At last year’s Black History Month Proclamation the focus of the evening was preserving one’s health while staying involved and connected to community through activism. This year’s event, however, had a notable shift in tone thanks to the work of the Community Race Relations Committee (CRRC).
Despite a tumultuous February on the horizon, CRRC was keen to honour community, love, and Black resistance through this year’s proclamation event.
Hosted at the El-P in downtown Peterborough, the proclamation was a celebration of local Black, queer activism and artistry featuring performances from spoken word artist Niambi Tree and drag artists Jenny Tall and Sahira Q.
A pay-what-you-can fundraiser for CRRC, the event was well-attended by local activists, organizers, and delegates from the City. Mayor Jeff Leal was in attendance to give the proclamation joined by Town Ward Councillor Alex Bierk and the City’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advisor, Reem Ali.
For Community Race Relations Committee’s co-executive director Patricia Wilson, the Black History Month Proclamation is more than just a commemoration.
Wilson is a pillar of activism in Peterborough, but that work comes at a cost unseen by the larger community. Wilson was one of several organizers of colour at the forefront of the successful mobilization against proposed cuts to discretionary funding lines, including to the arts and social services, during the City’s Budget talks in November.
“We’ve gone through a lot, ” she told Arthur.
While reflecting on the gains over the last year, Wilson also wanted to celebrate the Black community in Peterborough with this proclamation.
“I think we need to have this joy, because we deserve to have joy in the face of everything that's going on in the world,” she said.
“It is a scary time, and it's especially a scary time to be Black. It’s a terrifying time to be from any marginalized community, and we should highlight the incredible, incredible artists in our community.”
As the event kicked off, keynote speakers like CRRC co-executive director Rhea Shahe highlighted the activism of Black people in Peterborough, citing how they tend not to receive the same credit as their white allies.
“Activist movements often do not get their flowers,” Shahe told attendees. “It’s important that we remember to prioritize the perspectives of queer black folks all year round, not just today or in the month of February.”
“It's important to prioritize their perspectives, their lives all year round,” Shahe continued. “Many of us have the privilege of tuning in and out of difficult conversations, but they do not.”
Will Ward of BLM Nogojiwanong also echoed Shahe’s sentiments, and read a statement from BLM Nogojiwanong member Justine Marie-Williams.
“It's important to remember that the strength of our history has always been rooted in community,” read Marie-Williams’ statement. “In these times, it's more important than ever to lean on one another whether it's through our intercommunal friendships or the chosen families we've built, these bonds are a source of strength, love, and support.”
“Our communities remind us that we are not just individuals, but a part of a collective that thrives on unity and care for our own,” Marie-Williams concluded.
Prior to inviting Leal up, Patricia Wilson reflected on her forebears in Black activist history, sharing how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was once advised to not come to Canada for his safety.
“I think about Martin Luther King, I think about Malcolm X,” Wilson told attendees. “I think about people who put their lives on the line to advance a lot of policies and to advance our rights in this world.”
“Some of these things are becoming undone, so it's hard to not get discouraged, but we have each other.” she continued.
Before reading the proclamation, Mayor Jeff Leal expressed gratitude to the organizers of the event, and invited those in attendance to reflect on how it would be “virtually impossible” for lawmakers to “bring forward” the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in the current U.S. political climate.
“Black History Month serves as a powerful reminder of the impact of Black Canadians have made and continue to make in our community,” Leal said. “It is an opportunity to recognize the invaluable contributions of Black Canadians throughout our history and to celebrate their remarkable achievements.”
After he read the proclamation with Councillor Bierk, Wilson invited Niambi Tree to perform select spoken word pieces, whose work is “lyrical, brutally honest, and rooted in storytelling.”
“I’m not going to be bleeding onto stage for y'all… that's not what I'm trying to do,” Tree told audience members.
Tree shared that when she writes about a specific topic, her Blackness is immediately added to that topic unwillingly.
“So if I write about my mental health, then it's about Black mental health. If I write about my love life, it's about Black love,” she said. “I feel like we need to get out of that, making space for diverse voices without organizing what we're allowed to say.”
After her performance, the evening concluded with additional performances by drag artists Jenny Tall and Sahira Q, with musical accompaniment provided by DJ trio Three Headed Goat.
The Proclamation is the first of many Black History Month events CRRC is organizing and sponsoring this February. Their programming includes the following events:
On Valentine’s Day, CRRC, BLM Nogojiwanong and the Centre for Gender and Social Justice are holding a X's&O's Valentine’s Day Mixer at Faculty Bar from 10pm onward.
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