Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

  July 31st., 2022 - 11.00 PM The Annual Emancipation Day Underground Freedom Train Ride Is Back On Track at Toronto's   Union Station  The Emancipation Day Underground Freedom Train Ride is back on track and in-person this year. The annual train ride aboard a private TTC train takes 1,000 people on a ride to mark Emancipation Day. The 2022 Conductor will be the  Honourable Elder Dr. Jean Augustine as she blows the whistle to start the 2022  Toronto Underground Freedom Train Ride at 11.00 PM on July 31 st  at Union Station. Everyone is welcome to get on board this annual Toronto Freedom Train ride as the people of this city recognise the challenges and opportunities provided by Canada’s proclaimed Emancipation Day. The ride will be an incredible journey and experience about the Underground Railroad, the route enslaved Africans used to escape American slave plantations, seeking freedom in Canada and ultimately Emancipation Day on August 1 st . The ...

              Don’t let Queer Coolie-tudes slip under your movie watching radar By Stephen Weir Just make sure that you don’t get popcorn grease on your keyboard. You are going to need your online devices to catch all the movies for this year's CaribbeanTales Film Festival. Last night (Wednesday_ the 15th annual Toronto based festival began, not with a red carpet, but with an online presence that has the potential to reach thousands and thousands of movie lovers. “ In spite of what’s happening in the world right now, we have continued to forge ahead,” wrote festival founder and moviemaker Frances-Anne Solomon. “ In our new online programming we are able to reach an even wider, global audience than the traditional theatre film festival … Necessity truly is the mother of invention.” Last night (Wednesday) the festival’s kick-off theme was “The Trini In Me” with a focus on Trinidadian filmmakers and the International Premiere of Grace & Saleem directe...

Film about Notting Hill Carnival coming to CaribbeanTales Film Festival  By Stephen Weir  The Notting Hill Carnival was born out of race riots and murder way back in the sixties. A new movie about the UK’s bad boy of festivals takes a look through the eyes of a young British woman as she heads down the road in costume to find out the truth about the famous 4-day annual August fete. A People's Art – The Genesis of Freedom is a documentary by England’s Tony Oldham.  The hour-long film will make its Canadian debut this fall as part of the CaribbeanTales Film Festival here in Toronto. Ayesha Casely-Hayford is glad she didn’t listen to her mother’s advice to stay away from Notting Hill. No, the young British/Ghanaian actress and lawyer now says that she is the better person for buying a modest mas outfit and jumping up both at a chocolate throwing J’ouvert party and the grand parade through the ancient streets of London (the Notting Hill area is near Kensington). Photo ...

Miss Dolly, David Rudder and  Macomere Fifi  Are All On Board for the Friday July 31 st  Emancipation Day Underground Freedom Train Ride  Live and Online FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 30, 2020 ...  This year’s 15 th  annual Freedom Train Ride is going live and virtual! Get on board live on A Different Booklist Cultural Centre’s YouTube page beginning at 10:45 PM on the eve of Emancipation day, Friday July 31st, 202.0 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 1 st  when slavery was abolished in the British Empire. It is also a celebration of the power and potential of the peoples of African descent. A Different Booklist Cultural Centre (ADBCC)  and the 2020  Freedom Train Ride Committee  are pleased to announce this year's Cond...

Carnival Themed Fete At the Art Gallery Of Ontario Attracts Hundreds and Hundreds Rhoma in costume at the AGO - photo by Craigg Slowly By Stephen Weir for Caribbean Camera Rhoma Spencer, Macomere Fifi, traditional costumed carnival performers and dancer Jasmyn Fyffe took the AGO by storm last Thursday night as part of the art gallery's First Thursday fete. The theme last night was Carnival, and thousands crammed into the Toronto public gallery to jump up. Rhoma Spencer, a well-known Trinidadian Canadian actor and producer, recreated the custom of Viey la Cou (The Old Yard), where traditional Mas was performed over two centuries ago. The characters that she brought to the Dundas St W building were larger than life. There was Dame Lorraine, a Trinidadian mas character of the 18th century, was known for love of dance and shakes it up in a big way with huge padded breasts and an equally large padded butt. Pictured with the Dame is Rhoma Spencer dressed as the Midnigh...

Justin Trudeau stopped by the Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival BBQ One Year Later,  One Liberal Learns To Dance To A Soca Beat It is carnival time in the city of Toronto.  Soca Music. Mas. Calypso. A million people in the hot and hot streets. More media than at the G20.  For Federal Liberals,  the world famous Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival, has always had a  huge publicity attraction.  It is sometimes their PR Waterloo. And while Martha Reeves does say that  summer is here and the time is right for dancing in the street, it doesn't mean that a politician just has to show up to be instantly seen as being one with the people. It was a year ago, that Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, rented a bus and rolled into town for what was then called Scotiabank Caribana.  He had a steel pan orchestra and champion calypso singer,  Macomere Fifi in tow.  They barnstormed the festival, entertaining the crowds with long speeches, soca and...