NEWS RELEASE
NEWMARKET AFRICAN CARIBBEAN CANADIAN ASSOCIATION
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The Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA) is hosting a series of events for Black History Month 2020 in partnership with the Town of Newmarket.
Order of Canada recipient Dr. Rita Cox, a popular cultural storyteller, will provide joy and laughter at the Aurora Public Library on Feb. 1, 2020 at 2 p.m.
Following the Town of Newmarket’s inaugural proclamation of February as Black History Month, NACCA is hosting The Heart of Africa: Retracing Our History at the Newmarket Old Town Hall at 460 Botsford St., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m on Feb. 8. The month of celebrations will centre on pre-colonial Black history contributions and achievements.
The main event will feature a keynote speech by Canadian actor Sean Mauricette (aka SUBLIMINAL). Mauricette is the recipient of the 2012 Medal of Appreciation from the United Nations Association of Canada for his work with youth in Canada and abroad.
Sandra Whiting, renowned speaker and storyteller, is the MC for the day’s event. Visitors will have the chance to enjoy steelpan music, Afro-Caribbean cuisine and spoken word poetry, while participating in traditional drumming, and shopping the Black-owned marketplace.
Featuring the work of Toronto-based artists Ekow Nimako, Adeyemi Adegbesan, the gallery exhibit will be on display from Jan. 29 to Feb. 22. The work of a contemporary African and Caribbean dance choreographer and dancer Collette Murray from Coco Collective, will accompany the exhibits official launch on Feb. 8.
On Thursday, Feb. 13, Riverwalk Commons and the Fred A. Lundy Bridge on Water Street will be illuminated in yellow to commemorate Black History Month.
On Feb. 21, registrants will join chef Maxine Knight RHN, culinary program director for York Region Food Network, in an interactive cooking demonstration featuring pre-colonial African food to modern-day Caribbean cuisine.
On Thursday, Feb. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m., the Newmarket Public Library will host author Zalika Benta–Reid, a Giller Prize nominated Toronto-based writer. Her most recent work Frying Plantain, set in Toronto’s Little Jamaica, is comprised of 12 stories that highlight the difficulty of growing up as a second-generation Jamaican-Canadian.
For more information about NACCA events, go here.
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