Holistic wellness in the spirit of Sankofa: Moving Forward, Guided by the Past
Written by Christina Sanakidis and Ellah Mangwiza, Managers – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
"Black History is not just for Black people — Black history is Canadian History"
The Honourable Jean Augustine
Black people have been on the lands now known as Canada prior to the formation of this nation. From the sought-after explorer and linguist Mathieu da Costa, whose presence here was noted in 1608, to young Olivier le Jeune, an enslaved child from Madagascar who was brought here by a British convoy in 1628, Black presence on this land predates the 1867 formation of the dominion of Canada on Indigenous lands.
Our history also involves long lines of kinship between Indigenous and Black communities across Turtle Island (also known as North America). From 1810 to 1850, Indigenous communities played an important role in the system known as the Underground Railroad.
Between 1897 and 1911 African Americans, referred to as Exodusters, migrated to Canada in high numbers to escape the harsh living conditions created by segregation laws. Between 1908 and 1911 more than 1,000 African American Oklahomans sold their farms and migrated to Alberta and Saskatchewan. Unfortunately, the Exodusters were met with racial discrimination from white Canadian settlers too. After 300 years of Black presence in Canada and various waves of Black migration over that time, racist attitudes and mistreatment of Black communities continued, leading to an eventual ban on Black immigration in 1911.
More than 40 years later, the Canadian government would launch a domestic-worker program to recruit Black women from the Caribbean in order to fill post-war needs for domestic labour. In 1962 the migration ban on Black people was completely lifted, and more Black people could migrate to Canada. Many Caribbean Canadians came to Canada through sponsorship by family members who originally arrived via the domestic-worker program. In the 1980s, immigration of Black populations expanded beyond the Caribbean, resulting in a rise in migration from various African countries.
Throughout history, there have long been collective efforts within Black communities to create safe cultural hubs — spaces to generate opportunities and to collaborate. From the Universal Negro Improvement Association in Toronto (aka UNIA, from 1900–1950) to their auxiliary group Black Cross Nurses.
Fast forward to 1995, when a motion brought forth in the House of Commons by the Honourable Jean Augustine resulted in the designation of February as Black History Month in Canada. We honour her and all activists, past and present, who continue to advocate for Black communities across Canada.
Join us this Black History Month, as the YMCA of Greater Toronto continues its journey of change and learning together. For 2023, our learnings will be informed by Sankofa. Sankofa is an African word from the Akan tribe in Ghana. The literal translation of the word and the symbol is: “It is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind.”
The symbol for Sankofa is a mythical bird with its feet firmly planted forward and its head turned backwards. Thus, the Akan believe the past serves as a guide for planning the future. Learning from the past ensures a strong future. The Akan believe there must be movement and new learnings as time passes and as this forward march proceeds, the past must never be forgotten.
Rooted in this concept, our 2023 Black History Month theme is about empowering Black communities and returning to wellness by embracing the rituals, traditions and healing modalities of our ancestors. These ways of knowing require an anti-colonial approach in both thought and practice. We hope that you will engage with the linked resources above and join us for programming, below.
| Date | Event Name | Description | Link |
| Tuesday, January 31, 2023 (Virtual – 12:30 pm) | Sankofa: Moving forward, guided by the past | Join us for this short (45-min) lunch and learn experience. Together we will examine the Ghanaian concept of Sankofa and learn how this informs our upcoming Black History Month programming at the YMCA of Greater Toronto. | Advanced registration required - linked here |
| Friday, February 17, 2023 (Virtual – 2:30 pm) | Kujichaguila! Body Stories: Where History, Race and Queerness Intersect | Please join the YMCA of Greater Toronto as we explore healthism, racism, and misogynoir with our guest speaker Dr. Jill Andrew (she/her), PhD. In this session, we will explore how Kujichaguila, the Kwanzaa principle of defining and speaking for ourselves can be expressed in the radical act of surviving and thriving in a weight-hating world. Dr. Andrew will share stories that examine the impact of racism on society’s view of Black bodies. We will explore the intersections of disability, fatness and queerness. | Advanced registration required - linked here |
| Friday, February 24, 2023 (In-person in the auditorium of Central YMCA – 6 pm) | Ujima! The Collective Work of Community Wellness | Join us in exploring how collective work and responsibility can build and maintain our communities together. An intergenerational panel of community leaders will discuss making our community problems our problems and ways to solve them together. In this session, we will explore how Ujima, the Kwanzaa principle of commitment to active and informed togetherness can guide us in addressing matters of community interest. This event will be hosted by Ken Burgess (he/him), General Manager of Membership Services and Samantha Adebiyi (she/her), Program Coordinator for the YMCA Black Achiever’s Program. | Advanced registration required - linked here |
| Saturday, February 25, 2023 (In-person at Brampton YMCA) 11am-2:30pm | Celebration of Black Art and Culture in the spirit of Sankofa | Join the Brampton YMCA for their Black History Month Celebration. Local talent will be showcased including dance performances, guitar playing, African drumming, poem reading and much more! Light snacks and refreshments will be served. For more information: Speak to the membership desk staff or email Judy.Bunnah@ymcagta.org | Open house, you can drop in any time between 11am and 2:30pm |
To learn more about the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s ongoing work in this area, visit the Anti-racism and Cultural Diversity page that highlights our work on Dismantling Anti-Black Racism, our equity program for Black youth and our commitment to supporting Black communities.
There are many Black History Month Events that take place throughout the city in the month of February. You can support and attend events in your local community such as theToronto Black Film Festival , Toronto Public Library Black History programming, etc.
