A Different Booklist Cultural Centre – The People’s Residence

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

What does Judy Brooks, Nigel Barriffle, Angela Pierre, Michael G A Lashley, Shannon Ashman, Stanley Julien, Loris Thomas, George Randolph, and Itah Sadu have in common?  A vision to make sure that this time when the narrative is written, it will be written by the lion and not the hunter.

These are community members that came together to form what is now known as A Different Booklist Cultural Centre (ADBCC) – The People’s Residence, (ADBCC)  a non-profit hub and destination that provides opportunities to experience the rich culture and history of Canadians of African and Caribbean ancestry and is located in Toronto’s iconic Bathurst-Bloor neighborhood.

The mission of this cultural organization is to provide opportunities for Canadians and visitors to Canada to celebrate and engage in the rich cultural legacy and history of African and Caribbean ancestry, while preserving a neighborhood.

One cannot speak of history, culture and legacy in Canada without speaking of (A Different Booklist) the book store where it all started. Itah Sadu, an award-winning author, storyteller and Managing Director of A Different Booklist Cultural Centre, spoke at length with Toronto Caribbean Newspaper about how it all started, and some of the organization’s future plans as well.

“As you know,” Sadu begins, “A Different Book List had to move, and we looked at moving as an opportunity. We asked ourselves what does change look like? Is it something of defeat? Or is it something of hope? We decided to go with hope, because as a people we have had to adjust to so much change in our lives.”

“We were taken from a continent speaking different languages, had different ways of being, different structures of societies, and taken to the Caribbean where we had to learn: a new language, new ways,  and new customs. We built countries, we gained independence, we developed language, we developed culture and did so many things.”

When listening to Sadu, it feels like you are in a story-telling class and the education never ends. She spoke of the toll that enslavement took on blacks, and in the same breath she said, “In that moment out of the enslavement period we also chose hope. We decided we would not see defeat nor change as an option  to erase ourselves, nor become more invisible, but we saw it as an opportunity to become more visible.”

Speaking of visibility Sadu told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, “Because Bathurst Street and the Bathurst Bloor Annex neighborhood has such legacy for us, such memories. Memories of immigrants meeting; of the underground railroad. Memories of Africanness, Caribbeanness. It was even more important to maintain a presence on Bathurst Street and become a part of the change that was taking place in the development.”

Sadu spoke of how people would come into the book store for all different reasons, and over the 25-year period that it has been there, folks have come to see the place as an institution, a fixture and more, “People,” she said, “Would tell me, we see you as a cultural centre, and that’s how we became a cultural centre.”  

The new building where the Cultural Centre will move to is scheduled to be ready in 2022. It is formerly the old Honest Eds location at Bathurst and Bloor Street. For more important please check out this link, http://www.adbcc.org/. ADBCC is asking the public to check out their website and please donate generously.

Sadu told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, “I would like to thank the board of directors for signing on and all the volunteers that come and help. I would like to thank god for strength, vision and for protecting this asset   we have in the society here, and my husband for walking on this journey.”

Please note that the physical space at 777-779 Bathurst Street is currently closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, ADBCC is being bought to you through online streaming and live event platforms.