Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

The Fordes pull it off with last Sunday’s ‘Ol Time Costume Launch By Stephen Weir If no more Mas bands come out of the woodwork and sign up for this year’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival, the costume launch season officially ended early last Sunday just before tip-off of the Raptor’s championship series game. Long time Mas producers and designers Jacky and Clarence Forde brought along Blue Devils, Dame Lorraine and many other traditional Carnival characters to their ‘Ol Time Mas! Launch at Scarborough’s Queen Victoria Pub. Blue Devil Costume The Forde’s Toronto Mas Arts is keeping characters like the Fancy Sailors, Robbers, Dame Lorraines, Moko Jumbies, Pierrot Grenades, Stick Fighters and Blue Devils in the parks and streets of Toronto this summer.   These traditional carnival characters are being used in their outdoor theatrical presentations and in this summer’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival events. The Fordes are adept at turning lemons int...

Seventh Annual Walk of Excellence for Scarborough Grade 12 students  By Stephen Weir It happened Tuesday.   The young man pictured in this week’s Caribbean Camera holding a big blue globe says he had got the whole world in his hands.   And, on this day in Scarborough, so too did over 500 graduating Grade 12 students from Emery, Downsview, Westview, C.W Jeffreys and Father James McGuigan high schools. The weather was perfect for the students who took part in the Seventh Annual Walk of Excellence. The day started at the CW Jefferys high school near York University.   All of the students were in the high school auditorium before heading off on a 4km march up to the main entrance of York University. This year the Walk With Excellence had a fifth school involved in the parade - Father James McGuigan High School of the Toronto Catholic District School Board. "It is wonderful to have the public and Catholic students walking together as a community of yo...

Important Collection of Caribbean Photographs Donated to the Art Gallery of Ontario Two Women, Trinidad, ca 1890 J ust as the Caribbean Camera was going to press the paper learned  that $300,000 has been raised by members of Toronto’s Black and Caribbean communities to bring The Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs to the AGO . The Art Gallery of Ontario announced late  yesterday The Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs, a  collection of more than 3,500 historical images from 34 countries including Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad. This may be the world's largest collections of such images. This incredible visual record contains studio portraits, landscapes and tourist views. Bringing to life the changing economies, environments and communities that emerged following the abolishment of slavery, the Collection includes nearly every photographic format available during the years 1840 to 1940, including prints, postcards...

Pioneer of Black Theatre In Canada To Retire   By Stephen Weir Philip Akin has announced that he will be stepping down after 14 seasons as the Artistic Director of  Obsidian Theatre. I n 2000, Akin, along with 12 other prominent Black artists came together with the vision for an organization by and for Black theatre creators. Obsidian Theatre was formed, after  a black volcanic glass that alluded to creation and breaking new ground. He served on the board of directors, and as the company’s administrative producer before becoming Artistic Director in 2006.  He will remain in his position until 2020; the search for new artistic leadership begins now. As an artistic leader Philip is known for speaking his mind, always in support of Black artists, even if it isn’t the popular opinion. In a release sent to the Caribbean Camera Akin talked about his willingness over the years to kick butt. "It was part of my DNA that walls should come down, and if it took smas...

Digging a hole and filling it with the memories of Bathurst and Bloor. By Stephen Weir By Thursday bookstore owner and neighbourhood activist Itah Sadu fully expects to have 1,000 messages and artifacts packed into a time capsule for a Bathurst community burial in what was once the Honest Ed Store.  The time capsule has been created to make sure the legacy of the Bathurst & Bloor Black community will be known for generations. The Honest Ed property has been cleared and the current construction company redeveloping the property – Westbank Development – is working with the community to have the lunchtime ceremony! “We have been asking people to write messages and put them in plastic bottles,” explained organizer Itah Sadu.  “We are putting the messages and some very important documents and artifacts into the time capsule!   They messages include thoughts from local folks, and city politicians including Councillors Layton and Michael Thompson. Folks wh...

--> She wants Millennials to come along.  Toronto author publishes new book By Stephen Weir  Mrs. Money Baggs has made a lot of money since she created her first gig in Malvern. At 5 years of age, she picked flowers and sold them to her neighbours on their way home from work. Since those early days as a childhood entrepreneur, Mrs. Money Baggs (aka Nicolle Williams) has made a name for herself by knowing all about money – how to make it, how to keep it and how to make a nest egg grow!   She earned the nickname of Mrs. Money Baggs, because, as she writes “my friends, colleagues, and clients all consider me the go-to person for all things personal finance.” Williams was named as one of   “100 Black Women to Watch in Canada” and in 2016 was one of 150 black women who were featured by CBC in 2017. She is the host and creator of “Money Tube,” and is also the co-creator of “Money Boss Up,” a financial academy that works directly with millennials t...