Audreia Fagan still laughs when she remembers the first time someone offered her a full-body massage. “I thought they were crazy,” she said. “I didn’t even know it was an industry.” Today, Fagan is the founder of Montreal Massotherapy Masters, a growing therapeutic massage practice helping Montrealers manage pain, relieve stress and reconnect with their bodies. But the path that led her there was anything but straightforward. Born and raised in downtown Montreal, Fagan grew up in the neighbourhoods around Westmount, Little Burgundy and Atwater. Her upbringing was shaped by the strength of her mother, who raised the family as …

When it comes to comedy shows in Montreal’s Black community, one promoter stands out: Widma Jean Jacques, better known as Big Will. Since his college days in the late 1990s, Big Will has been producing entertainment events focused on delivering high quality shows at affordable prices, ensuring audiences of all backgrounds can enjoy top notch performances. In recent years, he has shifted his focus to comedy, organizing dozens of shows that bring communities together through laughter. Working alongside his business partner Cliff, Big Will continues that mission with the upcoming Funny By Nature 9th anniversary showcase. Celebrating nearly a decade …

On the first day of Black History Month 2026, I had the privilege of addressing the congregation at the Unitarian Church of Montreal—Canada’s first Unitarian community, founded in 1842. My theme was WONDER. Wonder at the deep roots of Black history in Quebec, wonder at the resilience of our community, and wonder at what we might build together through genuine allyship. The Wonder of Deep Roots Many people express wonder—and not always the positive kind—when they learn that Black history in Quebec stretches back over four hundred years. The first recorded Black person in what would become Canada was Mathieu …

Salutations Everyone! I hope you all are excited, because we can see evidence that spring is coming! If you did not read my last article, the long and the short is that I had a life-threatening blood clot in one of my veins, and now I am on anticoagulants. But I have some great news! One day, I was leaving the hospital after one of my follow-ups and received an email stating that I had been awarded funding to travel to Trinidad for a research symposium at the University of the West Indies to present my PhD research. The topic …