Black history displays and presentations, music and entertainment, arts and crafts, and a huge sampling of Afro-Caribbean food were featured Sunday afternoon during Tillsonburg’s second annual Black History Month celebration.
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“I certainly am happy,” co-organizer Olive Williams smiled. “A lot more people this year, a lot more vendors who came out to display their work.
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“I got food from Metro, Zehrs and Sobeys. Zehrs shocked me today when I went to pick up the food – they gave me a ton of food. They expected a crowd. I was worried that I would run out of food, but not anymore.”
There were more than 200 people, said co-organizer Courtney Williams.
Heather Rennalls made a historical presentation and Pastor Sandie Thomas shared her thoughts on Black history, freedom and Biblical inspirations.
“We talk about freedom, and to be truly free is we’ve got to free our minds,” said Thomas. “We’ve got to start thinking and understanding that we are truly one. And if we can understand that we are truly one, we’ll start to learn about our culture and move away from this thing called color. Because color you cannot do anything about. Culture, you can learn and grow and move. And what does that bring? It brings respect.”
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In the first hour of the four-hour event the Canadian national anthem was sung, along with the Black anthem (Lift Every Voice and Sing).
“We also talked about the power of prayer in Black history,” said Olive Williams. “We talked about us overcoming because people prayed.”
Included among the 220 visitors were Tillsonburg Mayor Deb Gilvesy, who spoke to the Lions Auditorium group, and councilors Kelly Spencer, Chris Rosehart, and Pete Luciani.
“More than ever, this is important for Tillsonburg,” Spencer said. “This is free for everyone. With our growth came a lot of diversity and these sort of events bring that inclusivity, bring that sense of belonging.”
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