Colourism is a colonial and white supremacist leftover from the enslavement that permeates every area of Black life. From the media (consider Netflix’s unspoken refusal to cast dark-skinned, Black actresses) to our celebrities (light-skinned women like Angela Davis, Beyonce), to our dating choices — colourism is effective in erasing dark-skinned Black people, especially dark-skinned Black women. 

PHOTO: Nigel Gordijk’s grandparents were from Suriname (Dutch Guiana), and moved to Guyana (British Guiana), where they raised their family. The young child is their grandson, Jimmy. A casual conversation with someone I barely knew led to discoveries about my missing Surinamese heritage, including my enslaved great-great-grandmother.

Jesus was a carpenter.

Like many Black Canadians, I have had my share of negative experiences in the school system. I remember a white kid not wanting to hold my hand as we formed a “sharing circle” in kindergarten. In Grade 1, the teacher never once called my name when I had my hand up. I was invisible to her. They created the gifted program in Grade 3. Apparently, I tested high enough to qualify. I learned recently that I was not admitted until my parent strenuously intervened. It had been difficult for the school to accept a Black child into a program that…

In early August 2013, Ricardo McRae never imagined that his daily walk from the subway to his old apartment on Yonge St. and Davisville Ave. would land him in hospital. 

Within the year 2020, we have seen one of the largest rises of young entrepreneurs in economic history; (Generation Z specifically). Even I, who was working towards a career in the corporate side of marketing, scrapped the idea of becoming part of someone's company. I wanted to keep my authenticity while establishing my own rules and culture, doing what I love.

Just a 30-minute drive from downtown Toronto, the suburban town of Oakville boasts of having some of the "most picturesque harbours" and "best dining options" in the GTA. It is home to many of Ontario's most affluent residents...residents who are predominantly white.

This piece is in partnership with Toronto's Manifesto, an Instagram platform founded by Chelsea Martin and Imani Busby, dedicated to uplifting the Black and Indigenous communities across Canada while providing educational resources and ways to support these communities.

A big change happened in Ontario’s education system last week. It a game changer for Black and racialized kids, and you likely have not even heard about it.

“Ya, you’re smart for…you know…a Black girl”.  I’ve always thought it was strange that as a society we allowed White people to capitalize on the characteristic of intelligence. More importantly, we’ve accepted the universal stereotype that marginalized cultures lack sophistication and intelligence. Therefore, allowing dominant White culture to use this as a justification to continue to oppress ethnic groups, predominantly the Black community.