Black History Month Events Launch Tomorrow

Feb 9, 2018 | 1:45 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — The College of New Caledonia is celebrating its 21st Black History Month. The celebration is focusing its efforts towards raising money for charity for the Give a Chance Society. This year, the events are also raising money for the Dominican Hurricane Maria Relief Fund.

For organizers of the event, it’s important to recognize the struggles and contributions of the black community to society and culture. But for one organizer, Cliff Raphael, it’s more than looking to the past.

“When we think about Black History, we’re looking back. Yes, we have to look back and, as the saying goes, we’re standing on the shoulders of giants,” says Raphael. “But, I think at this point in time, I think it may be more helpful to look down the road.”

Part of that more modern history is the Black Lives Matter movement in recent years. It’s an important cause for co-organizer George Kaweesi. 

“Black Lives Matters is reminding people that black lives actually do matter and people should take it very seriously. It’s about time people stood up and said ‘Enough is enough.” We recognize the sufferings; we should recognize that these things have happened, these people have contributed to the economy to the lives of everybody else, so why don’t they be treated the same way as everybody else?”

Events to mark Black History Month start tomorrow evening, with the Evening of Song at the First Baptiste Church at 483 Gillett Street, beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is $10.
The following Saturday, February 17th, the Afro Fusion Cuisine Dinner and Dance takes place at the College. The festivities get underway at 5:30. Tickets are $40, with the money going to the Give A Chance Society and the Dominican Hurricane Maria Relief effort.

 

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