By Stephen Weir
In 2024, Conductor Amah Harris blows the whistle because the Emancipation Underground Freedom Prepare rolls once more, laying new tracks from Union Station to Downsview Park Station. This annual literal transferring occasion, held throughout Toronto’s Carnival season, brings over 1,200 folks collectively in a profound celebration of Emancipation Day.
This 12 months marks the tenth collaboration between the Toronto Transit Fee (TTC) and the Blackhurst Cultural Centre, beforehand referred to as A Totally different Booklist Cultural Centre. The occasion provides an immersive underground expertise by way of Toronto’s subway system, symbolizing the historic underground railroad journey. Open to all Canadians, the journey prices solely the worth of a token, making it an accessible alternative for reflection and celebration.
The Emancipation Day “Underground Freedom Prepare” Trip begins on July thirty first and concludes within the early hours of August 1st. It serves as a strong reminder of the historical past, legacy, and significance of Emancipation, extending the spirit of the Underground Railroad and celebrating the resilience exemplified by Harriet Tubman.
Amah Harris, a distinguished educator, producer, mentor, playwright, and researcher, leads this 12 months’s journey. With roots in Dominica’s Kalinago area, Amah brings a wealthy cultural heritage to her work, which features a documentary on the African origins of masquerade from Africa to the Caribbean and the diaspora.
Famend poet laureate Lillian Allen may even take part, crafting a poem for the event. This 12 months, the occasion will honor Ozase Dolabaille and have performances by 4 singers, the Verity Group Choir, and Tikki Mercury Clarke.
Reflecting on the journey of African folks, Amah emphasizes that we’re on the daybreak of the subsequent 100 years of world evolution for African communities. Her outstanding profession spans many years, together with profitable the British Council Award in 1964 for her efficiency within the Commemorative Shakespeare Competition. Because the inventive director of Dominica’s Secondary Faculty’s Drama Society, later renamed the Little Theatre, she spearheaded quite a few theatrical productions, workshops, and festivals that enriched the native arts scene.
The Emancipation Underground Freedom Prepare not solely celebrates the historic significance of Emancipation but in addition honours the contributions of people like Amah Harris, whose work continues to encourage and uplift communities. Final 12 months, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined the journey, blowing the whistle in a symbolic gesture of unity and recognition.
Because the practice rolls by way of Toronto’s subway system this 12 months, it carries with it the hopes, goals, and resilient spirit of those that fought for freedom, reminding us the entire ongoing journey in the direction of equality and justice.
