Heritage Unveiled
Celebrating the past, present and the future
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Join us for a compelling and educational afternoon at “Heritage Unveiled: Celebrating Black Canadian History,” an event dedicated to exploring and honoring the significant contributions of Black Canadians to our nation’s history, culture, and society. This event is part of a national series funded by the Youth Take Charge Program under Canadian Heritage, focusing on arts and culture, civic engagement, economic activities, and history and heritage.
October 12th
1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
7422 Rue St-Hubert,
Montréal, QC, Canada
Hybrid Event
In Person
Live Streamed
Sign up now!
Event Highlights
- Opening Remarks and Land Acknowledgement: Christopher Thompson, Executive Director of the Federation of Black Canadians, will kick off the event with a land acknowledgment and a welcome address.
- Keynote Presentation: Renowned historian Rito Joseph will provide an insightful overview of the contributions of Black Canadians, covering advocacy, civil rights, music, fashion, culture, and language.
- Panel Discussion and Q&A: Engage with our distinguished panelists:
- Chris Luamba, legal advocate and civil rights activist.
- Wilkinson Derisme, founder of Fondation MusiqualiT.
- Samanta Nyinawamuntu, leader of the Black Healing Centre.
- Lourdenie Jean, feminist community organizer focused on environmental justice.
The panelists will react to the keynote presentation, share their perspectives, and discuss how history inspires their work and how participants can view history as an evolving process they are part of.
- Live Performance: Enjoy a captivating performance by Joyciana and Ryan, celebrating Black Canadian culture.
- Networking Lunch: Connect with fellow attendees, panelists, and community leaders over a delicious catered lunch.
- Live Streaming: The event will also be streamed live to accommodate a broader audience.
Audience:
This event is open to all community members, youth, educators, activists, and anyone interested in learning about and celebrating Black Canadian history.
Guest Speaker
Rito Joseph
Historical guide, Entrepreneur, Autodidact
Lecturer, historical guide, entrepreneur and autodidact are the words that describe Rito Joseph, a concerned citizen who aims to bring together culture, history, arts and music under a platform called Black Montreal Experiences which explores the presence, history and demographic movements the Afro community and its ancestors. In its conferences, presentations, workshops and historical walks, Rito aims to educate anyone who wants to know more about the stories, but especially those who wish to bring a wind of positive change. In his career he had the chance to work and rub shoulders with people from academia, community, government and multiple professional environments. Among these institutions are McGill University, University of Montreal, Concordia University, UQAM, Museum of Fine Arts de Montréal, Canadian Center for Architecture, Canadian History Society, Commission Scolaire de Montréal, English Montreal School Board, Phi Center, Pointe-à-Callière Museum to name a few. He has also made several media appearances and worked on documentaries that have appeared on CBC, Radio-Canada, TVA, Journal 24h, Journal Métro, Journal de Montreal, TV5 as well as media in Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Alberta and Africa etc Rito still has many ongoing projects and this is just the beginning.
Panelists
Our 2024 Panelists
Chris Luamba
Legal advocacy and criminal justice
Chris is a passionate advocate for Black culture and history, residing in Montreal. With a particular expertise in the contributions of Black people in Montreal throughout history, he uses his field to better the community in terms political and financial freedom. Engaged in various community projects, Chris aims to promote the importance of representation and the preservation of cultural heritages. His work with the Federation of Black Canadians reflects his dedication to the cause and his commitment to highlighting the achievements and contributions of Black people in the city of Montreal.
Samanta Nyinawamuntu
Mental health and Wellness
Samanta describes themselves as a Black queer being who hails from the mountains for Rwanda. They are an artist and community organizer whose mission is to facilitate and co-create intentional spaces that center a healing justice framework for people who are, and have been historically marginalized. The motivation to open the Black Healing Centre comes from my want to create the world that I want/deserve to live in. A world in which our structures and systems are rooted in care & love instead of violence. As Gwendolyn Brooks reminded us “we are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond”.
Lourdenie Jean
Environmental Justice
Lourdenie is passionate about social sciences, mainly sociology, psychology and anthropology. She is strengthening her experience on the field by working in the community sector on macro and micro levels. In the past few years, she invested her time into personal, such as L’environnement, c’est intersectionnel (The environment is intersectional). It is an initiative that combines arts, social engagement and popular education.
Intersectional feminist, artist and community worker, she focuses on anything that touches sociology, anti-oppression and social justice.
Wilkinson Derisme
Music and creative arts
For over 13 years, Wilkenson has been a transformative figure in Montreal’s music scene, known for his artistry and entrepreneurial spirit. His career is marked by notable collaborations, including work with international artists like Khalid and David Davis, as well as local talents such as Da-P, Planet Giza, and Kalitechnis. In April 2024, he founded the Musiquali-T Foundation, dedicated to supporting young artists of color in Montreal by providing resources, education, and opportunities. Through his foundation and ongoing collaborations, Wilkenson continues to make a significant impact on Montreal’s music landscape while extending his influence globally.
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