Preparations underway for 32nd edition of Black History Month in Montreal

Montreal’s Round Table organization is prepping for its 32nd edition of Black History Month, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s slogan: ‘Out of the darkness, into the light’, which president of the Round Table on Black History Month, Michael P. Farkas alludes to the pandemic.

Farkas says “the whole world and Montreal and Quebec, we’ve been under the pandemic in the last three years. So there was a lot of suffering and times were hard in many ways. Now we can be back and see each other and everything. So it’s a form of saying, we’re coming into the light, we’re coming into the sun.”

Various activities such as cooking workshops, movie screenings, music concerts and speeches will be held throughout the month of February to highlight and celebrate Quebec’s black community.

Black History Month also serves as an opportunity to honor twelve laureates- one for each month of the year featured in this year’s Black History Month calendar- that have made an important contribution to society.

“They’ll be celebrated throughout the month. And what’s expected of these 12 laureates is that they are also ambassadors for the next ones, for the next generation of people of black folks that could be seen and that will be coming up,” explained President of the Round Table on Black History Month in Montreal, Michael P. Farkas.

Spoken word artist, radio journalist and producer in Montreal, Kym Dominique-Ferguson, is among this year’s twelve Black History Month laureates.

Dominique-Ferguson adds that “it’s an absolute honor to be in this calendar. Ever since I moved back to Montreal in 2000, I’ve always seen the calendar and I’ve always had a lot of respect for the folks that are in it. And it’s it’s it’s like being among a pantheon of gods because there is so much respect and honor that comes with this position and responsibility.”

Although he is honored to serve as an inspiration to the black community in his province, he still feels that there is a lot of work that needs to be done in terms of systemic racism and discrimination against Black people in Quebec.

President of the Round Table organization, Michael P. Farkas, announces the various activities planned for this year’s Black History Month in Montreal. (Credit: Sasha Teman/CityNews)

“It’s like a double edged blade. Like sometimes it feels good because there’s a lot of my community members around. I know I can be very well supported, but at the same time there’s still that that the remnants of racism, systemic racism that’s still there,” said one of this year’s twelve Black History Month laureates, Kym Dominique-Ferguson.

A point that was also reiterated by the first black woman to head the Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough, Gracia Kasoki Katahwa.

“I talk a lot about the importance of diversity in the borough. Also, because I’m in the decision making position every time that I ask those questions, I think the public function understands that is something it’s a value that is important to me and for all council. So when we organize activities, whether it’s cultural or sports activities, when we think about beautifying the borough, it’s important for me to say we’re not going to beautify only certain types of area. We’re going to beautify other places where maybe people are not used to those types of things,” added borough mayor of Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Gracia Kasoki Katahwa.

She encourages all Montrealers to participate in next month’s Black History Month activities because “it’s important to go there and listen to what people have to say, because it’s your neighbors. It’s other Montrealers.”

Gracia Kasoki Katahwa adds that the more people are able to know and understand each other and their differences, “it’s going to allow us to have really a more peaceful society.”

A list of all the different activities for this year’s Black History Month can be found on wwww.moishistoiredesnoirs.com.

President of the Round Table on Black History Month in Montreal, Michael P. Farkas, is also calling on people from Black communities to donate blood in Quebec.