Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

  Canada puts the stamp of approval on Michie Mee and Maestro Fresh Wes By Stephen Weir on I  wouldn't  “I was in disbelief, and I was like, ‘You’re kidding me,’ and then I was just overjoyed,” Michie Mee told  CBC Radio’s As It Happens  host Nil Köksal. “I’m still screaming at the top of my lungs inside.” Canada Post has released Black History Month stamps every year since 2009, but this marks the first time the Crown corporation has honoured hip-hop artists. “It’s been so long in terms of being recognized for women in rap — much less Canadian women in rap,” Michie Mee said. The Black History Month stamps honouring Canadian hip-hop trailblazers Maestro Fresh Wes, Michie Mee and Muzion were unveiled at a special event in Toronto this past week. The stamps highlight the lasting impact these performers have had on Canadian music, culture and identity. Michie Mee is featured on one of Canada Post’s new Black History Month stamps honouring Canadian hip-hop pioneers....

ALBERT JACKSON’S FAMILY STAMP HIS NAME ON NEW SCARBOROUGH BUILDING   If you don’t know who Albert Jackson was or what he looked like, you probably haven’t been s If you don't know who Albert Jackson was or what he looked like, you probably haven't been sending letters home to Mommy. Tall, fit, and finely groomed with a mustache, Canada's first Black mailman cut quite the figure walking his route. So much so that Canada Post put his painted portrait on a stamp back in 2019. Born into slavery in the United States, Jackson was just a boy when his family escaped to Canada via the underground railroad. In Toronto, he pursued his education and won a position as a letter carrier in 1882. When he reported for work, he faced discrimination from his colleagues, who refused to train him. The debate over the situation raged for weeks until political pressure, especially from Toronto's Black community, triumphed, and Jackson was able to walk his route. He passed away in 1918 at the ...

  Art Bites: Cultural News That Arrived On My Virtual Desk This Week  By Stephen Weir Cian Knights Joins the AGO On Wednesday morning Toronto’s Art Gallery of Ontario announced that  Cian Knights  has joined the gallery as their first Manager  of Diversity and Inclusion. She leaves the  Toronto based Centre for Young Black Professionals to take on this new role at the AGO. In announcing her appointment the Gallery said that following  “the Black Lives Matter protests sparked by George Floyd's death the AGO took heed to the urgent call to accelerate our efforts and take a more critical eye towards (diversity). How do we, as a leading Canadian museum, pledge to accurately reflect the diversity of our community through our internal culture, exhibitions, collections and programming?”  “I am looking forward to taking on this new role to lead and partner in efforts of equitable transformation at the AGO,” Knights said. “This is going to be a journey of ...