Toronto News: Underground and Online - All is on Track

Friday night's Toronto Freedom Train Rattles Across The Internet
By Stephen Weir
Carnival’s Virtual Road was not the only weekend online event that drew cellphone audiences here in Toronto. A virtual underground railroad ride, drew viewers, albeit at a much smaller scale than Saturday's digital Toronto Caribbean Carnival. ( Pictured above - last year's train ride - Sheppard Station)
On Friday night the 15th annual Freedom Train to mark Emancipation Day was live online and drew a larger following in cyber space than it usually does with an actual packed midnight subway train trip! Itah Sadu and the A Different Booklist Cultural Centre community organized the ride that brought in supporters from as far away as Ghana.
Traditionally people come out to ride a train from Union Station to Downsview to mark both the Emancipation Act and to honour those who rode the Underground Railroad to freedom from the USA. The live event attracts 1,000 people, Friday’s live YouTube broadcast attracted over 1,500 people and a daily stream of people are still clicking on to watch it all again!
“This year we connected with people nationally and internationally with the theme of diasporic crossings, relationships, and furthering the conversations on reparations for people of African descent. We have traveled by foot, by bus, by train and by water, and this year we traveled virtually," explained Sadu, “The Emancipation Day “Underground Freedom Train” Ride is symbolic of the role of the Underground Railroad within Canada’s history. This train ride is recognition of the historic date of Emancipation Day on August 1st when slavery was abolished in the British Empire. It is also a celebration of the power and potential of the peoples of African descent”.
(Above: Itah speaks at last year's Train ride) The reaction to the online Ride was worldwide. Marlene Tomlinson posted from Kingston, Jamaica to say that the Freedom Train broadcast was “a spiritual journey for me. It was an excellent production Itah, thank you.”
“ This program is being done in Excellence. Wonderful!” wrote Kelly Smith in Boston.
The train ride broadcast began after 10 pm and ended early Sunday morning.

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