By Vicky Qiao –– First launched in 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement has attracted skyrocketing levels of participation and intensity since the May 25, 2020 killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, by the Minneapolis police. While mass rallies to protest anti-Black racism are happening around the world,Continue Reading
By Monika Sidhu — Benny Bing’s artwork has shifted over the years, but the portrait artist’s commitment to empowering Black women has always remained strong. The Toronto-based, Nigeria-born artist has unveiled his latest work after a 10-month break and “creative block.” Premiering as a two-month virtual exhibition, Bloom is theContinue Reading
By Adriana Vicic— Until this week, Dana Bryce has never publicly shared her lived experience as a “mixed woman.” She wanted to, but felt she never had the platform. So she created one. And on Monday, Bryce launched Know Your Neighbour (KYN) Project — a platform to tell People of Colour’s (POC)Continue Reading
By Adriana Vicic — Progressive news came out of the professional hockey world last week, when a group of former and current Black NHL players announced the Hockey Diversity Alliance (HDA) with a goal of eradicating racism and intolerance in the sport. But what seemed to be a step forwardContinue Reading
By Mira Williamson — Katu Azzya is a tall Black man. He’s not good at basketball. He doesn’t look tough. He’s also known to many as Mz. Affra-Tighty. When he was attacked by three skinheads in downtown London a few years ago, they screamed racial and homophobic slurs at him,Continue Reading
Vicky Qiao — As summer quickly approaches, some restaurants in cities across Ontario can now open for outdoor dining after enduring 12 weeks of lockdown. But many still cannot. The province announced Monday its plans for Phase 2 reopening, with rules about capacity and safety for restaurants and bars openingContinue Reading
By Mira Williamson — Pride Month is normally a time for LGBTQ+ folks and allies to gather and celebrate. But COVID-19 has definitely rained on this year’s parade in cities across North America. Still, the show of support will go on, say Pride festival organizers who are taking steps toContinue Reading
I downloaded my first Lady Antebellum song in 2014. It was ‘Need You Now’—the catchy song about someone feeling lonely and calling their former love in the early hours of the morning. It topped all the charts that year. At that time, I wasn’t exactly a dedicated fan. MyContinue Reading
By Eva Zhu — Savannah Bagshaw says growing up, J.K. Rowling created a whole new universe for her and many others. It was an inclusive community, where everyone had a chance to be accepted and find solace in their own way. Now, the 24-year-old says she no longer admires RowlingContinue Reading
By Mira Williamson — Premier Doug Ford announced Monday that Ontario would take a regional approach to reopening with 24 regions of the province — but not all — entering Phase 2 Friday. For those regions, that means as many gatherings can include as many as 10 people, up fromContinue Reading