Until We Are Free: Reflections on Black Lives Matter in Canada

by Rodney Diverlus (Editor), Sandy Hudson (Editor), Syrus Marcus Ware (Editor)

Overview

An anthology of African-Canadian writing addressing the most urgent issues facing the Black community in Canada.

The killing of Trayvon Martin in 2012 by a white assailant inspired the Black Lives Matter movement, which quickly spread outside the borders of the United States. The movement’s message found fertile ground in Canada, where Black activists speak of generations of injustice and continue the work of the Black liberators who have come before them.

Until We Are Free contains some of the very best writing on the hottest issues facing the Black community in Canada. It describes the latest developments in Canadian Black activism, organizing efforts through the use of social media, Black-Indigenous alliances, and more.

"Until We Are Free busts myths of Canadian politeness and niceness, myths that prevent Canadians from properly fulfilling its dream of multiculturalism and from challenging systemic racism, including the everyday assaults on black and brown bodies. This book needs to be read and put into practice by everyone." —Vershawn Young, author of Your Average Nigga: Performing Race, Literacy, and Masculinity and co-author of Other People's English: Code Meshing, Code Switching, and African American Literacy

Contributors:
Silvia Argentina Arauz - Toronto, ON
Leanne Betasamosake Simpson - Toronto, ON
Patrisse Cullors - Los Angeles, CA
Giselle Dias - Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON
OmiSoore Dryden - Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
Paige Galette - Whitehorse, YK
Dana Inkster - University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB
Sarah Jama - Hamilton, ON
El Jones - Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS
Anique Jordan - Toronto, ON
Dr. Naila Keleta Mae - University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON
Janaya Khan - Los Angeles, CA
Gilary Massa - York University, Toronto, ON
Robyn Maynard - University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
QueenTite Opaleke - Toronto, ON
Randolph Riley - Halifax, NS
Camille Turner - York University, Toronto, ON
Ravyn Wngz - Toronto, ON

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780889777361
Publisher:	University of Regina Press
Publication date:	02/01/2020
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Rodney Diverlus (Editor)
Rodney Diverlus is a Port-au-Prince-born, Toronto-based dance artist, curator, and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Toronto.


Sandy Hudson (Editor)
Sandy Hudson is the founder of the Black Lives Matter movement presence in Canada, a founding board member of the Black Legal Action Centre, and co-hosts the Canadian political podcast Sandy and Nora Talk Politics.


Syrus Marcus Ware (Editor)
Syrus Marcus Ware is a core team member of Black Lives Matter Toronto, a Vanier Scholar, a facilitator and designer for the CulturalLeaders Lab, and an award-winning artist and educator.
 

Table of Contents

Introduction-The Year 2055 C.E.-An Imagined Future xiii

Part I Framing Our Own Story: Black Lives Matter in Canada, Then and Now

1 The Origin Story of Black Lives Matter Canada Sandy Hudson Rodney Diverlus 3

Part II Carceral Violence: Blackness, Borders, and Confinement in Canada

2 Many a Thousand Gone Randolph Riley El Jones 19

3 Revolution and Resurgence: Dismantling the Prison Industrial Complex through Black and Indigenous Solidarity Syrus Marcus Ware Giselle Dias (Niigaanii Zhaawshko Giizhigokwe) 32

4 Black Lives Matter Beyond Borders: Reflections from Building a Global Movement Rodney Diverlus in conversation with Patrisse Khan-Cullors Janaya Khan 57

5 Towards Black and Indigenous Futures on Turtle Island: A Conversation Robyn Maynard Leanne Betasamosake Simpson 75

6 Unborderable Blackness: How Diasporic Black Identities Pose a Threat to Imperialism and Colonialism Everywhere Sandy Hudson 95

7 Organizing Direct Action in the Digital Age Janaya Khan 116

Part III Creative Activisms: Arts in the Movement

8 Black Arts and the Movement: A Conversation Ravyn Wngz Syrus Marcus Ware 133

9 Relentless Dr. Naila Keleta-Mae 151

10 The Afronautic Research Lab Camille Turner 153

11 Choreographic Design and Performing Black Activism Rodney Diverlus 164

Part IV Theorizing Blackness: Considerations through Time and Space

12 The Need to Root Disability Justice into Movements Sarah Jama 179

13 Blackness in the Atmosphere Dana Inkster 191

14 First-Generation Tribulations QueenTite Opaleke 204

15 It's in Us to Give: Black Life and the Racial Profiling of Blood Donation OmiSoore Dryden 211

16 From Cheechako to Sourdough: Reflections on Northern Living and Surviving, while Being Black Paige Galette 225

17 Mothering in the Movement Silvia Argentina Arauz 237

18 Black and Muslim Gilary Massa 246

19 Black Lives Matter-Toronto Sit-in at Pride Dr. Naila Keleta-Mae 263

Part V And Beyond: Black Futurities and Possible Ways Forward

20 Power to All People: Black LGBTTI2QQ Activism, Remembrance, and Archiving in Toronto Syrus Marcus Ware 279

21 Indigenous and Black Solidarity in Practice: #BLMTOTentCity Sandy Hudson 295

22 Black Lives Matter-Toronto Freedom School Anique Jordan 308

Conclusion:The Palimpsest 315

Postscript:The Year 2092 C.E.-An Imagined Future, Part 2 319

Contributors 321

Editors 326