Canadian Forces Sgt Gareth Webb chats with Brittney Powell Lee during Jaku Konbit’s career fair.
Ottawa-area organizations are trying to empower members of the city’s black community to affect positive, long-term change following Black History Month.
While the national celebration of black communities in Canada is limited to February each year, the black experience is constantly developing, says Sarah Onyango, spokesperson for Black History Ottawa, a charity that raises awareness about the experience of black Canadians in the nation’s capital.
The organization was responsible for the city’s official Black History Month launch on Jan. 26 but promotes events focused on black history all year round.
“What I like to say is, ‘I’m black all the time.’ Black history to me is a 365-day event,” she says.
In an attempt to encourage black Canadians to improve their communities on an individual level, Black History Ottawa themed this year’s events as “Our Canadian Story: I, too can be a hero!,” says Onyango.
February is only designated Black History Month because it includes the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln, the American president who ended slavery, and Frederick Douglass, a leader of the abolitionist movement, says Onyango.
By using Black History Month to focus on the contributions of ordinary individuals to black history, black Canadians will be able to build a better understanding of their identity, says Onyango.
Celebrations have traditionally focused on historical role models from other countries, such as Martin Luther King Jr. in the United States.
“When you’re busy looking at that person many years ago who’s up on a pedestal, and you look at them as the only people capable of making a difference, you’re not empowering yourself at all,” she says.
One event that focused on the Canadian story of black history was the Ottawa Storytellers’ Beyond the Railroad – Black History in Canada event at the National Arts Centre.
Ruthanne Edward and spoken-word artist Greg ‘Ritallin’ Frankson performed stories of black Canadians throughout the past four centuries, some of which contradict the idea of Canada as purely a haven of freedom, says Caitlyn Paxson, Ottawa Storytellers’ managing artistic director.
“They’re important stories to share all year round,” she says. “We weren’t even necessarily going to be doing it this month (February).”
The event fit so well with Black History Month, however, they decided to be part of it, says Paxson.
Other events included a celebration of children's stories by black authors to promote literacy and a job fair organized by Jaku Konbit, an organization that aims to help disadvantaged families in the city, many of which are part of Ottawa's black community.
A banner raising event at the Ottawa Police Service headquarters was open to the public and was attended by city officials including Mayor Jim Watson.
For Jaku Konbit, planning the annual Ujima Job Fair in the first couple weeks of Black History Month attracts public attention to possible employment opportunities available for black youth, says Tayo Olafimihan, operations manager.
It also coincides with employers that tend to hire early in the year.
“The job fair is our way of saying, let the youth work; let the youth give back to the community,” he says.
“Black History Month happens in February each year but I think what we’re left with, hopefully, is a year-long awareness of the contributions of black Canadians to the city and our country,” says Sgt. Shaun Brabazon, who helped organize the police event.