BY SIMONE J. SMITH

On Saturday January 11^th, 2025, The Toronto Caribbean Newspaper was invited to the Sandman Signature Toronto Airport Hotel, for Speakpreneur a One-Day Intensive Conference dedicated to speakers who want to transform, impact, and influence in 2025.

We were invited by Just Isaac Mitchell, a multi-talented champion whose impact transcends the arenas of sport, music, and film. We first introduced Just Issac as a Classic Man a couple years ago. It was then that the community learned about his success as a champion in the ring, and as a top 40 recording artist. His true passion lies in his ability to tell stories that inspire and transform. As an accomplished author, his writing delves deep into the human experience, exploring themes of resilience, personal growth, and the power of mindset.

With three books to his name, including contributions to the “Why” series and the thought-provoking “Think Fearlessly,” Just Isaac has established himself as a powerful voice in the literary world. His most recent work, “Traffic Fight,” the first volume in the gripping “Fight The Shadows” series, is more than just a book—it’s the launchpad for a global movement aimed at inspiring change and fostering resilience.

Just Isaac is on a mission to empower individuals to unlock their inner greatness and break through the mental barriers that hold them back. As a breakthrough specialist, he inspires transformative change in people’s lives, encouraging them to move beyond limitations and embrace personal growth. Through his powerful presentations, he guides audiences to recognize their potential and take actionable steps toward a more fulfilling life.

For those individuals who want to have a profound impact, elevate their influence, and unlock new income streams, the Speakpreneur One-Day Conference (hosted by Paul Getter, The Internet Marketing Nerd), gave them an opportunity to discover the secrets to becoming highly sought-after speakers who: captivates audiences, commands top dollar, and stands out from the competition!

Paul Getter, the mastermind behind Speakpreneur, is a highly respected entrepreneur with a proven track record of success. His expertise in marketing and personal branding has enabled him to work with some of the biggest names in the industry. Beyond just honing speaking skills, Speakpreneur also aims to position individuals as experts in their industry. Understanding the importance of a strong online presence in today’s digital age, Paul Getter’s Speakpreneur incorporates strategies for effective personal branding and social media marketing. This comprehensive approach ensures that participants not only become exceptional speakers, but also build a strong personal brand that resonates with their target audience.

I was unable to catch their morning session, but I was told that it kicked off with a focus on IMPACT! Attendees learned how to use their voices to dominate their market, captivate audiences, and create a compelling brand presence that magnetizes clients. Some of the topics covered include:

• Unlock the Full Power of Your Voice: Master techniques to use your voice effectively to skyrocket your business and elevate your brand’s visibility.
• The Secret Framework for Speaking Fortunes: Discover how to transition from being overlooked to overbooked!
• Fundamentals for Speaking Success: Learn the crucial elements that most speakers miss but are essential to command the stage.

After a short break, attendees dove deep into INFLUENCE! This wasn’t just about delivering a speech—it was about mastering the art of persuasion and positioning themselves as the must-have speaker that everyone wants to book. Discussions surrounded learning how to command top fees and become the undisputed authority in their niche. Topics included:

• The Secret Formula Top 2% of Speakers Use: Elevating authority and establish yourself as the go-to expert in your field.
• Building a Powerful Personal Brand: Gaining insights on creating instant credibility and attracting high-paying gigs by differentiating yourself from the competition.
• The Viral Recipe: Get the step-by-step guide that has helped over 20 Speakpreneurs achieve over 1 million views online, converting them into major speaking engagements.

The afternoon sessions were all about our favourite topic, INCOME! This was focused on getting paid to speak; about leveraging multiple income streams through speaking and learning how to use your voice to generate consistent revenue and build a six, or even seven-figure speaking business.

With Speakpreneur, Paul Getter doesn’t just teach public speaking; he empowers entrepreneurs to become transformative communicators. By honing their storytelling, stage presence, and audience engagement, attendees not only gained confidence, but also cultivated their unique ability to: inspire, motivate, and create meaningful change. Thank you, Just Isaac, for bringing this revolutionary program to Toronto.

BY PAUL JUNOR

Since January 2023, the Dutty Boukman Book Club has become an: educational, informational and inspirational space in Toronto. It is a monthly gathering of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) folks of diverse: racial, ethnic, sexual orientations, sexualities and all socio-economic backgrounds. Diversities and individualities are respected, welcomed and embraced by all that attend. It is a: harassment-free, anti-oppressive, anti-colonial and inclusive space for: discussions, debate, dialogues and conversations around Black radical texts that promote Pan-Africanism and African liberation.

They started out with a meeting at the Blackhurst Cultural Centre and subsequent meetings were held at the Wildseed Centre 4 Art & Activism located at 24 Cecil Street in downtown Toronto.

The major organizer and facilitator of the book club is DeiJaumar Clarke. He is a graduate of Oakwood Collegiate Institute in Toronto and studied at Glendon College,

York University. In a promotional email to describe the book club, Clarke mentioned that he works at A Different Booklist Bookstore. He writes, “I wanted to invite you to the first session of the Dutty Bookman Book Club. It’s a book club inspired by Dutty Boukman who was a catalyst of the Haitian Revolution. The Book Club will address topics such as: Marxism, Decolonization, Pan-Africanism, and Black Resistance.”

He describes the format as “A salon/café style meetup and a safe space for intellectual thought and discussion. Each month we will decide on a book to read and then meet up to discuss the themes within the book. Our first session will be held on Thursday, January 25^th, 2024, from 6 pm-8 pm.”

On Thursday, July 25^th, 2024, the book club met to discuss the book, “Blood In My Eye” written by George L. Jackson. In attendance was Norman Otis Richmond, a respected elder and community member. This was an opportunity to recognize the significant role that he played in the City of Toronto as a broadcaster, and Canadian radio pioneer. He is described as a walking history of Black music in Toronto and beyond. With more than 50 years in, around, and beyond the music business, his work explored art, politics and everything in between. Host of “Diasporic Music” (once on CKLN-FM now online) and co-founder of the Toronto chapter of the Black Music Association he is an expert in the many crosscurrents of Black musical manifestations from jazz, to traditional African, to soul and much more.

On Tuesday, August 20^th, 2024, there was a film screening of “Concerning Violence” at the Black August movie night. On Thursday, August 20^th, 2024, there was a BIPOC film screening movie night. On Thursday, September 26^th, 2024, the book club met to discuss “The Black Liberation Army Study Guide + Political Dictionary.” This was followed up on Monday, September 30^th, 2024, the Book Club hosted a Pan-African Art Build with the York Centre for Palestine at the Centre for Social Innovation located at 192 Spadina Avenue.

On Saturday, October 5^th, 2024, Book Club members along with other African-Canadian activists, social justice change agents, and racial justice warriors joined with the Pan-African Contingent marched through the streets of Toronto to mark the first year of genocide. This was a powerful show of support by many diverse social justice groups.

On Thursday, October 10^th, 2024, there was a screening of “The Spook Who Sat By the Door.” This powerful film depicts the story of a Black man who portrays “Uncle Tom” in order to give him access to CIA training. He acquired: knowledge, skills, expertise, and training, which he used to plot a new American revolt.

On Thursday, October 24^th, 2024, the Book Club continued the discussion on the “Black Liberation Army Study Guide.” The main speaker was Professor Kevin Edmonds from the University of Toronto.

On Thursday, November 28^th, 2024, the book club met to discuss the book, “Fear of a Black Nation” (Race, Sex, and Security in Sixties Montreal) written by David Austin. The book references the Sir George William Affairs, which was a significant event in Canadian history. A review of the book states it “Paints a history of Montreal and the Black activists who lived, sojourned in, or visited the city and agitated for change ” and “Argues that the policing and surveillance of Black lives today is tied to the racial, including sexual codes, practices, and the discipline and punishment associated with Slavery.”

There was a Community Town Hall style format where community members expressed their concerns regarding the future of Black liberation in Canada. Many of the elders who were mentioned in the book were present at the book club and shared their: knowledge, experiences, struggles, and challenges that have lived through this chapter in Canadian history.

On Friday, December 27^th, 2024, the book, “A Guide for Organizing against White Supremacist, Patriarchal and Fascist Violence,” by Ahjamu Umi was discussed. The culminating event to close off 2024 was billed as, “Celebrating a year of Political Education & Organizing with Soca, Dancehall & Food,” and was held at the Bathurst Cultural Centre.

BY PAUL JUNOR

Dr. Ingrid R.G Waldron has been at the forefront of utilizing an intersectional approach as Professor and HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global Peace and Social Justice Program in the Department of History, Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University. On Monday, November 25^th, 2024, her book, “From the Enlightenment to Black Lives Matter: Tracing the Impacts of Racial Trauma in Black Communities from the Colonial Era to the Present,” was published. This is Waldron’s second book as she published her first book titled, “There’s Something in the Water: Environmental Racism in Indigenous & Black Communities.” The book focuses on environmental racism, which disproportionately affects marginalized communities in Nova Scotia.

Waldron utilizes an anti-colonial approach in her analysis to show how Black bodies have been sites of racial trauma. The press release states it “Interrogates how this has shaped understanding of Black life, Black trauma and Black responses to trauma within psychiatry and other mental health professions.” Furthermore, the book demonstrates how the politics of race and psychiatric collide when diagnosing Black people and what this means for our current public health crisis.

She skillfully analyzes how the ongoing realities of structural and institutional racism have played significant roles in the legacy of racial trauma that Black communities encounter in: Canada, the UK and the US. She examines existing literature, as well as the voices of Black Canadians who participated in recent studies that were conducted. Furthermore, she uses an intersectional analysis to pinpoint how the intersections of race, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age and citizenship shape experiences of: racial trauma, mental illness and help-seeking in Black communities.

The major advantage of the book is that it does a remarkable job of tracing the ideological representations of Black people within psychiatric and other mental health institutions that influence the diagnoses applied to them. Chapters also highlight the beliefs and perceptions Black communities hold about mental health and help-seeking.

There are endorsements of the book from several individuals. Jonathan M. Metzl, author of “What We’ve Become: Living and Dying in a Country of Arms,” states,” Dr. Ingrid Waldron has done something truly remarkable: authored a definitive exploration of the effects of racism on Black mental health.”

Dr. George Dei, Professor of Social Justice Education & Director Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies, OISE, University of Toronto states, “This book is illuminating and ground-breaking in many ways for its examination of how anti-Black racism and the interstices of identities contribute to the legacy of racial trauma in Black communities in Canada, the US, and the UK. Its comparative edge makes the book a must read for all interested in fighting anti-Blackness in Black health, racial trauma and beyond.”

“By tracing perceptions of the Black body in the field of psychiatry, and how these perceptions have informed diagnosis and treatment from the colonial era to the present, readers get new exposures. The book drives home much needed considerations, and actions to be taken to address racial trauma and mental illness in Black communities in Canada, the US and the UK.”