Taking further steps to dismantle racism, the Guelph Black Heritage Society is announcing its first #ChangeStartsNow Anti-Racism Summit happening this spring.
Bringing together speakers to engage and educate the community on racism, the summit looks to empower individuals to take action by dismantling racism in all its forms within the community and beyond.
The multi-day summit is a virtual event that will include a series of free and ticketed events occurring from April 29 to May 2. The free event is a Black Community Town Hall which will take place on April 29 at 6 p.m.
In collaboration with the City of Guelph, the Black Community Town Hall is a facilitated discussion about the issues affecting the Black community in Guelph/Wellington and the City of Guelph Community Plan to eliminate systemic racism. The release says it is a Black-identifying space ONLY for members to feel safe, heard and seen.
Also being presented is preliminary data from the effects of systemic racism in the Guelph/Wellington survey conducted by the Guelph Wellington Local Immigration Partnership. To register for the event, click here.
To access the ticketed events, residents can purchase a pass on a sliding scale from $35 - $65. These passes will give participants access to 10 events throughout the summit.
All proceeds will go toward the #ChangeStartsNow Education Initiative, which aims to prevent and respond to racism in Guelph and Wellington County.
The ticketed events are as follows:
- John Ware Reclaimed Movie Screening and Q&A with filmmaker Cheryl Foggo – Friday April 30, 6 p.m.
John Ware Reclaimed follows filmmaker Cheryl Foggo on her quest to re-examine the mythology surrounding John Ware, the Black cowboy who settled in Alberta, Canada, before the turn of the 20th century. Foggo’s research uncovers who this iconic figure might have been, and what his legacy means in terms of anti-Black racism, both past and present.
- Children’s Book Reading with Valene Campbell – Saturday May 1, 11 a.m.
Enjoy a book reading and Q&A including “How to Write a Book”. Valene will read “The Amazing Zoe and Defeats the Germie Germlins”. When the Germie Germlins invade Planet Earth, they attack people and make them sick. Nothing seems to stop them, so the mayor of Niceville announces a lockdown - no school, no work, no going outside!
- CIBC Banking Presentations – Saturday May 1m 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Small Business Support for the BIPOC Community - Are you looking for a loan to start or grow your small business? Do you just need to know where to start with your business account? Learn from CIBC experts on ways you can grow your business, apply for loans and grants, and also contribute to your community.
Careers in Banking - Learn from the Black experts in the industry who represent senior positions in banking. Experts will share their experience - both good and bad, about the industry and how to create your passion for banking into a reality.
- Queer BIPOC Representation in the Arts – Saturday May 1, 3 p.m.
Join Juno award-nominated artist and producer Alysha Brilla and artist/activist Syrus Marcus Ware for a conversation on queer BIPOC representation in artistic spaces. The discussion will be followed by a Q & A from the audience.
- Keynote Address: Robyn Maynard - Policing Black Lives – Saturday May 1st, 6 p.m.
Robyn Maynard will speak about research from her award-winning book Policing Black Lives: State violence in Canada from enslavement to the present, tracing the legacy of racialized and gendered surveillance and punishment from the slave ships to the prison, the migrant detention centre and the classroom. She will forward a vision for Black feminist liberation and abolitionist futures.
- Freedom Fete with DJ Jinx – Saturday May 1st, 9 p.m.
The Anti-Racism Summit Freedom Fete is a virtual event that highlights music, dance, and innovation as an ingrained part of the Black legacy. Genres such gospel, jazz, blues, salsa, R&B, rock and roll, soul, funk, house, techno, and hip-hop, have shaped the music and dance we know and love today. Guelph’s own DJ Jinx will be sharing the sounds of soca, afrobeats, dancehall, and reggae- music that traditionally centres Black freedom and liberation. Join us for a night of celebration, fellowship, and release for our community.
- Nighthawks Panel Discussion - Sunday May 2, 2 p.m.
The Guelph Nighthawks are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Guelph, that competes in the Canadian Elite Basketball League. Coach, Nighthawks Player TBD, Dylan Howe VP Business Operations, will sit down and discuss basketball, the industry and other ways to get involved in the space.
- My Place In This World - A Black Heritage Curriculum Discussion - Sunday May 2, 10 a.m.
My Place in This World: A Black Heritage Curriculum © is an exciting new ground-breaking, Virtual Curriculum" by Lorraine Harris in collaboration with The Guelph Black Heritage Society. A must-have resource for every school and school board! Join this discussion to learn more about this Black heritage curriculum.
- BIPOC Youth Improv with Velvet Duke – Sunday May 2, 12 p.m. (limited space, BIPOC identifying youth only)
Improvisation is a playful way for strangers to get to know each other, to share laughs and perspectives, or to have a break away from your day-to-day. In this two-hour workshop, we will play games and exercises to introduce you to the core skills of improvised comedy. No prior experience is required.
- unlearn. - Critical Thinking by Design – Sunday May 2, 6 p.m. (limited space) or Thursday June 3, 2021 at 6 p.m.
This session is inspired by the Socratic philosophy of, “I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.” This session is designed to challenge participants to think critically about bias, stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination. For more information, go to unlearn.com.
The #ChangeStartsNow Anti-Racism Summit has received support from the Province of Ontario’s Safer & Vital Communities Fund, CIBC, Merged Media and in collaboration with the City of Guelph and the University of Guelph Cultural Diversity Office.
To purchase passes, click here.
