In the summer of 1964, Gemma Raeburn- Baynes started a new chapter. Together with her mother and sister, they left Grenada and made a home for themselves in Parc-Extension neighbourhood of Montreal. She was only 13 years old then, but she still had a lot of the community values instilled in her by her mother and father in Grenada. With her radiant spirit, Gemma Raeburn-Baynes embraced her new surroundings, infusing them with the warmth and camaraderie she had known in her homeland. Raised on the values of unity and compassion, Gemma wasted no time in channeling her energy into initiatives …

Erene Anthony, fondly referred to as Ms. Anthony in the community has dedicated her life to nurturing talents from, the classroom to the church and even outside of Canada. She credits her beginnings in Antigua as a large part of what informed her life choices and journey. This ethos of prioritizing education became the cornerstone of her own approach to teaching, where she sought not just to impart knowledge but to instill a love for learning in her students. “Our parents were not rich, but they did their best to make sure my siblings and I had the best in …

An hour into the Taste of Tea party, Sandra Anderson is walking on to the stage to receive the Playmas Montreal Cultural Association Woman of Merit Award from the Mayor of the City of Cote-Saint Luc, Mr. Mitchell Brownstein. The crowd cheers as she approaches and the loudest cheers come from her family, her husband, Pastor Joel Anderson, her sons AJ, Roshaun and Jayden and her daughter-in-law Shernelle. With 28 years of teaching under her belt in two different continents, Sandra Anderson feels like she’s just getting revved up. Her beginnings are from the little town of Soho St. Thomas, …

In a ceremony on Wednesday, February 28, the Althea-Seaman Linear Park was unveiled, a serene stretch tracing the banks of the Boudrias River near 100th Avenue, where the Seaman family once called home. family members and close friends commemorated the legacy of the late Althea Seaman, a devoted volunteer whose indelible mark on Laval’s community fabric remains palpable. Seaman’s journey began as a teacher in Dominica before she ventured to Canada in 1959 as part of a program recruiting West Indian domestic workers. In 1983, Althea Seaman founded the Association of the Black Community of Ville Laval, marking a significant …

The Steelpan was a permanent fixture in the Salah household. Growing up the youngest of four siblings, Fatima Wilson watched her father, teach all her siblings the steelpan in their basement and almost naturally she picked up the span ticks and started playing. That was over 30 years ago and today she’s not just playing but teaching the steelpan. She tells the CONTACT that her father, steelpan savant Salah Wilson, tells the story of her learning the steelpan best, “My father and mother came from Trinidad to Canada, and they came with their steelpans. My father would teach the pan …

A desire to teach was initially Duke Eatmon’s passion. He had plans of going back to school so that he could become a teacher. At the time Eatmon was a recent revert to Islam, and learned about the transformative power of education in the life Malcom X. The way he saw it, as a teacher he could shape the lives of many and Brother Malcom discovered Islam while incarcerated. He took it to mean there could be meaningful change could be found behind bars. “This man (Malcom) went on to change the lives of Black Americans,” Eatmon explains to the …

In a world rapidly acquainted with the concept of essential work, the new play by Black Theatre Workshop “Diggers” is an exploration of what it means to undertake the mundane tasks that most take for granted. Premiering February 1st and running until the 17th at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts’ Studio Theatre, this production is a collaborative effort between the Black Theatre Workshop and Prairie Theatre Exchange, promising a rich, introspective look into the lives of those who toil behind the scenes. The inception of “Diggers” was anything but ordinary. It was a photograph entered into a competition that …

“My name is Susan Elrington and I have a problem that maybe you can help me solve.” An unexpected phone call on a bright summer day in 1986 changed the course of Howard ‘Stretch’ Carr’s life. Susan Elrington the then station manager at CKUT called him asking him if he could host the West Indian Rhythms show. And since 1987, he has been at the helm of the Montreal’s first and longest running Caribbean culture program. “I had been playing in a band and was an MC at different events so some people knew who I was” Strech explains to …

Every Friday morning on the Montreal airwaves, vibrant voices transmit across the city from 7 to 9 a.m. The Morning Detour, broadcasted on CKUT 90.3 FM, is not just a radio show; it’s a cultural phenomenon, marking itself as Montreal’s first urban hip-hop morning show. Hosted by the dynamic trio of Wizzy, Tamara, and DJ Nelles, the show has fast become a staple of Montreal’s urban demographic. It has not only captivated the city’s listeners with its unique blend of music and conversation but also emerged as a powerful platform for cultural expression and community activism. Ian “Wizzy MoonChaser” Thomas, …

In the ever-evolving landscape of municipal politics, the line between diligent public service and public scrutiny is often thin and easily crossed. Dominique Ollivier, the former president of the executive committee of the City of Montreal, has recently found herself at the heart of a controversy that has sparked significant debate across the city. She has been criticized for her financial management during her tenure at the OCPM, particularly regarding her travel expenses and dining. And amidst the backlash, Ollivier resigned from her prominent role and faced a barrage of reactions, including support, misogyny, and racism. Ollivier’s story presents a …