By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

celebrating black history

Ubuntu holding events for first annual Central Alberta Black History Month

Jan 30, 2021 | 5:00 PM

Ubuntu-Mobilizing Central Alberta, a local group fighting for more diverse and inclusive communities, is holding its first annual Central Alberta Black History Month.

February is Black History Month worldwide, and Ubuntu will offer engaging events over the four weeks giving attendees the chance to learn about what the occasion truly means to black people.

The focus will shift week to week, from remembrance to education, then to celebration and finally advocacy.

“We want people to think about celebrating Black history; not just focusing on the difficulties we’ve had, but the stories that make up Black identity. Our stories did not begin with slavery. We want to focus on pre-contact African-ness and Blackness,” says Ubuntu co-founder Dieulita Datus.

“We do want to pause and think about the hard times we’ve had to overcome, including last year, but then go back to celebrating the good work that so many Black folks have done within the last few years.”

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Originally from Haiti, Datus says the best way to learn is by picking up a good book.

“Find books by Black people, about Black people and for Black people, and read a variety of them,” Datus says. “There are African authors, Caribbean authors, Black Latinx authors, and Black Canadians, including people like Cheryl Foggo from Calgary. Her family migrated to Alberta around the time of the Great Migration in 1910. There’s so much history that people don’t know.”

“Have conversations and dialogue with people within your circle. Don’t shy away because there’s a hard question and you don’t know how to ask it,” adds Sadia Khan, Ubuntu co-founder.

“Also, we need to recognize that February is the shortest month, and it’s not enough. Last summer. there were a lot of racial conversations, and hard ones, taking place here and around the Black Lives Matter movement. February gives all of us a platform to recognize the enriched history of the Black communities that have contributed to Canadian history, but let’s continue these conversations.”

All of Ubuntu’s events will happen through their public Facebook page.

Feb. 2 – Black History Month proclamations

Feb. 4 – Zoom webinar (hosted by a Haitian organization)

Feb. 10 – Panel webinar

Feb. 12 – Overture with the arts

Feb. 14 – Celebrating Black love

Feb. 17 – Therapy in culture

Feb. 19 – Mindful & Spirituality webinar

Feb. 26 – Closing ceremony

Every Saturday during February, there will be a Black Table Talk from 12-1:30 p.m., and from Feb. 8-20, there will be an ongoing youth art contest.

Partners for the month’s events include Cilantro & Chive, the Town of Devon, Dose Coffee, Jo(e) Social Media, and the Red Deer Native Friendship Society.