A look at the contributions of Black Canadians to the history of BC
The Vancouver Maritime Museum and the National Congress of Black Women Foundation to host Black educators for a panel discussion that challenges the narrative about the Black community in B.C.
The Vancouver Maritime Museum (VMM) has partnered with the National Congress of Black Women Foundation (NCBWF) to present Changing the Narrative, a virtual Black History Month workshop that looks at the contributions of Black Canadians to the history of B.C. The two-hour workshop will take place on Friday, February 12, a professional development day for many B.C. teachers.
“Our Executive Director, Nalda Callender, advocates tirelessly promoting Black education and awareness, her contributions span over thirty-five years. There is much recent conversation about the need to insert Black History and awareness into BC curricula. Without reference or acknowledgement of our history on this land, we are virtually invisible, quietly erased. We thought this workshop would serve as a great way to engage educators across B.C. and highlight the important contributions made by Black people. This workshop shows how educators can easily modify everyday teaching materials to create more inclusive classrooms that highlight Black Canadians’ achievements and relevance.” — Lolly Bennett and Shelley-Anne Vidal, National Congress of Black Women Foundation.
Changing the Narrative is designed for anyone who is interested in Black Canadian history or teaches in B.C. school districts.
The 10:00 a.m. workshop includes a short video, a panel discussion and a question-and-answer period.
“It’s important for us to provide a platform for organizations like the NCBWF to tell the stories of their community, and we’re absolutely thrilled to facilitate this much-needed dialogue between the Black community and B.C. educators.” — Kanchan Lal, Vancouver Maritime Museum Programs Coordinator.
The panel discussion, moderated by Shelley-Anne Vidal, Vice-Chair of the NCBWF, will examine what has shaped the current narrative and will feature the following three prominent Lower Mainland community members.
Joy Walcott-Francis, PhD is a Black feminist scholar, educator and researcher. Walcott-Francis’s primary focus is post-colonial and anti-racism work, particularly on how health inequity systems impact Black folks.
Chantel Gibson is an artist-educator living in Vancouver. In community workshops and speaking engagements, Gibson encourages participants to question common knowledge through a collaborative exploration of Identity, Otherness, Privilege and Belonging.
Adam Rudder is an educator and the past co-chair of the Hogan’s Alley Society. Adam seeks to preserve and promote the historical, cultural, societal and economic contributions made by Black settlers and their descendants.
The National Congress of Black Women Foundation is a non-profit connecting people in the Black community for over 35 years. For more information, visit ncbwf.org
The NCBWF has also received funding for this event from Langara College.
For more information about Changing the Narrative, visit the event page.
Press Release
