{"id":35796,"date":"2025-02-06T16:39:22","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T21:39:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/?p=35796"},"modified":"2025-02-13T15:37:04","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T20:37:04","slug":"black-history-month-flag-raised-with-one-heart-one-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/black-history-month-flag-raised-with-one-heart-one-love\/","title":{"rendered":"Black History Month flag raised with \u201cOne Heart, One Love\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Aurora taught Bright Osei what it means to be Canadian \u2013 but it also underscored to him the challenges of being \u201cthe only person who looked like me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was a huge adjustment,\u201d said Osei, who settled with his family in Aurora at the age of 10 after coming to Canada from Ghana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the first day of class, it was very evident that I was the only person who looked like me,\u201d said Osei, who is now an AI consultant with Google. \u201cAurora taught me everything I know about being Canadian [but] when you\u2019re a kid, you don\u2019t think about the things you don\u2019t have until you grow up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a lack of opportunity to meet Black professionals, he said, perhaps even a sense of difficulty in finding one\u2019s own particular niche in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, on Friday, this example of Black Excellence was back in his community to celebrate the launch of Black History Month at Aurora Town Hall \u2013 an event that filled Council Chambers with Black professionals, community leaders, and members of the public alike \u2013 all with the common cause of celebrating Black History Month with \u201cOne Heart, One Love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organized by the Aurora Black Community Association (ABC), the standing-room-only event included remarks from MP Leah Taylor Roy, Mayor Tom Mrakas, and included the presence of Provincial Election candidates Chris Ballard (Ontario Liberal, Newmarket-Aurora), Dawn Gallagher Murphy (Progressive Conservative, Newmarket-Aurora), and Michael Parsa (Progressive Conservative, Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill), Councillors Harold Kim, who offered a prayer at the podium, Michael Thompson, and Ron Weese, and community builders like Phiona Durrant, president and founder of the ABC, and Jerisha Grant-Hall, founder of NAACA (Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI want us to be grounded in the connection of who we are and some of the enduring truths about just who we are as African people,\u201d said Grant Hall. \u201cOur contributions on this land pre-dates the founding of Canada by over 150 years. Black people have been here since the 1600s, arriving as enslaved Africans, freedom-seekers, and settlers who build communities and shaped the nation. Before the 1960s, the majority of black people in Canada were born here and our ancestors played a foundational role in this country\u2019s development. Learn of that. Our sweat, skills, experiences, contributions, were taken and used without consent \u2013 for free to build and shape early Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople of African descent are resilient, courageous, spiritual, and master-builders who have been central to the ongoing campaign for equality and an equitable Canada. Our new goal is African-Canadian truth-telling starting right here right now today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These words were echoed by Unna Fletcher, member of the ABC Advisory Team and Director of City College, who said it was an \u201chonour to stand before you united in spirit and purpose\u201d to celebrate the \u201cprofound contribution and rich history of Black individuals throughout this country and the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom the vision of Martin Luther King Jr who had a dream that one day, Black and White would walk hand in hand down the street. To the brilliance of our contemporary leaders in society, Black History is filled with stories of resilience and triumph,\u201d she said, noting the Pan-African Flag raised Friday evening is a symbol of both remembrance and hope. \u201cIt represents our commitment to acknowledge the struggles and victories of our past while inspiring future generations to continue the work of progress, equity and justice. It reminds us that the fight against oppression and inequality is ongoing and it is our responsibility to actively participate in creating a more inclusive and compassionate society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs we embark on this month-long celebration, I encourage each of you to engage deeply with the stories \u2013 the history, the rich cultural heritage that enrich our communities. I encourage you to attend events, read literatures and have conversations that challenge our thinking and grow our understanding. Let\u2019s learn from each other, let\u2019s share our experiences, and let\u2019s create a dialogue that fosters unity and respect from one another.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pan-African Flag was raised outside Town Hall moments before the celebrations continued indoors. After he helped do the honours on the chilly start to the weekend, Mayor Mrakas touched upon these themes as he formally issued the proclamation of Black History Month in Aurora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we celebrate Black History Month, we celebrate Canadian history, as well as the incredible achievements and contributions that so many Black Canadians, including many of you, have made to our communities, helping shape Canada\u2019s culture and identity,\u201d he said. \u201cYour leadership and dedication means so much to this community. Your ongoing advocacy, community action and commitment to fostering important conversations strengthens us as a Town. It is with immense pride that we raise the Pan African Flag at Town Hall this evening, a symbol of unity, resilience, and the contributions of Black Canadians to our shared history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy sincere gratitude also goes to Phiona Durrant and her entire team who organizes these wonderful events that bring all of us together. It is a very powerful statement that the ABC is extending the celebration beyond February with street banners honouring Black Canadians set to go up for several months and shifting the Black History Month Gala to April. Black History and achievement should be celebrated all year round, not just in February.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe need to continue acknowledging Canada\u2019s history of anti-Black racism and its ongoing impacts and recommit ourselves to always speaking up and acting against any prejudice and racism we see. Tonight, as we come together, let it stand as a powerful symbol of our commitment to dialogue, equity, inclusion and meaningful change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meaningful change doesn\u2019t have to be big, it just needs to make a difference, stressed Leticia Osei \u2013 Bright\u2019s sister \u2013 who serves as the ABC\u2019s Youth and Mental Health Coordinator. From her perspective, it can be as simple as checking in on a neighbour who might be new to this country or directing a resident to the services offered by the ABC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would encourage everyone today and moving on to show some humanity when you\u2019re amongst others, to check on your neighbour, and be what we are supposed to be: humanity,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a philosophy shared by brother and sister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI happen to have a therapist for a sister\u2026 I wake up to, \u2018How are you feeling?\u2019 I think one thing in the Black community [is] just being mindful of how you feel as a person, especially Black men. There is this whole stigma of being a man who keeps things internal and I am thankful I have a sister [who makes sure] I am mindful of how I feel. I think if I had the opportunity to be in Aurora as a teenager, I would try to recognize and cultivate some sort of network or community that encourages men to be more positive with how they feel\u2026 My whole message is to create communities where you can foster that kind of growth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Brock Weir<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"mail\"<\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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