The local Black community has been working with the City of Kingston to deliver an incredible line up in light of Emancipation Day! This includes a Black (owned business) Block Party that will highlight 20 + local businesses. I share a bit of insight and context on how we got here!
As I’ve aged, I’ve realized how important it is to speak on things that are important to you and watch the stars align. It might take a minute for you to see what I mean but I promise if you read until the end, you’ll get there.
Three years ago during the height of pandemic and the surge of the Black Lives Matter movement, I shared passionately about what it feels like to live as a Black woman in Kingston. In the moment it was just a rant. But it turned into something much more meaningful and changed my life and career trajectory. More than 20,000 people read that rant. At the time I decided to shift the narrative a bit from myself and focus on the root of the issue I spoke on, lack of representation and support for Black folks in Kingston. I started the Black-owned Business List and that’s been growing ever since. This tool has not only helped allies who are actively searching for ways to support Black entrepreneurship. It’s also connected local Black folks with specific cultural products, services and foods they might not have found otherwise.
I joke that I put out a Black bat signal for folks to find me. And so many wonderful opportunities to connect with other Black folks in Kingston or moving to Kingston have evolved since then. One of the most meaningful opportunities was when the folks at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre reached out to me for a special project with artist Zina Saro-Wiwa. The project included a deep dive into the archives to find hidden Black histories. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect as I was on mat leave and was feeling a bit restless. I brought my 10 month old along for the ride and learned so much about Black histories in Kingston. We found the names of prominent Black business owners in the city: William Johnson, James and Marie Elder, and George Mink. Read more about their histories in this in depth article by my colleague Qanita Lilla.
To be honest, it was very hard to track their histories. Many Black folks came through Wolfe Island where there were safe houses during abolition and eventually left Kingston and headed back to the states (often Detroit) or changed their identity on paper to identify as a different race (sometimes Spanish) instead of Black. If you read between the lines, it’s clear that Kingston didn’t remain a safe space for Black folks to stay and grow their families. They either assimilated (abandoned their Black identity) or they left. Considering the important documentation of the Black student ban in the medical school at Queen’s, it’s reasonable to make these assumptions.
When we look at Kingston’s population now, it would be remiss to not connect the dots. Consider what our population would look like if more Black folks felt welcome and stayed and showed up as their full selves and their descendants stayed and their descendants stayed and so on and so on. I have no doubt that Kingston would feel more diverse.
After experiencing the way my blog post was received in 2020, I honestly did feel a shift. I can’t tell if this is because I was actively setting boundaries and speaking out or if folks were making more of an effort to be thoughtful and inclusive.
So what am I getting at? After three years of the Black-owned business list being the most visited and clicked page on this website, I mentioned in a meeting a few months ago that it would be my dream for Kingston to have a Block Party celebrating these Black-owned businesses and supporting their growth. A friend, Martha, mentioned that the city was taking ideas on what to do for Emancipation Day and as it turns out, they liked this idea as well.
So this summer, to honour Emancipation Day, the third national recognition of the end of slavery in Canada, Kingston is hosting a Black (owned business) Block Party at Confederation Park. Right across the street from City Hall. We will celebrate Black folks not only choosing Kingston but growing businesses here. Not only will we have local businesses, The Agnes and the Black Studies department at Queen’s have generously offered support and curated incredible artists Jega and Kofi to do live portraits and a mural all day. We will have spoken word artists, story time for kids and many other engaging activities.
Connecting the dots now. Without my initial blog post, I wouldn’t be able to identify the need for a local Black-owned business list and without the list, I wouldn’t have a directory of folks to reach out to participate in this incredible initiative. A big thank you to the city for being open to this idea and to the many community members and colleagues doing all of the work to make this happen. I’m so grateful for our community.
This is BIG. The is symbolic. And this is what change looks like! So please join us on July 29 at Confederation Park 12-5 pm!
Please see below for a list of all of the businesses planning to participate:
| Chris Nelson | Real Estate Agent |
| Jerkebago | Jamaican Food |
| Britta – Better Boundaries | Psychologist/Fitness |
| Skeleton Park Creations | Earrings |
| AA DJs | Music/Photobooth |
| Ndinda | Kenyan items |
| Yellow House/ Queen’s Students | Community |
| Little Cove Learning (Churise) | Handmade Crafts |
| Mo’s Dainty Bites | Finger foods and treats |
| MW Creative | Art |
| Dija’s Make up Studio | Skincare |
| Dansani Dance Company | Entertainment |
| Ruthy’s Reading Room | Kid Entertainment |
| Loop and Lapel | 360 Video Photobooth |
| Chelle Boo Shaa | Artist |
| Imperial Painting and Renovations | Painting and Renovations |
| Cher Mere | Skincare |
| Bay Eats | Jamaican Food |
| Knots by Felicia | Decor |
| Imperial Cleaning Systems | Cleaning |
| Chelle Boo Shaa | Artist |
| Lemoy Wilby | Author |
| Gunguo Art Farm | Art |
| Black Entrepreneur Ecosystem | Community |
Wandering Bar, Daft Brewing will also be in attendance!
Click through for more information on the city’s website.
Partners helping to make this event happen:
- City of Kingston
- The Agnes Etherington Art Centre
- Black Studies, Queen’s University
- Queen’s University Black Studies Program
- St. Lawrence College
- The BIA – Downtown Kingston
- Cher-Mere Day Spa & Beauty Products
- Queen’s University Faculty of Arts & Science
- Black Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (BEE) – Southeastern Ontario
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