All posts on September 13th, 2022

It’s early evening at Carnegie Hall in December 1939, and pioneering jazz guitarist Charlie Christian (1916-1942) is about to take to the stage with a white clarinettist for a performance with the Benny Goodman Sextet. It’s the first time a Black and a white musician will share the stage. The magnitude of the moment triggers an anxiety attack in Christian and he is catapulted in a time travel journey that takes him back and forth through the history of North America and its decades-old manifestation and struggle with racism. In real life Christian who came to prominence during the swing …

Elizabeth II, reigned for 70 years as Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada and the Commonwealth. When she died at 96 years old on Thursday, September 8, the long serving monarch was still wildly popular among her subjects in countries across the Caribbean, Africa and the Pacific although evidence of discontent with the royals was becoming increasingly widespread. In 1532, Henry VIII made the declaration of the English empire, which went on a rampage of exploitation of colonies in the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the Pacific to become one of the most powerful political entities in the history of the …

On Saturday, August 27, the evening belonged to the students who benefited from bursaries and scholarships awarded to them by the officers and members of Cornucopia Association of Canada at their 42nd Anniversary Celebration held at Casa Grecque Restaurant in LaSalle. The event held under the theme, “Helping Students In The Pursuit Of Greatness,” was highlighted by the presentation of financial assistance to five deserving young Montrealers, Doreen Ansah, Kalila Cameron, Calus Delabastide, Dayna Dee Flanagan, Emily Johnson and Victoria Marshall, all of whom are well on their way to attaining their academic and professional goals. After contemplating a career …

By Nompumelelo Moyo On October 3, Quebec will hold provincial elections and political parties are already out in force in a bid to win the hearts of voters. There are 26 authorized political parties running, with most of them still trying to fill up the number of candidates. What remains to be seen is who will speak to the heart of the voters, especially at a time when the province is divided by Bill 96 and other controversial pieces of legislations that many think are targeting minorities. It’s important then for us to gauge Black and minority representation and the …

As she closes the chapter on her time in the classroom, Nikki Giovanni leaves an enviable 35-year legacy behind her. On September 1, Giovanni officially retired from her position as a distinguished professor of English at Virginia Tech, marking what the university calls the “end of a poetic era.” “I hope that I’ve done a good job,” Giovanni said in a statement on Virginia Tech’s website. “I hope that I’ve done at least my fair share.” Giovanni began her academic journey at Virginia Tech in 1987 as part of the Commonwealth Visiting Professor program, which was aimed at recruiting artists …

Did you feel the cold breeze early this morning when you stepped outside? Yes! Fall is almost here. Fall is when the changing of season brings with it a sense of loss and a feeling of change. Students find themselves dreading the return of a daily routine as they head back to school… exams, homework, studying and assignments. Others wonder what lies ahead besides the cold weather. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves as the official end of summer is Thursday, September 22, and many Soca lovers in Montreal are anticipating the performance of the popular Vincentian Soca artist “Fireman …

For students who participated in the LaSalle Multicultural Resource Center (LMRC) Summer Camp, the excitement of weeks of fun activities and field trips came to a crescendo on Friday, August 12, when families and friends gathered at the camp site of LaSalle Elementary Junior school campus for a grand end-of-summer send off. It was a day of non-stop fun and revelations as parents and friends relished the opportunity to enjoy an exhibition of arts and crafts as well as the talent of the campers displayed through dance and drumming. The event was flavored by an ample supply of food and …

The GemStar Scholarship Fund, the brainchild of Gemma Raeburn-Baynes, president of Playmas Montreal Cultural Association, aims to support deserving Black youth in achieving their dreams through the power and pursuit of higher education. She calls this initiative her “70s Project”- giving back, 60 years later, to students in the Black Community. “I started my advocacy at nine years old in my native land of Grenada, teaching children on my veranda during summer break from my school year. I am so excited to now launch this Scholarship program to support Black youth in my community. It is my dream coming to …

“You done messed up, you forgot something,” that’s what my father said to me in the Covid spring of 2020. He had just tuned in to my CBC Radio-One show “Let’s Go” on a Friday afternoon @ 5pm. I was doing my Friday music segment and the theme was “Classic Instrumental Television Theme Songs That Became Hits.” So while I was waxing poetic talking about theme songs from classic t.v. shows like “S.W.A.T.” and “Hill Street Blues”, my dad shared this with me right after I called him at home to get his approval like I did after every broadcast …

Not long after assuming the helm as premier of the province of Quebec, following Francois Legault in one of his many press conferences made a point of reaching out to the English-speaking community if only to set our collective minds at ease, reassuring the community that our “historical language rights” will be respected by his government, and that the issue of separation would not be high on his government’s agenda. That was then, mere political talk. As most of it is wont to be during this period of heightened po-litical-electoral interest when politicians are wont to be all things to …