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Black History Month: Check out these February events at ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ

Photo of Black Graduation celebration
In June, ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ's first-ever Black graduation celebration was held. This month, the university is celebrating the achievements of Black Canadians during Black History Month (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Throughout February, students, faculty and staff across all three University of Toronto campuses are honouring the achievements of Black Canadians for Black History Month.

Hear from inspiring speakers, join compelling discussions, and watch some fascinating documentaries and gripping performances at events taking place all month long.

There are many incredible events to choose from. Here are just a few of them:

Feb. 5

Black History Month events . Head to the UTM Students’ Union Presentation Room for the opening ceremony and free food.

At the downtown Toronto campus, the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work is , a documentary film about the Sir George Williams Riot of 1969 – a student-led anti-racism protest in Montreal.

Feb. 6

How does anti-blackness operate in queer communities? Join the discussion at ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ Scarborough’s SC:OUT Lounge from 1-2:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided.  

Feb. 7

Hear Emmanuel Jal tell his incredible life story at MW110 in the Social Sciences Building. Jal, who was forced to become a child soldier in South Sudan, was rescued by a British aid worker and smuggled out of the country. He’s now a recording artist with a unique message.

Director of the Women & Gender Studies Institute, Rinaldo Walcott, will join authors Simone Dalton and Whitney French for a hosted by the International Festival of Authors at the Harbourfront Centre. 

Feb. 8

Head to the Catalyst Centre at ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ Scarborough for , a theatre project that uses the stories of Black elders and Black youth to create a performance that connects the two generations.

Feb. 9

Listen to award-winning violinist and composer Andrew Forde . Forde, who has performed with pop royalty including Mary J. Blige and Justin Bieber, is currently an engineering PhD candidate at ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ.


Huda Hassan, a PhD candidate in women and gender studies, will be participating in a Black History Month event (photo by Geoff Vendeville)

Feb. 12

Join Rinaldo Walcott, and activist and PhD candidate Huda Hassan for , particularly for Black and Indigenous students.   

and hear their expert advice on education, career paths and workplace skills.

Feb. 20

The Black Inter-Professional Students Association is including law, business and medicine to talk about how they found success in their fields. Speakers include Dr. Onye Nnorom, associate program director, public health and preventive medicine residency program at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and Terry Gardiner, manager, diversity, equity and student experience at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. 

Feb. 24

Three chapters of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) are joining forces to inspire the next generation . The one-day event brings together high school students, university students and young professionals for experiential outreach activities, networking sessions, and panel discussions around career development and diversity in the workplace.

Feb. 26

Banting postdoctoral researcher Cheryl Thompson will be joined by beauty entrepreneurs to discuss the politics of Black beauty at ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ Scarborough’s Ralph Campbell Lounge from 5-7 p.m.

Feb. 27

The Division of University Advancement is hosting its annual Black History Month Luncheon at Kruger Hall in Woodsworth College. Hear from compelling speakers while snacking on delicious food from 12-2 p.m. 

The American incarceration rate has quintupled over the last generation. ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ’s Centre for Ethics is bringing in two leading law experts for .

Come back to the Centre for Ethics in the early evening for a screening of , a film about baseball player Dock Ellis.

Feb. 28

Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, assistant professor of sociology at ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ Mississauga,  at the Centre for Ethics. 

Mar. 7 

Renowned activist and scholar Angela Davis to speak about her life and about Black liberation in 2018 with Black Lives Matter Toronto co-founder Yusra Khogali. 

UTC