Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

Canada Day Fund Raiser Includes a Draw for a Stay at The Famed Mount Irvine Bay Resort In Tobago By Stephen Weir    While young and upwardly mobile hipsters party like its 1999 on Canada Day, they will be raising money for the Caribbean Scholarship Foundation (CSF) while they groove. Toronto based GF Promotions is holding an all-inclusive CRAVE The Event Party for the fifth year, and, is committed to support a non-profit Foundation that helps Caribbean Canadian students pay for their schooling. CRAVE The Event is an annual outdoor extravaganza combining the best in food, entertainment, culture, and music. “In 2018, we decided to strengthen our ties to the community and support a charity that improves the lives of young people, through education,” the event organizers told the Caribbean Camera. “This year, we have chosen to work with the CSF. Our goal to make the Canadian-Caribbean diaspora as accessible and inclusive to the wider community, as possible!” CRAVE The Event tak

Black History Society President To The Rescue By Stephen Weir .          Stranded in Florida recovering from a knee operation, author Dr. Karolyn Smardz Frost missed an important weekend prize ceremony in Toronto for her nonfiction book Steal Away Home: One Woman’s Epic Flight to Freedom – And Her Long Road Back to the South .   The book about a young woman's escape from slavery, has just won the ‪Ontario   Historical Society’s   J.J. Talman Award. The Prize is given to the best book about Ontario's social, economic, political or cultural history which has been written anytime in the previous three years.   This is the second award for Frost’s Underground Railroad book. Earlier this year she also received the 2017 Speaker’s Book Award from the Honourable Dave Levac, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Karolyn Smardz Frost has told the true story of escaped slave Cecelia Reynolds and her flight of courage to Toronto. It was 1846 and

BOOKS Children’s Literature – First Day At School In Canada For Jamaica’s Leroy By Stephen Weir Immigration and children is The hot topic button today.   The differences between Canada’s approach and the United States have never been so profound.   In the genre of Children’s Literature, Toronto author, storyteller and bookstore owner Itah Sadu’s latest book (her sixth)   – Greetings, Leroy – is suddenly germane to the discussion. Itah Sadu has written a new children’s picture book as an email to a friend back home about Roy’s first day at a Canadian school. His family has just moved to Canada from Jamaica. His new home is different from his old home – in in the North, even the sun feels cold! His nerves ease, though, as welcome reminders of home follow him through his day. It begins when his neighbour gives him a Bob Marley button as a gift to get him through that stressful first day at school. The principal tells him about the soccer team and his new class makes

Election over, and now it is back to work! by Stephen Weir It is back to work for TV host Nikki Clarke and that means transforming lives, one inspirational story at a time. After unsuccessfully running for office in the recent provincial election the Jamaican Canadian broadcaster is rebooting her Internet talk show in early July. “ I learned so much about my community and myself,” Nikki Clarke told the Caribbean Camera. “It was an honour to run (for the NDP) in the Mississauga Milton riding. I am so proud of what we did!” Candidate Clarke, running in her first election came close. She placed second, 2,000 votes behind Conservative candidate Deepak Anand. Amrit Mangat, the Liberal sitting member was a distant third, almost 5,000 votes behind Clarke. “ We are baaaaaaaack! Better and stronger!” she said in announcing that her show is looking for guests to appear in her kik-off show. “ This is a show that is about conversations. The people (we interview) are making a

Fantazia Junior Launch Was Fantaztic By Stephen Weir, photographs by Don Moreland For the kiddies who play Mas with Fantazia Carnival, the elements aren’t hurricanes and volcanoes; they are gentle breezes, friendly sunsets and warm blue water.   On the weekend the Fantazia Carnival held a launch party for junior revelers – the children that will be taking part in the July 21 Junior Carnival Parade. Will Morton, driving force behind Fantazia, has long been known for the uniqueness and beauty of the costumes.   This year he has chosen the Elements, as the inspiration for the costumes that will be worn on the road, be it the Kiddies Parade or Toronto Caribbean Carnival Grand Parade for adults on August 4 th . When it comes to the adults, the costumes based on ice, fire, wind and water, are sexy, basically being more feathers than fabric.   With the kids it is different. The costumes for the children are both modest and comfortable.   What made this

It Was A Three for Three Junior Carnival Weekend By Stephen Weir  Photographs by Don Moreland It started Friday night and ended early Sunday evening. Three days. Three Junior Carnival costume launches. It all played out this past weekend in Scarborough. D’ New Regulars & Foreva Carnival, Venom Carnival and Epic Carnival held parties and costume shows for youngsters interested in taking part in the Junior Carnival Parade later this summer. About 50 parents and their children came to the Nugget Avenue Twilight Restaurant early Friday evening to see the junior costumes designed by D’New Regulars & Foreva Carnival. It was a free event – complete with food and face painting - to show children what costumes they could wear in the coming July 21 st Junior Carnival Parade in Malvern as part of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival. The launch fashion show got off to a late start with about 20 children taking to the stage at 8pm just when the fete was suppose to end.   The kids

Cooking Up A Storm At The 2018 Toronto Junior Carnival By Stephen Weir / photographs by Anthony Berot  Children raise your spatulas. Get ready for the competition that will determine Canada’s top junior jerk chef! Grace Foods has put out the call for youngsters between the ages of 9 and 15 to don aprons and enter their annual Junior Chef Culinary Competition.  There is a total of  $1,500 in prize money waiting to be won! “This is a really great experience for kids who have a love of food,” said Prize coordinator  Petronilla Marchan. “This is all about learning how to create tasty dishes using nourishing Caribbean ingredients. “ The Jamaican food company says that it wants to provide a platform for aspiring young foodies to demonstrate their culinary skills and to promote a passion for healthy eating. “This contest is open to everyone,” continued Ms. Marchan. “You don’t have to be Caribbean to cook with jerk.” Grace Food has set up a website (www.juniorchef.ca) where a