It’s been a year since the world witnessed the horrific murder of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, by white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin.

It’s painfully apparent that the pandemic has had a disproportionately negative impact on the Black community. According to Statistics Canada, Ontarians living in neighbourhoods with higher concentrations of racialized people were three times more likely to get COVID-19, four times more likely to be hospitalized by it, and twice as likely to die from the disease. During the peak of the first wave of the pandemic, Black people accounted for 21 percent of reported COVID-19 cases in Toronto, despite only making up 9 percent of the population. 

You might know Denham Jolly as the pioneer who fought for and founded FLOW 93.5, Canada’s first Black-owned radio station or as the author of the 2017 Toronto Book Award-winning memoir, In the Black: My Life.

“Don't change your dreams just because no one else has done it.”

Upon turning 19 in Ontario, teenagers can look forward to a few firsts. The exciting prospect of winning some money from their first lottery ticket, buying alcohol for the first time, or voting in their first election. However, what 19-year-old Branksome Hall graduate Renee Jagdeo is looking forward to, is making history. 

Brandon Gonez isn't going anywhere. He may have left our screens on CP24 News but he's moved on to blaze his own path with the signature authenticity and humour that's captivated Canadians across the country and earned him a die-hard fanbase. His new weekly online series The Brandon Gonez Show premieres on January 17th on YouTube with four exciting segments: NEWS YOU CAN USE, YOUR VOICE, OPEN & HONEST, and GOOD NEWS. It's backed by partners like Moët Hennessy, Uber, and Seneca College. The first season will feature ten must-watch episodes airing every Sunday.

When the Black Medical Students Association (BMSA) started at the University of Toronto in 1999, founder Dr. Sean Wharton, was one of only three members.

For over two decades, Marci Ien has been a fixture in the Canadian media scene. From covering the national news for CTV in Halifax, to anchoring the wildly successful 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, to being a political reporter at Queen’s Park, Ien has had a long and celebrated career as a broadcast journalist. 

It’s been a busy month for Annamie Paul. The bilingual lawyer from Toronto won the leadership race for the Green Party of Canada after 8 rounds of voting on October 3. Following the leadership race, she immediately turned her attention to the by-election in the Toronto-Centre riding. Paul subsequently called for both the Toronto-Centre and the York-Centre by-elections to be postponed as COVID-19 numbers surged. When Paul and I spoke on Thanksgiving Monday, she told me she did between 20-30 interviews a day during her first week as leader.

The Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce (CBCC) and Facebook Canada are collaborating on an initiative to support Black business owners and entrepreneurs. Facebook Canada has contributed $500,000 in funding to the CBCC’s new grant program which supports members of the Black-business community who’ve been impacted by COVID-19. The program was announced this week at the inaugural C2 Online event and coincides with Canadian Black Business Week. The grants are meant to help business owners and entrepreneurs strengthen their online presence and increase their capacity.