FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER

Our Monthly Calendar

February

In honour of Black history Month, we have featured the portraits of a few famous and historical Black figures. Please scroll to the end of the Newsletter for interesting facts and information.

Monthly highlights

Please give a warm welcome to our winter placement student Shane! Shane joins us from Seneca where he is studying in the Social Worker Program. We know he will be a positive contribution to the Back 2 Basickz program and team.

Our February Youth Shout Out goes to Back 2 Basickz program youth Juel. 

The youth in our program contribute to making Back 2 Basickz a success in so many ways often behind the scenes and by taking initiative without hesitation – whether it’s offering to help mediate a conflict, painting a wall, helping to stock the kitchen, volunteering to host a workshop or even sorting the recycling. Juel is always willing to help! It is often the little things that have the biggest  impact.

Thank you for being a part of Back 2 Basickz and congratulations!

Updates

Upcoming programs and workshops for

February!

Wuk Up & Workout 

Hosted by Leesha of Leesha Fitness 

What is Black history without a celebration of Black music and dance? Join us for an evening of fitness backed by reggae, soca and afrobeats. Wuk up a sweat learning caribbean and afrobeats dance moves from our certified fitness instructor Lessha.

AGO: Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century

As a part of the Black History Month Events, Back 2 Basickz will be taking a number of our program youth to the Art Gallery of Ontario to checkout the Hip Hop and Contemporary Art Exhibit.  The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century brings together contemporary artists, musicians, designers and stylists to tell the story of the art form and its global impact on visual culture.

Historical Black Figures

In honour of Black history Month, we have featured the portraits of a few famous and historical Black figures. Take a moment to read below and learn about their contribution and legacy 

(as pictured  Left to Right )

Bob Marley: Born Feb 6 1945 - May 11, 1981, Bob Marley is celebrated as one of the most influential artists in the history of reggae. His music brought reggae, Jamaican culture and Rastafarianism to an international audience.

Rosa Parks: February 4, 1913 - Oct 24 2005. Dubbed the ‘mother’ of the civil rights movement. Rosa Parks became an icon of the Civil Rights Movement when she refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 1, 1955 and was as a result arrested. This led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a year-long protest that ended with a Supreme Court decision declaring segregation on public buses unconstitutional.

Marcus Garvey: Born in Jamaica Aug 17, 1887 - June 10 1940 - Marcus Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL) in 1914, which became the largest Black organization in history. The UNIA promoted Black pride, economic independence, and the unification of people of African descent worldwide

Mary Ann Shad: Born October 9, 1823 - June 5, 1893. Mary Ann Shadd was a prominent abolitionist who advocated for the freedom and rights of African Americans and the end of slavery. She became the first Black woman in North America to edit and publish a newspaper, The Provincial Freeman, founded in 1853. The paper focused on abolition, education, and self-reliance among Black communities in Canada and the United States. Shadd moved to Canada to help Black refugees escape slavery in the U.S. and settle in free communities in Canada. She played a crucial role in organizing support networks for freedom seekers. Mary Ann Shadd's print shop for The Provincial Freeman was located in Toronto, Ontario, at 177 King Street East. This was one of the locations from which she published the influential newspaper, which focused on abolition, self-reliance, and Black rights in the mid-19th century.The site is now commemorated as part of Canadian history, recognizing Shadd's pioneering work as one of North America's first Black female publishers.

Martin Luther King Jr. January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968. Martin Luther King Jr. was a central figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, advocating for racial equality and justice through nonviolent resistance. Delivered during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963, his iconic speech envisioned a future where people would be judged by their character, not their skin color. His efforts contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex, or national origin 

Maya Angelou: April 4, 1928 - May 28 2014 Maya Angelou is best known for her autobiographical works, especially her groundbreaking memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), which explores themes of racism, identity, and resilience. ngelou held more than 30 honorary degrees and taught at institutions like Wake Forest University, where she was a professor of American Studies. Her speeches and teachings inspired countless individuals and Her works are celebrated for their impact on literature, art, and civil rights advocacy. One of her most well known quotes is: "I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

William Hall: Born in Nova Scotia April 28, 1827 - August 25, 1904 As the son of formerly enslaved African Americans who escaped to Nova Scotia via the Underground Railroad, Hall’s achievements symbolized the potential and contributions of Black Canadians in a time of widespread racial prejudice. William Hall was the first Black person, the first Nova Scotian, and one of the first Canadians to receive the Victoria Cross (the British Commonwealth’s highest military decoration for valour). Despite heavy enemy fire and the loss of most of his comrades, Hall and a fellow officer manned a naval gun, holding their position until they breached the walls of the besieged Residency. A Canadian naval ship, HMCS William Hall, was named in his honour in 1994.

Viola Desmond: Born in Halifax July 6, 1914 - Feb 7 1965 Viola Desmond is best known for her courageous act of defiance against racial segregation in Canada. On November 8, 1946, in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Desmond refused to leave the whites-only section of the Roseland Theatre, she was forcibly removed, arrested, and fined. Desmond’s case became one of Canada’s most famous incidents of civil rights activism. Though she ultimately lost her legal battle, her actions raised awareness of systemic racism in Canada. In 2018, Viola Desmond became the first Canadian woman to appear on a regularly circulating banknote (the $10 bill), a tribute to her role in advancing social justice. She is known as ‘Canada’s Rosa Parks’.

Mia Amor Mottley: Born in Barbados Oct 1 1965. Mia Mottley became the first female Prime Minister of Barbados on May 25, 2018. Mia Mottley is celebrated as a transformative leader both in Barbados and on the global stage. Her commitment to addressing climate change, advancing democracy, and fostering sustainable development has made her a symbol of progress and resilience for small island states.

Malcolm X: May 19, 1925 - Feb 21 1965 Born in Nebraska, Malcolm X was a pivotal figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, known for his passionate advocacy for Black empowerment, self-defence, and the fight against racial oppression. His dynamic speeches made him one of the most influential voices of the Black Power movement in the 1960s. Malcolm X emphasized the importance of Black pride, dignity, and education, encouraging African Americans to reclaim their identity and heritage. He rejected the idea of assimilation and called for cultural and social independence for Black people. Hius death by assassination was a major turning point in the Civil Rights Movement, and he has since become an enduring symbol of resistance, empowerment, and revolutionary thought.

Harriet Tubman: c. March 1822 - March 10, 1913 Born in Maryland. Harriet Tubman is best known for her role as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, a secret network that helped enslaved African Americans escape to freedom. Born into slavery, Tubman escaped to freedom, but soon returned to the South multiple times to lead others to freedom. During the Civil War, Tubman worked for the Union Army as a spy, scout, and nurse. She was the first woman to lead an armed expedition, helping to liberate more than 700 enslaved people in a raid in South Carolina. Harriet Tubman’s life is a powerful testament to the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality. She was known as ‘Moses‘ to the many she rescued.

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