Black History Month kicks off at Hamilton city hall – Hamilton | 24CA News
Black History Month is kicking off in Hamilton by celebrating sixteen Black Hamiltonians who’ve made important contributions to the town.
We Are Hamilton – Black History Remembered is a collaboration between native Black-led organizations and the City of Hamilton. It launched with a ceremony at metropolis corridor on Monday.
The sixteen Black Hamiltonians who’re being celebrated this yr vary from Reverend John Christie Holland, who was the primary African Canadian to be named Hamilton’s distinguished Citizen of the Year in 1953, to Eleanor Rodney, a neighborhood educator and founding father of the African Caribbean Cultural Potpourri Inc. (ACCPI) who went on to obtain the primary John C. Holland Award for Community Service.
Posters about two of the honourees for Hamilton’s “Black History Remembered” initiative.
Lisa Polewski / 900 CHML
Rodney’s daughter Michelle mentioned she and her household are honoured that she’s being acknowledged for her contributions to the group.
“For her, it was extremely important, especially for Black youth, to know their history, because that history really impacted their future and spoke to the excellence and joy that we had growing up,” mentioned Rodney.
Read extra:
‘Stories of Black excellence’ lacking from Canadian historical past: educators
Read subsequent:
Marilyn Manson accused of raping underage woman in horrific new lawsuit
Black youth was represented at Monday’s ceremony by 13-year-old Ainara Alleyne, a neighborhood elementary college scholar who can also be host of Ainara’s Bookshelf – a venture that started on Instagram earlier than changing into a YouTube present, and has now spun off right into a tv present that’s set to air on TVO Kids on Feb. 2.
Alleyne informed these gathered in council chambers that she initially felt overwhelmed by the concept of occupied with how younger individuals can assist form Black historical past.
“When thinking about Black history and Black futures at the same time, I realized what the trailblazers of the past and the people carrying the torch in the future have in common: the now. The Black now. The present. They didn’t think about their place in history. They just did in the now. I believe that’s what got these 16 great Hamiltonians that we’re honouring today here as well.”
Ainara Alleyne laughs whereas addressing these gathered for the launch of Hamilton’s “Black History Remembered” initiative.
Lisa Polewski / 900 CHML
She additionally highlighted the necessity to help Black youth, who usually face challenges and obstacles that stand in the best way of their capacity to assist form the longer term.
“This is a time to celebrate the contributions of the past, but it’s also a time to look forward and take action to support the young leaders of tomorrow,” she mentioned.
Dr. Gary Warner, a recipient of the Order of Canada and outstanding member of the Black group in Hamilton, mentioned it’s vital to do not forget that there was a “vibrant, resilient Black presence” in Hamilton earlier than it was even integrated as a metropolis.
“When we say Black history remembered, Black history is not the past only. We stand on the shoulders of the past, but we are the present and we are the future. And it was very encouraging to hear the youth voice because the youth are the ones who will continue that history.”
Dr. Gary Warner reads out the names of these being honoured with Hamilton’s “Black History Remembered” initiative.
Lisa Polewski / 900 CHML
Read extra:
Montreal lady entrepreneur tackles systemic boundaries confronted by Black communites
Read subsequent:
West Edmonton Mall closes Mindbender indoor roller-coaster
Quite a lot of Black-owned companies arrange store on the second flooring subsequent to council chambers, together with Rose Senat, the proprietor of Take Up Space.
“The whole concept behind this is Black women taking up space, not minimizing our voice, our joy, ourselves,” mentioned Senat. “Because that is something we’re expected to do and we’ve done for so many years.”
Rose Senat poses with T-shirts and tote luggage from her business ‘Take Up Space’ throughout the kick-off of Black History Month at Hamilton metropolis corridor.
Lisa Polewski / 900 CHML
The profiles of the 16 Black Hamiltonians who’re being celebrated by the Black History Remembered venture shall be on show all through the town this February, with banners on James Street and on show in some recreation centres, Hamilton Public Library branches and municipal service centres.
Twelve HSR buses may also have the Black History Remembered imagery on show and shall be in circulation for the subsequent sixteen weeks.
Organizers and audio system on the launch of Hamilton’s “Black History Remembered” pose in entrance of an HSR bus bearing imagery linked to the initiative – certainly one of twelve buses that shall be rolling across the metropolis for the subsequent sixteen weeks.
Anita Grant shows her ebook “Hello Hair” – a youngsters’s ebook that celebrates 100 pure Black hairstyles.
Tolu Oyetunji shows her handmade assertion headpieces that she sells by Coral Earth Finery on Instagram.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
