All posts on September 18th, 2023

By: Arielle de Pagter Karina Jackson is in pursuit of holistic health care for her community. An occupational therapist, Jackson works at Nuvo Physio, a physiotherapy clinic that offers specialised services to assist people before, during and after pregnancy. Listening to Jackson describe the path she travelled that led her to work with expectant and new parents is a reminder that you may not always know what direction life will take you, but if you trust your instinct and vision you’ll find yourself where you’re meant to be. Jackson knew she wanted to dedicate her career to helping people but …

With a career spanning two decades, Montrealer Michelle Beckles has amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience, distinguishing herself as a true expert in athletic therapy. She is the most senior Black female athletic therapist in Quebec, a path she devoted herself to early on in her life. It’s hard for people to become what they do not see; Beckles journey illustrates this. In her teens, she sustained an injury while playing soccer. She noticed medics rush towards her, and they bandaged her up and she was able to continue. It was later she learned who they were and what …

By :Melissa Murphy For Marcia Thomas, a happy accident changed the trajectory of her life. While struggling to find the answers to a laundry list of ailments that included headaches, chronic migraines, infertility issues, back pains, eczema, and allergies, Marcia concluded that Western medicine just didn’t have the answers she was seeking. It was then that she decided to look within. By turning her focus inward, Marcia found healing–both physically and spiritually–through the properties of Chinese medicine. Today, she is the founder of MarZen, a practice that specializes in Chinese medicine and dietetics, natural therapy, Western and Eastern herbology, acupressure, …

The passing of Egbert Gaye is a significant loss for the Montreal Black Community. It is a shared community grief that requires community grieving and healing. We have all been impacted as we have all been connected, from generation to generation, through the pages of this very paper. It is my hope that this article will provide you with the space to learn about grief, and to give yourself space and permission to grieve in whatever ways you need – always remembering that as a community we share a collective sadness, a collective grief and we can also share a …

Pat Dillon Moore This year, I celebrate my 40th year of being in the film world. Ever since filming the John N. Smith-directed docu-drama, Sitting in Limbo, one way or another, my love of film and much of my professional life has been intertwined with Canadian and world cinema. Hence, my trip to cover the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival edition. Beyond being in a celebratory and indulgent mood, it was easy for me to rationalize picking up and going. As I look back on the heady days of being immersed in such a rich milieu of artistry, reconnecting with …

“Sixty years ago, Martin Luther King talked about a dream. Sixty years later, we’re the dreamers,” said civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton, leader of the National Action Network, one of two groups that organized the 60th anniversary of the “March on Washington”. On August 28, 1963, approximately 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. to march for Jobs and Freedom. That day, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech became a powerful symbol of the push for racial and social equality. On Saturday August 26, 2023, from about 10 am to 3 pm, …

By: Gemma Raeburn-Baynes In a remarkable initiative to uplift the future leaders of our community, Playmas Montreal Cultural Association proudly presents the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship and Mentorship Program for Grade 11 Black students. This transformative scholarship program, fueled by the vision of Gemma Raeburn-Baynes, President of Playmas Montreal and a retired dedicated BMO Bank of Montreal manager, is set to illuminate the path to higher education and success. Nurturing Dreams Through Scholarships At the heart of Playmas Montreal’s mission is the commitment to nurture exceptional Black high school students in their pursuit of higher education. To this end, …

By Meaghan Darlow The West Island Blues Festival wrapped up its trio of 2023 events with a free outdoor concert on Saturday, September 9 in Pointe-Claire Village. The crowd was treated to the sounds of The Contractors, Old Soul Band, Uprising Reggae Band, Justin Saladino and The Stone Doctors. What started as a small fundraising concert under a tent at Dollard-des-Ormeaux Park in the summer of 2003 has grown to be a summer calendar staple for countless West Islanders and music lovers from across the city. Co-founded by D.D.O. city councillor Errol Johnson and Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough mayor Jim Beis, the …

Grateful that the Montreal Community Contact Newspapers is finally back in circulation, let me reintroduce my issue, Island Scoop, where the readers are informed about local or international Caribbean entertainment news. We have missed a lot over the past months, but I would like to talk about the passing of the Legendary Calypso Queen Denyse Plummer. Trinidadian calypso queen Denyse Plummer passed away on Sunday, August 27. Her death at 69 came after a courageous battle with cancer. Despite facing health challenges, Plummer’s spirit remained strong. Her son Jesse Boocock confirmed that she had chosen to discontinue chemotherapy and was …

As the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of hip-hop on Aug.11th, global b-boys and b-girls engaged in activities which ranged from grafitti exhbits, b-boy parties and exhibtions as well as concerts all over the planet which culminated at a rap-music extravanganza at Yankee Stadium in the cradle of hiphop in The Bronx, New York. On Aug.11th the world touched down at “The House That Ruth Built” where legends like: The Sugar Hill Gang, Fat Joe, Lauryn Hill, Nas, Snoop Dogg and Run-DMC performed before thousands at an unforgettable event. But Montreal played a pivitol role in the international development of …