Peel United Cultural Partners celebrate Black resistance: We have a future to build

BY PAUL JUNOR

It was a great turnout of community officials, civic leaders, dignitaries and individuals at the 24^th Annual Black History Month Concert. It was held on Saturday, February 22^nd, 2025, at Century Gardens Recreation Centre. It was hosted by Peel United Cultural Partners, which involved a partnership between the Congress of Black Women-Brampton Chapter and the United Achievers’ Club of Brampton.

The CBWC’s was founded in 1989 to provide a forum for Black women to identify and address issues which affect them, their families and their community. The UAC aims and objectives are to raise the profile and consciousness of Black and Caribbean. The press release issued on February 18^th, 2025, described what the concert featured, “Entertainment in music, singing, spoken word, dancing, drumming, steelpan and the announcement and recognition of selected winners of the BHM Writing Contest.”

There was a message from Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton in the program. He states, “As we gather to celebrate Black History Month, we are reminded of the importance of recognizing the ongoing fight for equality and justice. This year’s theme at the City of Brampton focuses on our youth – their resilience, strength, and boundless potential. Our young people are the future, and their courage, determination, and hope will continue to shape the path toward a more inclusive and equitable society.”

“The theme of Black resistance reflects the power of survival and courage.”

Charles Matthew of CMJ Entertainment emceed the concert. The event opened with a welcome address by Marva Hemmings and Pat Challenger Brade, which was followed by the national anthem sung by Naomi McDonald. There was an inspiring, empowering and exciting musical performance by J. Nichole Noel. This was followed by: a dance performance by the Children Youth Dance Toronto, BePraize, Young Legends of Pan, Ngoma Ensemble and Racheal Ankunda. Nievel A. Regis and Alecia Griffiths were responsible for the Caribbean Marketplace that featured diverse vendors.

The community award was given to Clovalyn Wilson. She is well known in the Malton area with many years of volunteer experience with various organizations. She became President of Malton Black Development Association (MBDA) in 2019. Wilson mentioned the positive impact her grandparents had on her and relatives. She grew up in Bamboo Ridge, which is located in the parish of St. Catherine in Jamaica. She mentioned, “They were always involved in community work, so it became a natural thing for me. This work of community is for me giving back and trying to ensure that everybody is well, and they know that they have backing behind them.”

The creative writing award was presented by Moreen Chandler Guishard to Jaheem Christie. In his essay, Christie writes about how racism can be compared to bullying. He writes, “Racism, like bullying, stems from: ignorance, fear and prejudice passed down through generations. Bullying has existed for centuries as a power struggle where the strong dominate the weak.”

The guest speaker for the BHM concert was David Mitchell. He was a dedicated public servant in the Ministry of the Solicitor General where he rose from a uniformed Correctional Officer to leadership positions such as: Superintendent, Probation, and Parole Manager. He was the founding head of the Ontario Correctional Intelligence Unity. He is founding member and Past President of the Association of Black Law Enforcers (A.B.L.E) where he served for ten years. He is known for demonstrating innovative leadership throughout his career while working on youth and community issues. Since his retirement from public life, he has served as the Senior Director for the Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education (YAACE) in Toronto.

In his speech, Mitchell mentioned important qualities/characteristics that individuals possessed that enabled them to rise above hurdles. One of the most important is “courage,” which is standing up for what is right when the odds are against us/you. Other attributes are:

• Resistance
• Bold defiance
• Timeless advocacy
• Steadfastness

Mitchell mentioned several well-known historical figures who demonstrated the aforementioned characteristics and highlighted that “Collective courage and resistance are needed to attain the goals of equality and equity for our race.”

He mentioned the role of Peel District School Board (PDSB) Trustee Kathy McDonald and asked that she stand up so as to be acknowledged. Important community members acknowledged that night included:

Nicolas Marcus Thompson: Trinidadian-Canadian human rights advocate and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Black Class Action Secretariat (, BCAS).

Charline Grant: Co-Founder of advocacy group, Parents of Black Children (PoBC), which works to identify and address systems of oppression that affect Black children in the education system

Devon Jones: Toronto District School Board Teacher and Founder Director of YAAACE

The 24^th annual Black History Concert was definitely an unforgettable experience for all those who attended it.