By Neil Armstrong
On a chilly weekend morning, a bunch of greater than 50 folks gathered at Victoria Park subway station for the beginning of a Black Historical past bus tour organized by Blackhurst Cultural Centre and the Toronto Transit Fee. Amongst them have been relations of the late Louis March, founding father of the Zero Gun Violence Motion (ZGVM), widow Wendy, son Troy and brother Trevor; some members of ZGVM, households, and group advocates. Additionally, in attendance have been three of the artists of AstroSankofa Arts Initiatives who designed the portraits of Louis March and Debbie Douglas.
Ugonna Ikechi, who co-created March’s portrait with Quentin VerCetty, is a visible artist from Nigeria who lives and works in Toronto as a contract designer and artwork director. VerCetty is the creative director of AstroSankofa, a not-for-profit group and artist collective targeted on Afrofuturistic themes like sankofanology and solarpunk.
“I created a portrait that made him seem like an impressive superhero, so I’ve a cape on him with an African emblem, some African clothes, and an ‘ankh’, which was a giant image for Louis March whose nickname was King Tut. I’ve a dove within the pics as effectively to indicate the Zero Gun Violence Motion so the peace he stood for but additionally as an emblem of the truth that he’s now not with us. I feel the final component was the lens he has on — there’s a futurist component within the body. And I’ve the ZGVM emblem on the lenses themselves to indicate that his imaginative and prescient lives on ceaselessly,” stated Ikechi for whom it was fulfilling to create a chunk that celebrates March this manner.
March was a group chief who labored tirelessly to handle the basis causes of gun violence, advocate for systemic fairness, and create safer areas for marginalized youth.
Jamera Dacosta, aka ‘Simply J Artwork,’ makes a speciality of acrylic, oil pastel, and digital portray, exploring vibrancy of Caribbean heritage into her inventive expression.
She created the portrait of Debbie Douglas, a distinguished advocate for immigrant and refugee rights in Canada, who serves as the manager director of the Ontario Council of Businesses Serving Immigrants (OCASI), the place she has led initiatives targeted on bettering providers and insurance policies for immigrants and refugees, in addition to selling fairness and social justice.
“The portrait I painted of her was actually to depict her superhero-esque, type of reflecting what she does and likewise bringing in her heritage and imaginative and prescient for the long run. Some key parts that I had in there have been her cloak which has a blueprint of Toronto and its flowing which signifies the blueprint that has obtained us to the place we are actually, but additionally plans for the long run — and the way immigrant and refugee rights could be improved for the long run,” stated DaCosta who’s a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan College and whose work explores ideologies, ideas, and tradition utilizing daring colours and complex layering of natural shapes.
She additionally added gears over Douglas’s shoulder “which connects to what she does and being on the TTC — no matter your technique of transportation is — gears are what propel it and transfer it ahead. And so, the gears of refugee rights, immigrant rights in addition to security and fairness are what work collectively to make the development that we’ve come to this far.”
DaCosta stated the necklace of picket beads ties again to Africa and Douglas’s roots in Grenada and the pendant is the Order of Canada.
She additionally did the design of the bus which represents previous, current and future on either side and depicts a journey of resilience.
Douglas is well-regarded for her work in advancing anti-racism and social inclusion efforts throughout Ontario, making vital impacts within the non-profit and advocacy sectors.
The bus tour stopped exterior the handle of the previous residence of Gwen and Lenny Johnston, house owners of Third World Books & Crafts; TAIBU Group Well being Centre; Albert Jackson Processing Centre; Tropicana Group Providers; and Chris Jerk Caribbean Bistro.
The tour guides have been Itah Sadu, managing director of Blackhurst Cultural Centre and historian Kathy Grant in collaboration with Amoy Wynter, TTC’s Black Historical past Month marketing campaign mission lead.
#BlackHistory #CommunityUnity #LouisMarch #ArtForChange #TorontoCulture #ZeroGunViolence #AstroSankofa #ImmigrantRights #CulturalHeritage #BlackExcellence
