in 2007 (Canadian Portia White was a descendent of Black Encyclopedia). Loyalists who ed to Nova Scotia, after the American Revolution, to escape slavery in the United States. Due to the fact that her father, William White, was a minister, Portia In 1939, at the University of Dalhousie, Bibliography White began her music career at the age White gained her teaching degree and King, B. N., So, J. K., and McPherson, J. B. (June 21, 2007). of six, singing in the church choir, under began teaching in Africville. She later Portia White. Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved from the direction of her mother, Izie Dora resigned her position, in 1941, to concen- http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/por (Canadian Encyclopedia). By the age of trate on her music career. Once she had tia-white-emc/. eight Portia had learned parts from the retired from music, in 1952, due to physical Portia White. Historica Canada. Retrieved from Lucia di Lammermoor opera and was diculties and voice strain, White went back http://blackhistorycanada.ca/arts.php?themeid=22&id asked to sing on the Canadian radio (Black to teaching. She went on to teach voice at =2. Past). White was so dedicated to her craft Branksome Hall, in Toronto. Some of her that she would walk 10 miles for music noteworthy students included “Dinah White, Portia (1911-1968). Black Past. Retrieved from http://www.blackpast.org/gah/white-portia-1911-1968. lessons (Canadian Encyclopedia). White Christie, Anne Marie Moss, Lorne Greene, participated in a Halifax music festival in Don Francks and Robert Goulet (Canadian 1935, 1937 and 1938, where she won the Encyclopedia).” Although White decided to Helen Kennedy Silver Cup. White, a go back to performing part-time, in the recognized talent, was given a scholarship mid-1950’s, her performances were sporadic by the Halifax Ladies' Musical Club, to through the fties and sixties. One notable study at the Halifax Conservatory of Music, performance for White, however, was a in 1939, with Ernesto Vinci. Once she performance for Prince Philip and Queen completed her studies, in 1941, she began Elizabeth II, in Charlottetown, in 1964 performing as a contralto, at the age of (Canadian Encyclopedia). thirty (Canadian Encyclopedia). It was in 1944 that White made her rst debut into White’s legacy lives on in the fact that “her United States, when she auditioned for the popularity helped to open previously closed Metropolitan Opera, in New York City, doors for talented blacks who followed which was managed by Edward Johnson. (Black Past).” A Maritime newspaper, the White was the rst Canadian to sign with Halifax Chronicle-Herald, once dubbed her Volume 13, Issue 2 November 2017 Semaji 9

Test Your Knowledge With This leisure club Historical WordFind Puzzle!!

T F R X Y B E Z X K M D A P T G A N L O S O U Z L S I G Q F E L R U A B N H Q L Z M J G WordFind Words W K B G Z T U L N R W E Z X E A R P W U A Z A M Q W U L O K X P E V U L M R H P S K S O  Portia White I E N E R A K W A U F W Z F P H A O P C S C  Carl Whittaker S N M S M Q P L N J S H F V O A G R G Y J A  Communology P Y K V P X Z B L M X W Z C L Z O T T D S D developement K A C B F O O Z E W U N A K E O H I N W P O  Pan Africanism L B W K J K P C O M M R T O V P B A Z T D R  Clarence Bayne P E V C R C I X N X L P C R E T W W X O I O  Dorothy Wills L C R V C O P F G W T A V X D F R H A V B T R N H V D T X U H T E N F P Y S C I Z P X H D E O G Z D B I T S Y A X T G R N T B G T Y M R W L Y I T R A N M F A Y O R A E Q M G W S A W I I T A T S S V R F L L X C O N X W I O L J S A K X F S S U I J S O M O Z V C Y L X C K K S R U I L A X C X F N B O U Y Z C L C W E X V Y X S V D I A Z K U O T Q H W R S K R T M L P O V R Y Q N I N M F I E H B M P G X N O E A E A P Q J I H H M A U S Z B A Y J P V S Y R B A S R H S P H O D M S W V I F V H B D G T C L W E L M U V C Y B U U D V J

Cozy Up with This Book!!!

Crossing the Danger Water: Three Hundred Years of African-American Writing, By Deirdre Mullane. Stay Tuned!!! Detroit (2017). This is an unusual array of writings by African Americans. Cast: John Boyega, Beginning with Olaudah Equiano's 1789 slave narrative Anthony Mackie, Algee and ending with Congresswoman Maxine Waters's Smith . testimony before the Senate Banking Committee in 1992 on the Los Angeles riots, this welcome anthology brings A police raid in Detroit in together a diversity of voices. It includes ction, autobiog- 1967 results in one of raphy, poetry, songs, and letters by such writers as Freder- the largest RACE riots in ick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, W.E.B. Du Bois, Zora Neale United States history. Hurston, and Richard Wright. Many topics are covered, from slavery, education, The story is centred the Civil War, Reconstruction, and political issues to spirituals, songs of the Civil around the Algiers Motel Rights movement, and rap music. To conclude, there's the surprising addition incident, which occurred in Detroit, of Jesse Jackson's 1984 address to the Democratic National Convention. This Michigan on July 25, 1967, during the book supersedes Richard A. Long and Eugenia W. Collier's Afro-American racially charged 12th Street Riot. It involves Writing: An Anthology of Prose and Poetry (Pennsylvania State Univ. Pr., 1985). the death of three black men and the Essential for literary collections. brutal beatings of nine other people: seven black men and two white women. --Excerpt from amazon.ca This book can be found at the Atwater Library’s Black Collection. --Excerpt from IMDb Our Resource Guide highlights a variety of non-pro t, public and para-public organizations serving the English-speaking Black community

The Black Community Resource Centre (BCRC) is an organization that strengthens community capacity by providing professional support to organizations and individuals in need. Our team is committed to assisting visible-minority youth rekindle their dreams and achieve their full potential.

Our Funders:  Patrimoine canadien /Canadian Heritage, Official Languages  Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal  Black Studies Centre (BSC)