What’s New for June 2017

National Aboriginal Day

June 21st is National Aboriginal Day. This is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The Canadian Constitution recognizes these three groups as Aboriginal peoples, also known as Indigenous Peoples. Following is a list of events taking place in the city:

City of Toronto’s National Aboriginal Day and The Indigenous Arts Festival

National Aboriginal Day followed by The Indigenous Arts Festival celebrates the very best in Indigenous and Métis culture. Plan to spend the days under open skies in downtown Toronto enjoying traditional and contemporary music, educational programming, storytelling, dance, theatre, and food. The series of events will energize the grounds of this historic site with powerful ancient traditions and compelling contemporary creations by Indigenous artists.

June 21st – June 25th
Times vary
Fort York National Historic Site
250 Fort York Blvd.

For further information, please visit the following URL: http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=edcd86750adeb510VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD.

Na-Me-Res Traditional Pow Wow

The Na-Me-Res Traditional Pow Wow is a community festival to recognize National Aboriginal Day. The event features traditional dancing, drumming, feast, giveaway, kids area, crafts and information booths.

Saturday June 24th
Grand Entry at 12:00 noon
Concert starts at 6:00 pm
Fort York National Historic Site
250 Fort York Blvd.

For further information, please visit the following URL: http://muskratmagazine.com/events/na-res-traditional-pow-wow-2017/.

Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (NCCT) – Aboriginal History Month Celebration

The NCCT’s 8th Annual Aboriginal History Month Celebration will take place on Wednesday June 28th from 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Yonge & Dundas Square. The event features entertainers, Kid’s Arts & Crafts Tent, craft vendors exhibiting and selling their wares and Indigenous agencies showcasing what they are doing in the community. For further information, please visit the following URL: http://ncct.on.ca/aboriginal-history-month-celebration/.

Water is Life Benefit Concert

Water is Life, a benefit concert in support of the 2017 For the Earth and Water Walk & Picking Up the Bundles Canoe Journey AND the Onaman Collective’s Culture Camp Forever. Performers include Digging Roots, Tara Williamson, Marie Gaudet, Ansley Simpson, Jenny Blackbird, Marc MerilÃ¤inen, Arthur Renwick, Andy Mason, Isaac Murdoch, Christi Belcourt, Shane Belcourt, Gillian Austin, Marie Gaudet, Cliff Cardinal plus The Water Is Life house band).

Water is Life takes place on June 1st at 6:30 pm at the Hart House Theatre.

For more information, please visit Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/197445487428386/.
There will also be a silent art auction…artists such as Christi Belcourt are generously donating work.

Ticket prices are $25 for non-students and $15 for seniors and students, available online and in person at Hart House Theatre Box Office:https://tickets.harthouse.ca/online/article/waterislife.

This event is a guest production presented in partnership with Hart House Theatre, and the Hart House Farm and Social Justice Committees.

U of T Pride Flag Raising Ceremony

On June 1st , join members of the U of T community for the official raising of the Pride Flag at U of T. The ceremony takes place from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm, at the Varsity Centre, 299 Bloor Street West (please use the Varsity Pavilion entrance off Devonshire). Rain or shine. Light refreshments afterwards.

U of T Pride Pub

The 2017 U of T Pride Pub will take place on June 9th from 4:00 pm – 1:00 am at the Hart House Quad, 7 Hart House Circle. Join the party for some drinks, an outdoor BBQ, a community fair and tons of activities. This event is open to U of T students, alumni, faculty, staff, friends, community members and their families – everyone is welcome to attend!

For further information, please visit the following URL: sgdo.utoronto.ca/event/2017-u-t-pride-pub and join this event on Facebook.

The University of Toronto’s First Annual Black Graduation

The University of Toronto’s First Annual Black Graduation – the first of its kind in Canada. Celebrating the achievements of Black Academics at the University of Toronto, this event is open to all Black identifying students in Undergraduate, Graduate, Masters and PhD programs at the University of Toronto who are a part of the Class of 2017. The Black Graduation celebration allows for students, family and friends to come together to honour the accomplishments, resilience and determination of Black students graduating at the University of Toronto. A number of awards will also be presented to honour the work of these graduates during their time at the University of Toronto.

If you are aware of any Black identified students who will be convocating in either June or November 2017, we invite you to nominate them for an award, which includes an honourarium. Nominations are due June 2nd, 2017:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRw3jeCrApv9Vv4O61Zul6NGkN5g8N8uiT7eRT_Te2-Dp7jQ/viewform

The Black Graduation Celebration will take place on June 22nd from 6:00 pm – 9:30 pm at Hart House, 7 Hart House Circle. Please RSVP for Black Graduation 2017: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-graduation-celebration-class-of-2017-tickets-34395613205

If you have any questions or require any accommodations, please contact: blackgraduoft@gmail.com.

More Events

(If you wish to request that your event be included in our monthly newsletter, please submit requests to antiracism@utoronto.ca at least one week prior to the beginning of the new month.)

From now until July 15, Market Gallery, 95 Front Street East: Settling in Toronto: The Quest for Freedom, Opportunity and Identity. This exhibit will explore how immigration and the experiences of new Canadians has transformed the city from the 1700s to the present. Through videos, oral histories, artifacts and historic documents; the exhibit will reveal the evolution of Toronto through personal stories of struggle, triumph and celebration. This exhibit is presented as part of TO Canada with Love, the City of Toronto’s year-long program of celebrations, commemorations and exhibitions focusing on Canada’s 150th birthday.

June 3, 11:00 am – 11:00 pm, Young & Dundas Square: desiFEST. This festival is aimed at creating mainstream opportunities for South Asian artists and South Asian inspired music. desiFEST features a full day and night of entertaining musical and dance performances in the heart of downtown Toronto giving audiences of all ages and cultures the ability to enjoy South Asian music, arts and culture.

June 5, 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm, Parliament Street Library, 269 Gerrard Street East: Our Stories, Our Truths: Indigenous Youth Art Exhibition Opening Gala. Celebrate the art, stories and truths of 10 Indigenous youth in this culminating art exhibition and art sale. Youth artists’ will have works for sale, including original paintings, drawing, beadwork and personal zines.

June 7, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, Richview Library, 1806 Islington Avenue: Visions of Turtle Island. Tribal Vision Dance presents a vibrant, fun, and high energy multimedia performance with world champion singers and dancers in Powwow & Haudenosaunee styles. All dances, drums and regalia are described for your information as well as your entertainment. The show shares about Turtle Island and addresses stereotypes in an edu-training way!

June 8, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Toronto Reference Library, Beeton Hall, 789 Yonge Street: Anishinaabeg Art and Power. Explore the life, traditions, and sacred stories of the Anishinaabeg as told through their powerful art over the last two centuries. Ami Brownstone, Assistant Curator at the ROM, takes you on a journey through the artistic evolution of one of the most populous and diverse Indigenous communities in North America.

June 15 – June 18, Garrison Common at Fort York, 100 Garrison Road: Taste of Toronto. The Taste of Toronto will be held at Garrison Common at Fort York, featuring an all-star cast of chefs hailing from some of the most influential restaurants in the city’s thriving culinary scene. This year’s special guest chef is television personality and restaurateur, Aarón Sánchez.

June 23 – July 2, Various Locations Across the City: TD Toronto Jazz Festival. The TD Toronto Jazz Festival has become known as one of North America’s premier jazz festivals. What began in 1987 as an eight day showcase of jazz now attracts in excess of 500,000 loyal patrons annually over 10 days as more than 1,500 musicians entertain all across the city. The Festival has become a destination event, not just for music lovers but for some of the greatest jazz celebrities in the world, reinforcing its reputation as a leader in artistic excellence and outstanding production standards.

Disclaimer: This newsletter may contain links to non-Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office (ARCDO) websites. These links are provided solely as convenience to you. The ARCDO is not responsible for the content of any non-ARCDO websites and does not endorse the information contained therein.