Black Lives Matter - Guelph

For our Tigrinya-speaking community members:
ውሑስ ቦታ ን ኣፍሪቃውያን፥ ካሪብያውያንን ጸለምትን ምፍጣር

ናይ ጸለምቲ ውርሻ ናይ ጎልፍ ሕብረተሰብ ንኣፍሪቃውያን፥ ካሪብያውያንን ጸለምትን ዝኾኑ ውልቀሰባትን ወለድቶምን ውሑስ ቦታ ንምፍጣር ኣብ ዝሰርሓሉ ዘሎ አዋን ብሓደ ከነምሲ ይዕድም ኣሎ።
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Creating safer African, Caribbean and Black Spaces!

The GBHS is hosting a safe space for ACB identifying individuals and their parents to come together as we work towards safer spaces in Guelph.

Sign up: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/creating-safe-acb-spaces-tickets-429318331687

We know, we know! We have been MIA for some time. Our team is made up of all volunteers so it’s been difficult managing our full-time jobs, life and our mission of BLM-Guelph which deserves commitment and care. But we are so excited to return, this time in partnership with Guelph Black Heritage Society to host a space for the Guelph ACB community to gather, share food, play games/activities together and discuss how we can work towards creating safer spaces for us.

RSVP @ https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/creating-safe-acb-spaces-tickets-429318331687

Please share widely!

New program at by and for the ACB community!

Virtually every Thursday from 7:30-9pm 💙💚

Contact [email protected] for more info or to join in!

An update: Precious Arku has safely been found today and is in Guelph.

Thank you for helping to spread the word. 🙏🏾

There’s a Black PhD Engineering student missing from Guelph. He was last seen at the University of Guelph’s Engineering building (Thornborough) on Friday, May 20th. At this point, it’s been nearly 48 hours and family/friends are concerned. If you have any leads or have seen him, please contact or if you’re not comfortable with that, please contact us.

Happy Asian Heritage Month! 

Throughout the history of Black, Asian, and Pacific Islander people living on Turtle Island, there have been many examples of our communities standing together.

To name a few:

1923 - an unnamed Black man smuggled a number of Chinese men across the Windsor-Detroit border in search of work and a better life
1955 - At the Bandung Conference, representatives from the Asian Continent and African Continent talk together about decolonization and what it looks like for both groups
1960s - Thích Nhất Hạnh educated and inspired Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to advocate against the Vietnam War
1970s - Bayard Rustin, a Black gay activist, advocated for Vietnamese refugees to be allowed to settle in the U.S. 
1979 - Chinese Canadian and Black communities united to denounce a racist episode by CTV that accused foreign students from China of taking away university spots from presumably white Canadians
2020- Asian District Cultural Association supported Black neighbours after the murder of George Floyd
2021- Black activists supported the Asian community after a shooter in Atlanta killed 8 people, 6 of whom were women of Asian descent

The list could go on. This month we celebrate that shared history and commit to continuing to stand together, lift eachother up, and dismantle our common enemy, white supremacy.

Thank you to Asian and Pacific Islander communities and individuals for standing with us as we fight for Black Lives. We also stand with you to Stop Asian Hate.

 

Sources:

In Racial Solidarity: Historicizing Anti-Asian Racism, Violence, and White Supremacy in Canada by Melanie Ng - ActiveHistory.ca
This February is a time to celebrate the history of Black-Asian Solidarity by Daniel X. Pham - NonDoc.com
The History Of Solidarity Between Asian And Black Americans - Ailsa Chang and Kim Tran, NPR.org

Photo credit: Hiếu Hoàng and Ruiyang Zhang

Today we remember all of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit people who have been the victims of gender-based and racialized violence on .

Red Dress Day began with an art project by Métis artist Jaime Black, who hung red dresses to bring awareness to the disproportionate violence against Indigenous women, girls, and two Spirit people. Now it is an annual day of remembrance and action.

Help us raise awareness and honour their lives by listening to ’s call to post a video, painting, drawing, or image of a Red Dress. 

Eid Mubarak!

We hope this Eid brings peace, prosperity, and happiness to everyone's life.

Eid Mubarak to all celebrating in Guelph and beyond!

Connect and share ideas at the BIPOC Community Safe Space!

On May 12 from 6-7:30 pm, we’re having a facilitated discussion for a chance to connect as neighbours, friends, and be in community with one another. We’re also going to talk about the issues affecting the BIPOC community in Guelph, Wellington County, and Waterloo Region and how we can work together to create tangible changes in our communities.

This event will take place online and in person - register for free at https://bit.ly/3Kj5QGW

Note this is a BIPOC space ONLY in order for community to feel safe, heard, and seen. Thank you for respecting the need for this space.

This event is a part of the Guelph Black Heritage Change Starts Now Anti-Racism Summit.

Join the Rally for Decent Work on Sunday, May 1 as part of the provincial day of action! 

Help us demand a workers-first agenda as we head into the June 2 provincial election.

Workers demand:

-End to racism and discrimination in the workplace
-At least 10 employer-paid sick days for all
-$20 minimum wage
-Decent hours
-Access to a union
-Equal pay for equal work
-Protection for temp agency workers
-Permanent residency status for all

The Guelph march will start at 11 am at the Alan Pickersgill soapbox memorial in Goldie Mills Park and end at 12:30 at Royal City Park.

At 3pm there will be a regional rally in Kitchener as well.

Learn more and find your local rally at justice4workers.org.

Hello everyone! Today is March 15th, the International Day Against Police Brutality. Tonight at 7PM, join us, and for a candlelight vigil as we remember those who have lost their lives to police brutality. We hope to hold space for one another as we listen and share experiences. We also hope to further the conversation of what we can do to keep ourselves and our community safe, and to reimagine a world without police in Guelph, across Turtle Island and across the globe. See you there!

Happening tonight at 7 PM at St. George’s Square. International Day Against Police Brutality. Show your support.

Hey everyone! Today is the International Day Against Police Brutality. Join us, , at 7 PM tonight at St. George’s Square for a candlelight vigil as we remember those who have lost their lives to police brutality. We invite everyone to come out to listen and share their experiences, and learn about what we can do as a community to keep ourselves and safe without the use of police.

Make a commitment to supporting Black and BIPOC owned businesses in your community, not just during , but year round.

If you’re not sure where to start, check out ’s Viola Desmond BIPOC Business Directory for local BIPOC owned businesses in and around the Guelph - Kitchener - Waterloo area at gbhsdirectory.ca

What are your favourite Black-owned businesses to support? Tag them in the comments below!

Looking for your next movie to watch? Check out these films that celebrate Black joy.

Have a favourite movie you’d add to this list? Share it in the comments!

The Watermelon Woman: A young, Black le***an tries to make a documentary film about a Black actress from the 1930s credited only as “The Watermelon Woman.” 

Lilies of the Field: This 1963 comedy drama stars Sidney Poitier as Homer Smith, an unemployed construction worker who encounters five nuns who believe he is the answer to their prayers to build a church in the desert.

Barbershop: Chronicling a day in the life of a shop on the south side of Chicago, diving into the camaraderie that exists between men and their barbers. 

Beyond the Lights: A love story about a young singer who finally finds someone who sees her for who she is.

Little: In a beautiful representation of female Black excellence, a business woman is magically transformed into a 13-year-old version of herself and has to rely on her assistant, whom she previously mistreated.

Summer of Soul: This documentary features never before seen performances at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, an epic event which celebrated African American music and culture, including Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and more.

Cinderella (1997): Whitney Houston co-produced and starred as the fairy god-mother alongside Brandy as Cinderella in this timeless adaptation of the fairy tale.

Black American Princess: Two best friends fly to L.A. to audition as dancers for a music video, hoping to get the money to open their dream restaurant and become Black American Princesses.

- The Prairies

We’re continuing our Canadian Black history series with a look at the prairies. The Black population of the Canadian West and Manitoba grew slowly during the 19th and 20th centuries as Black people migrated north from the U.S. 

In particular, Winnipeg became a place of refuge for many Black folks. The Pilgrim Baptist Church in Winnipeg, established 1923, was located near the CPR railroad and became a social and cultural center for Winnipeg’s Black community, and continues to be an important part to this day.

One of the first and best-documented Black migrants to the Canadian west was William S. A. Beal, or Billy Beal, who arrived to the Swan River region in 1906. Billy dedicated his life to building his community. A sawmill engineer and avid photographer, Billy documented the everyday activities of his community, giving us photos that disrupted the status quo usually portrayed in popular culture at the time.

In Alberta, Black cowboy John Ware was legendary.  One of the first Black people in Alberta, John was born enslaved in South Carolina and worked on a ranch in Texas after emancipation. Eventually he moved north as his work as a steer herder took him to Montana and beyond. Ware was incredibly skilled both at controlling cattle and farming, introducing new agricultural techniques like irrigation and ranching to Albertans. 



Sources: CBC.ca, www.edu.gov.mb.ca

We're giving away free masks and care kits!

Black Lives Matter Guelph is distributing mutual aid care kits. Each kit contains N95 masks, hand sanitizer, and other hygiene products.

To request a kit, fill out our online form (link in bio) or drop by our pop-up. You do not need to pre-order to get a kit, but pre-ordering lets you customize your kit.

Pop-up details:
Thursday, February 24
3-7 p.m.
Shelldale Family Gateway
20 Shelldale Crescent., Guelph

Call for volunteers!

Help Black Lives Matter Guelph distribute kits containing N95 masks and other essentials to our community.

This is a one-time commitment of 3-4 hours to help pack or distribute care kits in late February.

The kits will include items such as N95 masks, hygiene supplies, and other essentials.

Interested? Email us at [email protected].

Updated: - The Maritimes

The first Black person to arrive in Nova Scotia was Mathieu da Costa, an explorer and translator, in the early 1600s. Since then, Black folks that had lived in France and England migrated and settled in towns like Annapolis Royal.

After the American War of Independence, over 3,000 Black Loyalists fled to Nova Scotia to escape the aftermath. They were joined by the Maroons, a group of freed slaves deported from Jamaica, and American Civil War Refugees.

Nova Scotia’s Portia White became the first Black Canadian singer to be world-renowned. Born in 1911, she started singing at church at age 6 and was able to sing Italian operas at age 8. After being denied performance space because of her race, she finally was able to debut at Toronto’s Eaton Hall. She continued to gain acclaim and became the first Canadian to perform at New York’s famed Town Hall in 1944. Upon her retirement, she continued to teach singing in Toronto. 

Wanda Thomas Bernard, born in 1953, started university at just 15 years of age. In 1990-  over 170 years later- she became Dalhousie’s first African Nova Scotian tenure track hire. Thomas Bernard was also credited for other  amazing things -  founding the Association of Black Social Workers, and influencing government legislation to improve welfare and child services for Black families in Canada. Eventually, she became the first female African Nova Scotian to be appointed to the Canadian Senate and received many awards for her work.

Keep following our account for more Black Canadian history all month long!

       

Black History Month - BC

Black people have been integral to this country for so many reasons. Today we're going to discuss Black people on Vancouver Island in the mid 1800s. In 1858, Black immigrants migrated to BC when Governor James Douglas needed us to stabilize the British colonies. Naturally, once they arrived, they were not supported by the government and relied on each other to build a strong community.

As Black diaspora people often do, we became community leaders, business leaders, ministers, school board trustees, and took up other roles to build up English colonies and commerce in the area. They enriched the political, religious, and economic life of the colony. 

Mifflin Gibbs, who was part of this group, went on to become the first Black person elected to public office when he became a Victoria city councillor.

Charles and Nancy Alexander were integral parts of their community in Saanich, B.C, helping to build the school and participating in the Saanich Agricultural Fair. They also initiated the Shady Creek Methodist Church, a core part of the community. More than 100 of the Alexander’s descendants still live in the area today.

John Deas established a salmon cannery, contributing to the economy as the leading canner on the Fraser River.



Source: http://bcblackhistory.itihosting.ca

Today we honor and celebrate the life of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His contributions to the civil rights movement and lifelong fight for racial equality ignited generations of work towards the liberation and freedom of African Americans across the globe. On what would have been his 93rd birthday, we aim to honor his passion for justice through continuing his work by advocating for racial equity within our own communities.

Black Lives Matter - Guelph Guelph Museums
Amherstburg Freedom Museum Ontario Black History Society events

The 7th day of Kwanzaa - Imani / Faith

Imani means to believe in the righteousness and the victory of the struggle in the fight for justice and equality.

On the final day of Kwanzaa, zawadi / gifts are exchanged, usually hand-made and encourage growth, self-determination, achievement, and success.

The 6th day of Kwanzaa - Kuumba / creativity

Kuumba celebrates all the different facets of creativity that Black Canadians express through music, stories, dance, rhythm, and more to make our communities and the world more beautiful.

On this day, communities typically gather for Karamu, a large feast of food enjoyed by the African diaspora such as Congo rice and peas, fried chicken, stewed snapper, baked potato pie, cornbread and calaloo, jaloff rice, and vegetable ital stew. During the feast, they celebrate through dances, songs, artwork, speeches, and film.

The 5th day of Kwanzaa - Nia / having purpose

Nia aims to build and develop the community in order to achieve traditional greatness. Bettering our communities is the purpose of all we do.

The 4th day of Kwanzaa - Ujamaa / building and supporting businesses within the community.

Ujamaa strives to create co-operative economies by investing in the community and creating businesses and stores that will help and share with people in our communities.

The 3rd day of Kwanzaa - Ujima / community work and responsibility.

Ujima means working together to tackle the problems we face. Helping each other and working together is key to solving these problems.

The 2nd day of Kwanzaa - kujichaguilia / self-determination.

Kujichagulia means that only those of African descent such as African-Canadians and Caribbean-Canadians can decide what is best for them and will self-determine their future.

We are deeply saddened to hear about the recent passing of Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Prize winner and South-African anti-apartheid hero. Rest in Power 🤎✊🏿

Today marks the 1st day of Kwanzaa! During each day of Kwanzaa, those celebrating reflect on a different value that is important in many African cultures.

Today’s value is umoja / unity, which prompts us to reflect on how, although Black Canadians from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities, we are all one.

When celebrating Kwanzaa, the kinara / candle holder is set on a mkeka / straw mat that represents the past history and traditions. Mazoa / fruits and vegetables are placed on the mat to symbolize abundance, as well as an ear of corn for each child in the family representing growth and prosperity. On the first and last days of Kwanzaa, family members all drink from kikombe cha umoja / the unity cup as a sign of sharing.

Habari Gani! Wishing you a blessed Kwanzaa.

Did you know that Kwanzaa was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga to celebrate African values of family, culture, and heritage? Now it’s celebrated by many Black communities in Canada, the USA, and beyond from December 26 to January 1.

Modeled after the first harvest celebrations in Africa, Kwanzaa means “first fruits” in Swahili and combines aspects of different harvest celebrations from peoples such as the Ashanti and Zulu.

A primary symbol in the celebration is the kinara / candle holder that symbolizes African heritage. In it there are 7 candles: 1 black candle that represents the people, 3 red candles that represent the noble blood that unites all people of African ancestry, 3 green candles that represent the rich land of Africa. During each day of Kwanzaa one more candle is lit.

Do you celebrate Kwanzaa? Let us know in the comments below about your holiday traditions!

Hello everyone!

Due to safety concerns related to Covid-19, we will be postponing this event to a later date. If you bought a ticket, you will be receiving a refund.

Thank you for your understanding and we hope you have a safe and joyful holiday season!

-BLMG

Y'all better get ready, get dressed and show out! 💃🏾🕺🏾We know yall been in the house all winter. 🥶We know you've been wanting a good Black party in the city. And we know yall got some cute outfits and new hairstyles to show out! So come to our Welcome Back Throw Back January 8th from 7-11.

We got food, games, prizes, music and drinks! 🍗🥗Come have a good fun Black time and win prizes from Black businesses in the area! We really thought of it all. Catered by Warka Tree so you know the food will be fresh, flavourful and have you licking your fingers clean!😋

Get your tickets now! Pay what you can for food and fun. Plus $20 drink tickets that gets you 5 drinks! 🍻🍹We bringing rum punch, beer and sorrel; a round up of Black classics. We are really trying to make this party fun, accessible and rowdy!

Y'all better get ready, get dressed and show out! 💃🏾🕺🏾We know yall been in the house all winter. 🥶We know you've been wanting a good Black party in the city. And we know yall got some cute outfits and new hairstyles to show out! So come to our Welcome Back Throw Back January 8th from 7-11.

We got food, games, prizes, music and drinks! 🍗🥗Come have a good fun Black time and win prizes from Black businesses in the area! We really thought of it all. Catered by Warka Tree so you know the food will be fresh, flavourful and have you licking your fingers clean!😋

Get your tickets now! Pay what you can for food and fun. Plus $20 drink tickets that gets you 5 drinks! 🍻🍹We bringing rum punch, beer and sorrel; a round up of Black classics. We are really trying to make this party fun, accessible and rowdy!

We are deeply upset and saddened by the sudden loss of a Black radical. We know bell hooks, like us all, was a complex, flawed, beautiful, radiant light for this world. We respect her contributions to the Black radical consciousness and imaginary. She was loved and loved us fiercely. She will always live on in her works, our hearts and minds. May she be with the ancestors and finally find the rest, peace, love and joy this earthly realm couldn't provide. May she rest well. 💖🔥🙏🏾

Black history is Guelph history 🤎

Hey all. The wonderful people at are re-launching their free Rest and Resilience program for BIPOC folx and there are a few spots still remaining!

Registration link: https://forms.gle/n4vYDy6sff7kDwnw8

Only 20 minutes left until our event, Know Your Rights!!

Details below:

Topic: BLM Guelph x BLAC: Know Your Rights 101
Time: Oct 21, 2021 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 837 6857 3739
Passcode: 804453
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Thank you GuelphToday.com for the interview and sharing our event, Know Your Rights facilitated by BLAC which is happening tomorrow at 6 PM!

RSVP via Facebook Event Page (https://fb.me/e/NGbul8iG) so we can send you zoom link and other event details!

https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/know-your-rights-blm-guelph-to-host-event-on-legal-resources-for-black-community-4533247?fbclid=IwAR0AVIe9gANHs3gumeX4Wr-fSIXl_HlsBwPU7mjrWHtCLSAj2XHwJ6EhbaM

‘Know Your Rights:’ BLM Guelph to host event on legal resources for Black community The event will feature legal workers from the Black Legal Action Centre to discuss topics of anti-Black racism and legal resources

Hey hey! We have had a blast getting to know to community through our summer and fall programing! But we want to do more with your help! Join our team of radical, loving and joy-filled people who want a world without police and prisions. We heavily value community work, community engagement and Black joy! If this seems like your kinda crew, don't hesitate to fill out our google form and join 🥰

https://tinyurl.com/BLMGOnboarding

Hey Guelph folks ✌🏾 We hope you’re having a great summer! We outsiiiiiiide!!! We want to make sure you all have fun with some free summer goodies!! There is STILL time to fill out our summer activities form. Find the link in our linktree

Wishing our Muslim community a happy and joyous Eid with their loved ones ❤️

Thank you for supporting our F.O.O.D Program! We’ve supported 25 families so far this month - let’s keep the momentum!

2nd slide shows how you can register for meals and 3rd slide is for those interested in volunteering and supporting our families.

Link in bio for registration link & email [email protected] for more info 💕