Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough proudly announces the launch of a calendar of local Black History Month 2021 events, starting this Sunday, January 31st with a virtual launch event open to the public. The theme this year is Healing of the Mind, Body and Soul: Drop Everything and Dance! This event will be hosted via Zoom and shared live via CRRC’s Facebook page (details below).
To mark the celebration, the event will include traditional African drumming and dance performances, and guest speakers who will invite you into the history of celebrating accomplishments by Black Canadians, and challenge you to participate in creating a more just and equitable society for the future. Beginning at 2:00 pm, City of Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien will proclaim the opening of Black History Month ceremonies, followed by greetings from other dignitaries. The event will also feature prominent guest speakers, Rosemary Sadleir and Nicole Bonnie.
Full Program for January 31st:
1:50 pm: African drum performance with Afiwi Groove
2:00 pm: Welcome by Cayo Whyte, CRRC board member
2:05 pm: Black History Month 2021 proclamation by City of Peterborough Mayor Therrien and statements by dignitaries, including City Councillor Don Vassiliadis, Peterborough Chief of Police, Scott Gilbert and Deputy Chief of Police, Tim Farquharson, and MPP Dave Smith.
2:25 pm: African dance performance by Afiwi Groove
2:30 pm: A short history of Black History Month by Rosemary Sadleir, is an historian, author, educator and Black History expert based in Toronto. From 1993 to 2015, she was president of the Ontario Black History Society. Among her publications are Harriet Tubman Rosemary (Dundurn Press), and The Kids Book of Black Canadian History (KidsCanPress).
2:40 pm: Guest speaker: Nicole Bonnie, CEO of the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies, speaking on celebrating achievements in equity by Black leaders in Ontario and a call to action for future challenges followed by a question and answer period.
3:25 pm: Closing, with more African drum and an invitation to other upcoming Black History Month events
Register to join the event here: https://tinyurl.com/BHMLaunch2021
To watch live on Facebook: (20+) Community and Race Relations Committee of Peterborough | Facebook
For the full calendar of events: Upcoming Events – Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough (racerelationspeterborough.org)
For more information, contact Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough at racerelation@gmail.com
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