BLM Sudbury

BLMS Reads: Local Literature
2021-08-26 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Toronto) | Ontario
Black Lives Matter Sudbury is pleased to present the third installment of BLMS Reads: Local Literature IN PERSON!
Join us on Thursday, August 26th, from 7:30 to 9 PM at Sudbury Indie Cinema (162 MacKenzie St) for a night of literary arts (Doors open at 7 p.m. Bar and Concessions throughout)
Spaces are limited, so click here to pre-register today with up to 5 of your friends/family to save your seats today! (FREE)
In collaboration with Latitude 46 and Prise de Parole, we are excited to announce two separate manuscript submission opportunities for both anglophone and francophone BIPOC writers! Stop by the Local Literature event or tune in to our Facebook Livestream for more details.
Are you a local BIPOC writer, poet, spoken word, or literary artist?
BLMS is searching for literary artists at all stages of their careers to present excerpts from their work.
Book a performer ticket here, and we will be in touch with you ahead of time.
Performers: You have 2 ticket options: one option is with assigned seating which means we will call you from the audience- you will be seated when not performing/ the other (Standing Room Only) allows you to move around freely to warm up, and watch from the sides of the bleachers if you wish.
*​​All performers will receive a literary-themed gift package valued at $40!

BLMS Reads: Poetry & Short Stories
2021-07-22 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Toronto)
Our second installment of Black Lives Matter Sudbury Reads is Poetry and Short Stories!
Join us on the evening of July 22 for a virtual session exploring various works by experienced Black Canadian poets and authors, as well as, some new up-and-coming names. Featured authors will include Dr. Afua Cooper, George Elliott Clarke, and Cicely Belle Blain. We will be reading excerpts from several books, including The Great Black North: Contemporary African Canadian Poetry, Black Writers Matter, and Burning Sugar.
We hope to attract lovers of poetry and short stories, introducing (or reintroducing) them to Black Canadian poets and writers who will share their stories and emotions with us through our readings. See you there!
Register here to attend the Poetry and Short Stories session.

**NEW DATE** BLMS 1 Year Anniversary: Reflect & Rally
2021-07-09 16:00 - 18:00 (America/Toronto)
We know we said rain or shine… but the forecasted rain on Friday will dull our shine!
We’ve postponed the rally for Friday, July 9, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Tom Davies Square (Courtyard Area), Downtown Sudbury. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Stay tuned in the next week for more information about our amazing food vendors and BIPOC performers that we have lined up!
It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since we started organizing. On Friday, July 9, 2021, we will regroup again to rally, remember, and reflect on all the work we’ve done to push forward anti-racism in our city and to nurture a community commitment to ending violence against Black lives everywhere. We have been defiant in the face of ongoing silence from community leaders with regards to racism in our city and we will continue to demand accountability and action from our community to engage in meaningful anti-racist action.
Following the rally, there will be performances by BIPOC artists, food vendors, and more.
COVID guidelines will be enforced so please bring a mask to participate and be aware of social distancing.

BLMS Reads: Children's Literature
2021-06-26 12:00 - 17:30 (America/Toronto)
Our first installment of Black Lives Matter Sudbury Reads will focus on Children’s Literature.
On June 26 at 12 p.m., we have a session for younger audiences aged 5 to 8, and on the same day at 3 p.m., we will have a session for youth aged 9 to 14.
Join us for a reading of Trailblazers: The Black Pioneers Who Have Shaped Canada by Tiyahna Ridley-Padmore as well as activities to follow. With our special guest, the author herself, Tiyahna Ridley-Padmore, we will be exploring some of the important Black figures who have contributed to the shaping of this country, and inspired generations of Black Canadians to do the same. Our virtual event will be held over Zoom. There will be art activities, prizes, education, and so much more!
Fill out our registration form and select the appropriate Book Club and time for you and your child.

"JE RESTE ICI BABY !" : Un caucus du Nord intersectionnel
2021-02-27 12:00 - 2021-02-28 18:00 UTC

“HERE TO STAY BABY!” : A Northern Intersectional Conference
2021-02-27 12:00 - 2021-02-28 18:00 UTC
Français

Download Caucus Booklet

Intersectional Caucus on February 27 and 28, 2021 from 12 to 6 PM. This free online conference was designed to uplift the voices of marginalized individuals across Northern Ontario while educating diverse audiences. With a total of eight panel discussions, the Northern Caucus was developed to provide a safe space and a much needed platform for the voices of educators, scholars, activists, artists, students, and more.
Each panel will be approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes long and participants will have the opportunity to ask questions to the panelists. A moderator will be guiding the discussion and will be monitoring the audience questions.
All panel discussions will include sign language interpreters provided by the Canadian Hearing Services. Francophone participants are encouraged to attend as there will be opportunities to ask questions in french for certain panels.
Individuals wanting to take part in this event can register through the links below. Registered participants will be sent a digital conference booklet prior to the event. The conference schedule will be as follows:
Saturday February 27
12:00 – 1:15 PM: Defund, Decolonize, Dismantle: Policing Marginalized Communities
Tune in for a discussion on Black Lives Matters’ most renowned and contentious demand of defunding the police. Learn from experts on the institutional persecution of marginalized communities at the hands of police, and how they anticipate a future in which law enforcement is defunded, decolonized, and dismantled.
This panel discussion will have ASL interpreters provided by the Canadian Hearing Services.
Register Now
1:30 – 2:45 PM: Racism-Free by 2023: Anti- Racism Activism in the North
Racism-Free by 2023 features activists of colour from across Northern Ontario. This panel will discuss their work in social justice and how their respective organizations hope to flip the script on racism, oppression and discrimination in Northern communities.
This panel discussion will have ASL interpreters provided by the Canadian Hearing Services. French interpreter will be available to facilitate questions in chat.
Register Now
3:00 – 4:15 PM: Let Me Be Perfectly Queer: The Northern Queer Experience
Being queer in Northern Ontario comes with many challenges; isolation, lack of services. Our panelists will address the specific issues that come with living in rural and remote Northern Communities and how from a BLM perspective those issues can be addressed.
This panel discussion will have ASL interpreters provided by the Canadian Hearing Services. French interpreter will be available to facilitate questions in chat.
Register Now
4:30 – 5:45 PM: Naadmaadwin: Black and Indigenous Solidarity
When people come together healing happens which is where Naadmaadwin, roughly translated to the place of helping, came from.This panel highlights the importance and longstanding history of Black and Indigenous solidarity. Tune in for a captivating conversation on how these communities support one another and advocate for systemic change, reform and reparations across Turtle Island.
This panel discussion will have ASL interpreters provided by the Canadian Hearing Services.
Register Now
Sunday February 28
12:00 – 1:15 PM: Neo-Fascism: The Rise of Modern Fascism in Northern Communities
Fascism, white supremacy, and racial hatred have always been a part of Canadian identity. But in recent years, Canada has seen a significant rise in the mainstreaming of extremist voices and racist conversations. Join experts in the discussion of how modern fascism has altered the lives of Northern communities, particularly the lived experiences of marginalized individuals.
This panel discussion will have ASL interpreters provided by the Canadian Hearing Services.
Register Now
1:30 – 2:45 PM: “Parce qu’on vient de loin” : Panel Francophone Sur L’Immigration
They come from diverse settings and backgrounds. Some of them arrived just a few years ago, others have been here over 20 years. Most of them are multilingual. But they have two things in common: they are Black or People of Color and they have either had to learn or are in the process of learning English, a language they need in order to fully participate in Sudburian life. Tune in to learn about their experiences as francophone Black and People of color and the challenges they have faced as they settled into Northern Ontario.
This panel discussion will have LSQ interpreters provided by the Canadian Hearing Services. English interpreter will be available to facilitate questions in chat.
Register Now
3:00 – 4:15 PM: Blackademia: Surviving in Higher Education
Join local Blackademics in a conversation surrounding racism and discrimination in our educational institutions. Tune in for a vibrant discussion in which Black academics share their lived experience and learn how they have paved the way for aspiring scholars of colour.
This panel discussion will have ASL interpreters provided by the Canadian Hearing Services. French interpreter will be available to facilitate questions in chat.
Register Now
4:30 – 5:45 PM: Here to Stay: The Birth of Black Lives Matter Sudbury
In the final Caucus event, join the entire board of Black Lives Matter Sudbury to recount the birth of their organization. Panellists will discuss the impact of BLMS thus far in the Greater Sudbury Area and how they anticipate the growth and change of the group in the coming years.
This panel discussion will have ASL interpreters provided by the Canadian Hearing Services. French interpreter will be available to facilitate questions in chat.

Register Now

Thank you to our sponsors:

Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
