VAUGHAN – Black people made Canada’s history. Against all odds.
They did it starting from a long ago, with brave men who served the country in the World War I in the glorious No.2 Construction Battalion, for example. They have continued to do it in the following years, with brilliant women like Jean Augustine, the first African-Canadian woman to be elected to the House of Commons, to be appointed to the federal Cabinet, and the first Fairness Commissioner of the Government of Ontario. And they do it today, with excellences in every field: work, art, institutions, media and communication.
All of this and more was celebrated yesterday night at the Black History Showcase, an event in association with Afroglobal Tv, the Carpenters’ District Council of Ontario, The Painters Union, The Plumbers Union and many more partners.
In the beautiful location of Bellagio Boutique Event Venue (in the pics above) in Vaughan, Patricia Bebia Mawa conducted, with class and elegance, the event, introducing a long list of special guests: leaders of the Unions, politicians, militars, artists. Black men and women who proudly represented and represent an added value to the Canadian community. Not only to the black one. To whole Canadian community.
Among the many guest, Honourable Jean Augustine: 85 years-old worn so well, in splendid shape. Standing ovation for her speech in which she remembered the long and difficult road that has led black people to be recognized as equal as others (here below, an excerpt from her speech).
Another important moment of the event was when Chris Campbell, director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Caroenters’ District Council of Ontario, gave a $ 100,000 scholarship endowment to George Brown College (in the pic below), with the support of the Union, “to assist young pursuing a training certification course, diploma or degree studies in the construction industry of labour studies”.
“33 years ago, I was fortunate to walk throught the doors of the United Broterhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America to start a carrer as a first-year apprentice. Now it’s time to give back”, Campbell said.
During the night, also musical moments (in the video and pic above) and a great final on the rhythm of the afro-percussions distributed to the audience, to close the Black History Showcase in the only possible way: sharing the joy, all together.
All pics and videos by Marzio Pelù