The celebration of Black History Month has gone virtual at Carleton University this year.
Many Carleton faculties, departments, and clubs—such as the Carleton Science Student Society—have posted profiles of monumental Black and Black Canadian figures on their websites and social media accounts to commemorate the month.
Panel discussions and speaking events are being hosted on Zoom, while others such as the faculty of arts and social sciences have taken to creating virtual showcases.
Noor Masad is a second-year international business student at Carleton and a programming co-ordinator for RISE, the CUSA-run service centre for international and racialized students.
Masad wrote in an email that RISE will be hosting events through Zoom and posting showcases online. RISE has planned out a calendar of events for what they are calling Black Future Month.
“Our mission is to highlight Black brilliance and re-educate on historical events through our programming,” she said in the email. “This month’s programming, down to the title, the colours and all-around purpose is to celebrate and unite the Black community, not just on our campus.”
Masad also wrote that while she is not Black herself and cannot understand what it means to be Black, she is making an effort to respect and honour the Black community as an ally.
The Womxn’s Centre, the Wellness Centre, the Gender & Sexuality Resource Centre and the Black Student Alliance have also partnered with RISE to host a series of events related to Black history and culture.
Here are some events you can attend online:
Feb. 22 at 2:30 p.m.
The faculty of public affairs has invited former member of parliament and parliamentary secretary for the prime minister Celina Caesar-Chavannes to speak about her new book, Can You Hear Me Now? How I Found My Voice and Learned to Live with Passion and Purpose over Zoom.
Afterwards, Caesar-Chavannes will participate in a Q-and-A from a panel of students from the faculty of public affairs.
Feb. 24 at 6 p.m.
CUSA’s RISE Centre is hosting an event called Soul Rhythm, during which two Ontario-based musical artists will perform and hold a discussion on their experiences being BIPOC artists.
The event will feature a Q-and-A session afterwards.
Feb. 26 at 6 p.m.
CUSA’s Womxn’s Centre is having a panel discussion called Can We Talk About It: The Diaries of a Black Womxn.
The panelists will be joined by Concordia University undergraduate Josie Fomé, TEDx Speaker Maya Basudde, Ottawa-based fashion stylist and editor of Sayaspora King Berniee, co-founders of Ottawa-based charity foundation The Love Package Sephora Kabongo and Noesa Malonga-Massamaba, and Monica Samuel, founder of Black Women in Motion.
Stay tuned to the CUSA Womxn’s Centre’s Facebook for more details.
Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m.
The Afro-Caribbean Mentorship Program and the Nigerian Canadian Association of Montreal is hosting its third annual Black History Month event.
The event will feature live entertainment, spoken word performances, panel discussions, and keynote speeches from Michael Ngadi, a McGill University bioengineering professor, and Louis March of the Toronto-based organization Zero Gun Violence Movement. The ACMP will also be issuing book bursaries to Afro-Carribean students.
“Our events are open to everyone to join and learn about history, language and culture,” Masad said in the email. “To be better allies. To inform each other on how to coexist and be mindful!”
As the month progresses, stay tuned to the CUSA RISE Centre’s and Black Student Alliance’s social media to find out about more events celebrating Black Future Month.
