All posts on June, 2021

Montreal-born Dr. Natasha Johnson continues to make headways in her area of specialty, combining her work as a clinician and her advocacy on behalf of disadvantaged groups who have been historically marginalized in the Canadian health care system. Her recent appointment as Associate Chair of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) in the Department of Paediatrics at McMaster University, offers her an opportune platform to build on her commitment and push for greater change in a system that has been less than welcoming to minorities. “One of the things I’m looking forward to most is to encourage uncomfortable conversations around various …

Ultimately the goal of the recently launched Quebec Black Communities Observatory is community development and to empower Afro-Quebecers. According to program director Désirée Rochat the Observatory “will merge and bridge research and community work to make an accurate diagnosis of the situation of Black young people in Quebec and to propose concrete solutions adapted to their reality based on their knowledge.” She says while there are bits and pieces of information that point to the challenges faced by our community, that data is never properly desegregated enough to paint a complete picture. “In our community, we know our reality. So …

“It was always about performing and entertaining people,” says Montreal R’n’B vocalist Treh LaMonte. “From when I was young, I wasn’t the type to get anxious if I had to perform in front of tons of people,” he said in a phone conversation, on a beautiful sunny Sunday morning as we spoke of his illustrious times growing up as a young local performer. Montreal born LaMonte, who was raised in the LaSalle area, got the music bug from very early in his life. “I was into hip-hop dancing, I would say, since I was three years old .I used to …

Once the call for help came from the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines after the Soufriere Volcano devastated their island, Montrealers reacted with urgency and purpose. On Saturday, April 17, members of the St. Vincent and Grenadines Association of Montreal along with volunteers and supporters mobilized at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church Hall in Cote des Neiges and collected tons of much-needed relief supplies to ship to the island. A week or so later, after hours of back-breaking work under the limitations of the Covid-19 restrictions, the Montreal group was able to muster a 40-foot container jammed pack …

Verse 1 “It’s like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder How I keep from going under…” Chorus: Don’t push me cause I’m close to the edge I’m trying not to lose my head… Released in 1982, the iconic rap song by then (and still) popular Rap group Grandmaster Flash, is appropriately called The Message, and is one for the ages, all ages… Time hasn’t sullied or muted the song’s underlying theme, or message if you will. Many of you are familiar with the message, some are not. Simply consult the global electronic Encyclopedia and media for the complete story …

Rosie Awori (LJI) In its wake the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 waves left a string of furloughs, layoffs, pay cuts, long term illnesses and deaths. And studies within both Canada and in the United States have shown that the Black community has been disproportionately affected by the virus. And though the virus may not be racist, structural inequalities — the sturdy products of racial discrimination — shape health outcomes. For example in the United States, in Illinois, 43% of deaths from Covid-19 were from African-Americans. What makes this even more troubling is that African American’s make up a mere 15% of …

His was a consistent and loud voice on behalf of Montreal’s Black and Caribbean community at City Hall over the decades and ever present at almost every community event that he was called to. After 39 years in municipal politics, all as spent as city councillor of the Snowdon district, Marvin Rotrand has chosen to call it a day. The 70 year-old who has earned the distinction of being titled the “Dean of Montreal Council” for his decades of service at city hall, announced his decision not to contest the Nov. 7 municipal for family reasons. However, in making the …

If we are to preserve culture we must continue to create it and it starts with our kids who needs to know their Caribbean heritage. Our Caribbean heritage can affect how children build values, language, belief systems, and an understanding of themselves as individuals and as members of society. Children can receive these Caribbean cultural influences in different ways, such as through their parents, their environment, and the media. So it’s important as a community we come together and teach our kids the right way. I have always been a little disappointed to know that our carnival organization had nothing …

For the better part of five years, the Black Lives Matter Movement has been all the rage in the U.S. exuding both love and anger. This article isn’t an attempt to discuss whether someone right or wrong for whatever that person believes in, rather it’s an attempt to dissect the holes in the movement. The BLM movement is a creation of kindness, while this is certainly a sign of a good heart, kindness can only get you so far. As such the movement appears to be a ship without a sail and with no direction. Seemingly unable to figure out …

As we are in the Father’s Day season, I can’t help but think about the abba father and what a good good father He is. He is truly a giver. This eternal father of ours has given us everything that we have. He loves us with an everlasting love. When we think of a loving father we think of a protector, a provider and a source of security. Well, the Bible tells us in Genesis that God said: “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in …