“As a proud conscious African Nova Scotian, I honestly and truly believe we have a need and responsibility to recognize and appreciate one another,” writes Raymond Sheppard.
PSA: On Tuesday, August 20, 2019 there will be a press conference at the office of Liberal MP Andy Fillmore to protest the deportation of Mr. Abdilahi Elmi, and to draw attention to the lack of change in deportation policy since the case of Abdoul Abdi.
In a few days our government is planning to deport another Somali refugee who never got his citizenship because of government neglect. Abdilahi Elmi came to Canada as a refugee at age 10. At 13, Ontario Child Welfare apprehended Elmi from his mother. At that point child welfare was the only entity that could legally apply for Elmi’s citizenship—it never did.
In 1989, MSVU Art Gallery, the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, and the Africville Genealogical Society collaborated on the exhibition Africville: A Spirit That Lives On. Today, on the 30th anniversary of the exhibition, the collaborators have reunited and are joined by the Africville Museum, to create a project looking back at the original exhibition and take the opportunity to reflect on what has happened since.
Chief Andrea Paul of Pictou Landing First Nation posted a response to the Unifor proposal on her Facebook page. “Today, they are caught in a battle that THEY had years and years to resolve. They had many years of opportunity to do better. They chose not to. Even with the Boat Harbour ACT they still believed they were above that and didn’t begin consultation with the Band until 2017 after we requested it.”
Raymond Sheppard: Sisters and brothers of African descent, your struggle has been long and difficult and some of you have are no longer active participants in this struggle. To you I say, it is time to come “Black Home”.
Tundè Balogun started The Objective after seeing how the mainstream media portrays and stereotypes Black people and their communities, first while living in Toronto, and now in Halifax. We talked with Tundè about doing journalism differently.
This interview is the second in a series. There will be more interviews on journalism in Nova Scotia all through the summer.
Delilah Saunders did a truly excellent interview with Jocelyn Paul, this year’s winner of the Loretta Saunders Community Scholarship Fund. Also, more on how the Fund is growing by leaps and bounds.
Halifax Fire District Chief and Restorative Lead Kevin Reade on the racism he encountered when he joined Halifax Fire as a Black recruit, the Human Rights complaint and the formation of the Association of Black Firefighters, and the challenges and opportunities offered by a restorative justice approach.
Raymond Sheppard: “As soon as a white individual says something right and thoughtful about African Nova Scotians then they often feel they must receive this proverbial pass which magically makes them non-racist. What’s more, this pass must come with a lifetime warranty.”