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Black History is Every Day!

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Black History Month is Celebrated Everyday

Black History is Every Month, highlights African diasporic accomplishments and culture and draws attention to the challenges, strengths, and resilience of Black communities in Canada. In particular, there is a focus on the importance and value of celebrating Black history every day.

As this is an annual event, this video is an integral part of the School of Social Work’s commitment to serving all students, including Indigenous, Black, and racialized students who often express feeling invisible in academic spaces while also feeling hyper-visible in their differences. The sentiment of being seen and yet unseen relates to their experiences within post-secondary education. This event’s ultimate goal is to create a space that supports culture change to assist the �Ӱ�ԭ�� community and the broader Ottawa area to understand the complex issues associated with diversity and inclusion.

The Black History is Every Month video featurette includes interviews with a variety of contemporary Black voices in Ottawa, a living portrait of their stories and commentary, as well as conversations that further dissect what it means to be Black in Canada today.

�Ӱ�ԭ�� the SSWBHC

The �Ӱ�ԭ�� University School of Social Work (SSWBHC) is a joint committee comprised of representatives from the �Ӱ�ԭ�� and greater-Ottawa communities. This includes various community partners such as �Ӱ�ԭ�� University’s Equity and Inclusive Communities, Black Student Alliance, Flo Seniors, Jaku Konbit, LenzStudio and The Origin Arts and Community Centre. Together, these organizations can help build bridges between higher education and the community. For the past three years, the SSWBHC has been at the forefront of delivering inspirational and much-needed Black history celebrations. Through events such as this, the committee draws attention to the strengths, accomplishments, and concerns of the often-alienated Black communities of Canada.

Keep the Conversation Alive

 

I work with kids in our community to help them discover their voice, express the beauty within their souls and try to help alleviate the pain that they have bottled up inside in positive ways.”

Manock Lual, founder of Prezdential Basketball

Dahabo Ahmed-Omer,
Executive Director, Black North Initiative 

 

Mentoring black youth, helping them see the world, the opportunities, learn and be prosperous individuals in our community. Help them open their eyes and their minds, discover the diverse facets of life.

There’s not just one way of being happy.”

As a black LGBTQ2S+ person in Ottawa, my life experiences drew me to social work. How a society treats me and others is a reflection of the world around me. I found my place, where I feel I can make a difference, the most change, in the most impactful way.”

Noah Inniss-Parchment, Community Worker

Let us celebrate, monitor, maintain and build capacity within the African, Caribbean, and Black community. Most importantly, recognize and celebrate our Black students, faculty, staff, and community and provide a space that encourages them.

Photo collage from the Black History Month Celebration in 2020.