Black Lives Matter Sudbury panel explores links between Indigenous, Black activism

Black Lives Matter (BLM) Sudbury is highlighting the parallels between Indigenous and Black activism as part of its annual caucus.

The virtual panel discussion, scheduled for the evening of Feb. 28, is called Zaagi'idwin—the Anishinaabe word for love, which is one of the Seven Grandfather Teachings. It will feature four panelists and a moderator, all of whom either have connections to Sudbury, Ont. or experience with Afro-Indigenous perspectives.

BLM Sudbury treasurer Shana Calixte said it's important for the two demographics to share their experiences and explore the ways their histories are intertwined, yet do that in a way that doesn't erase the uniqueness of either community.

"Colonial drivers are trying to divide us," said Calixte. "We make sure that we, you know, work together and push back against white supremacy, also making sure that we recognize whose land that we're on."

BLM Sudbury's theme for this year's northern caucus is Black futures. It aims to celebrate Black excellence while continuing conversations about the work that remains toward equity.

The panel, moderated by Connor Lafortune of Dokis First Nation, will feature guests Tara Chapple, Cora-Rae Silk, Laura Hall and Zainab Amadahy. It runs from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

BLM Sudbury's annual caucus takes an intersectional approach, meaning it looks at the ways different social classes interact and overlap. Between Feb. 26 and March 4, it's hosting daily events including talks, workshops and artistic programming.

Its annual caucuses tend to overlap with Black History Month in February. The choice to have this year's event stretch into March was intentional and fit with the theme, said Calixte.

"It's not about the past only, but it's about the future that we're creating, that really transformative, that really resilient, that really engaging future that includes Blackness," she said.

Calixte said, while conversations about discrimination often disappear after February, activists continue working all year for the causes they support. Having the event stretch beyond the bounds of Black History Month was a way of representing that, she said.

As more people immigrate to northern Ontario, conversations about discrimination and racism become more important for all people to share, Calixte said.

"Sudbury, specifically, does not look the same as it did even five years ago. And so by not engaging with this conversation, not recognizing that, you're ignoring the community around you," she said.

And while there is considerable overlap, there are also important differences between the challenges racialized people face in rural and northern communities, compared to in cities. One of those, said Calixte, is the work Black activists run in solidarity with Indigenous people and francophones.