gem fall edition 2015

gggggloballoballoballoballobal eeeeeyyyyyesesesesesManitoba African and Caribbean Quarterly Magazine

3rdQUARTERFall 2015

CulturalMosaic

Winnipeg’s

Global Eyes Magazine Fall 2015 2

Reflection

Celebrating Diversity In Winnipeg

Summer’s gone and fall is here.Time for fall suppers, drive in thecountry to look at the spectacle ofchanging leaves and children makingtheir way back to school. Life continuesat its own pace and we watch and waitfor Halloween and then Christmas andit starts again. Such is the flow of life.We make nothing happen buteverything happens to us.

Fall is a time for taking stock,slowing things down a bit from thehectic, frantic pace of summer where wetry to stuff everything into our lives tomake hay while the sun shines and itsheat is potent.

Another year of Folklorama fadesinto the background and everyone takestheir props, gowns and culturalapparatuses and packs them away untilnext summer. It is a time when peoplepull into their shells, some allow theearly darkness to weigh in their heartsand feel out of sorts like a friend told

me until the whiteness of winter comesshe settles and surrender to its wishesand dreams again of spring.

I invite you to remember the fun ofsummer, how we mingled together,shared spaces with people from variedbackgrounds and walks of life even ateand drank with them and it was good.

Take those feelings with you inyour workplace, churches, templesand mosques and let them be auniting force. It is so good to liveand breathe in peace and one ofthe ways to achieve that is toaccept what is without judgment.We are all here walking this earthby design, we were chosen.Diversity is what makeseverything beautiful, what createsprogress and prosperity, goodhealth and happiness. Embrace it.

Nigeria Canada Congressof Manitoba (NICCOM) AnnualMini Folklorama 2015 engaged avariety of outstanding culturalperformances by several culturalgroups including First Nations,African, Chinese, Chilean,Ukrainian and others to celebrateMulticulturalism Day at theImmanuel Fellowship WorshipCentre.

As well ManitobaAssociation for Rights andLiberties had a full day ofactivities at the Cube – The OldMarket Square - in spite of therain. The crowd waxed and wanedas the weather changed but theparty kept on. Jamaica Association of Manitobawas packed with Caribbean andother folks who participated in

continued on p3

Global Eyes Magazine Fall 2015 3 3

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IN THIS ISSUE Did you know p4 Briefs p5 Global Counsellor p8Creative Expressions p9Benedicte Brou Newcomer p10Leg Up Success Skills Centre p13Healthwise p14Dr. Vernon Johns p15 & More

Global Eyes is an independent quarterly publicationdevoted to promoting cultural awareness of the African andCaribbean communities of Manitoba and highlighting theissues and concerns of these communities. It also aimsat promoting cultural diversity and appreciation.It features articles ranging from the achievements of local, national and international personalities and general informationthat are of interest to the African/CaribbeanDiaspora. It offers editorials with African/Caribbean sensibilities and letters to the editor. TheMagazine is produced under a volunteer editorialcommittee that assists with proof-reading, publicity anddistribution.

Mail cheque/Money Order to: Global Eyes Magazine (GEM)671 Rathgar Avenue,Winnipeg, ManitobaR3L 1G6

Multiculturalism and Canada Day Celebrations sponsoredby the organization.

Celebrating...continued from p2

Maypole Caribbean Style

Japanese Drumming

One of Winnipeg’s bands

Paradise Band


GLOBAL EYES

MAGAZINE

Neil Pitamber,

Lara Badmus, LLB

A Canadian-Guyanese writer,poet

GEM’s RegularContributors

Distributed to local businesses, and inWinnipeg and via email to individualsin Manitoba and former Manitobans invarious parts of the world.

To receive Global Eyes by mail pleasesend a cheque for $15.00 to:Global Eyes Magazine671 Rathgar AvenueWinnipeg, Manitoba R3L 1G6Phone: [email protected]

All contents are (c) 2014 and may notbe reprinted without the express orwritten consent of the author or Editor.

Editor: Beatrice WatsonDIDDIDDIDDIDDID YYYYYOUOUOUOUOU KNOKNOKNOKNOKNOWWWWW?????

Winnipeg LawyerTIMES ARE A CHANGING

When you shop at ForestPeople Crafts has moved onto Online Marketing. You can find itat:[email protected]: forestpeoplescrafts.caor Phone: 204-943-3995

Congratulations toGEM’s regularcontributor, LaraBadmus who has recentlyaccepted a permanent full timeposition as a Public InterestDisclosure Investigator at theManitoba LegislativeAssembly OmbudsmanOffice on Portage Avenue.Lara says she is enjoying thechallenges and opportunitiesin her new position. Bestwishes from all of us at GEM

That a slave woman could not say no toher slave master and that Rachel PringlePolgreen, a slave child born in Barbados to aScottish headmaster William Lauder and aslave woman was proposition by her ownfather and even though a slave woman couldnot say no to such proposition, Rachel had thepluck to say no to him and he ordered a publicflogging for her? However as luck would haveit she was spared from the humiliation byCaptain Thomas Pringle who rescued her for aprice. Rachel dropped her father’s nameLauder and adopted Pringle instead. Pringlewas a seaman and went away for extendedperiods of time. He appeared to have lovedRachel and wanted her to give him an heir.Rachel was unable to bear children andarranged to adopt a son from a village womanwhich she presented to the captain as his/theirheir. This worked for a while until the woman,missing her son, exposed Rachel’s doing.Captain Pringle was upset, ended hisrelationship with Rachel and left the Island.

Rachel soon found security under anotherman Polgreen whose surname she added to herown. With Polgreen’s help Rachel opened asuccessful tavern and through that amassed afortune. According to research findings evenKing Henry visited the tavern and one timebehaved badly and destroyed her property for

which he paid handsomely.By the time of Rachel’sdeath at age 38 she hadamassed about 10properties on Canary Street,Bridgetown. Thanks toVictor Vaughan forbringing this story to ourattention.

The foundation stones for abalanced success are honesty,character, integrity, faith, loveand loyalty.Zig Ziglar

Quotable Quote


Briefs Audrey Gordon carries PC

banner in Fort Rouge The Progressive Conservative

Party of Manitoba is pleased to bringAudrey Gordon onto its team as thecandidate in the Fort Rouge

constituency for the 2016 provincial election. “Audrey adds a strong voice and

leadership with her wealth of professional andvolunteer experience,” said PC Leader BrianPallister. “I look forward to working with her aswe strive to bring a change for the better toconstituents in Fort Rouge, and to allManitobans.”

Audrey is a Manager and Businessanalyst for the Renal Program of the WinnipegRegional Health Authority. Previously, she wasa director of a multiculturalism secretariat forManitoba Labour and Immigration and wasassistant to the department’s deputy minister.

Her community service has includedcommittee, council or board memberships withthe Immigrant and Refugee CommunityOrganization of Manitoba, the WinnipegRegional Health Authority, Vista Park Lodge,the St. Vital/St. Boniface Health AdvisoryCouncil and the Congress of Black Women’sManitoba chapter, among other organizations.

Gordon is looking for 100 volunteers to helpwith my campaign. Interested individuals can callme at 204-918-9591. PS: Audrey Breakfast Fundraiser happeningNovember. 3 at the Winnipeg Winter Club foronly $24.99. Call the number above for tickets. Itis important to support our communitycandidates regardless of their politicalpreferences. See you there.

Flosoul Role ModelAward Winner 2015

Congratulations are inorder for Flosoul on Winning theprestigious Role Model Awardfor her work in and outside themusic industry. Flo is truly a rolemodel in the Caribbean andBlack community in Winnipeg.More success to you in the future.

Adaoma Patterson, daughter of LoisPatterson and a former Winnipegger haswon the nomination under the NDP ticketto be the Candidate for Brampton West.

A champion for progressive publicpolicy, Adaoma has held key volunteerroles with the United Way of Peel Region,Jamaican Canadian Association, andGreater Toronto Civic Action Alliance.She is also Vice-President of the HoracePatterson Scholarship Foundation, a charitydedicated to her father’s memory.

In 2010, Adaoma was named as a2010 DiverseCity Fellow, and in 2014 asVolunteer of the Year by the JamaicanCanadian Association. She is a wellrespected and popular facilitator andspeaker at local events.

Adaoma was a principal consultant forACP Consulting, the event managementcompany that created and produced theEssence of Mahogany Bridal & BeautyShow, which ran for five years.

Adaoma is a long-time Peel resident. Shehas lived in Brampton for the past 11 yearswith her son, now 13. Running a campaigndoes not come cheap and if youwould like to help Adaoma youcan make your donationat:www.adaomapatterson.ndp.ca.

Adaoma Patterson forBrampton West

Times are Changing inCanadian theatre

Bahia Watson played the part ofPrincess Elizabeth “Bess” the last of the lineof the Tudor family in the play The Last Wifeat Stratford Theatre 2015 season to ravingreview. What is interesting is that she wasselected in spite of being Black, somethingthat would not have happened a few yearsearlier and marks positive move on theinclusion in arts world. Kudos to the castingdirector for making choices not based onrace or skin colour. Maiko Watson with Moses

Mayes at the 2015 Jazz Festival

Bahia and Sahara McDonald singer/songwriter, hanging out in Stratford

Bahia Watson


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Editorial - Take One

CondolencesTo all those who have lost a lovedone, a friend, or someone dear to youwe send you our condolences. Kenny Daodu and her familywhose beloved twin sister Taiwopassed away in the summerTo the Atwell Family whosematriarch and a communitychampion, Mrs. Frances HelenAtwell passed away in September2015.To Lorene Mahoney and familywhose father Columbus Jonesrecently passed away.To all those who are sick may youhave a speedy recovery.

Canada as wellas the United Stateswas built by waves ofimmigrants and theslave trade. TheAtlantic slave trade

introduced large numbers of Black skinnedpeople into the Western world and injected anew dimension of diversity into thesesocieties. The slaves fight for freedom andholocaust exposed man’s inhumanity andsaw the abolition of slavery and theestablishment of civil and human rights inthese countries .

Western nations then set themselves upas defenders of freedom, democracy and ruleof law and they tasked themselves to keep theworld safe and free. People in the developingworld saw these nations as the beacon ofcivilization. Some Western countriesopened their doors to refugees andimmigrants from oppressive regimes. Canadawas and still is regarded as one of the bestnations in the world for immigrants andrefugees, and a leader in multiculturalism anddiversity. That image is however slowly being

eroded under the weight of the recent wavesof refugees, the instability and threat posedby Jihadists who are fighting to maintaintheir way of life under the banner of Islamwhich is seen as contrary to Western culture.More people some with strange customs topeople in the West are now part of oursociety and are creating a bit of axenophobic anxiety attacks in the masses.Some Western countries are becoming lesswelcoming, less tolerant of differences, lessdemocratic and less free while at the sametime the Western world is moving towards amulticultural reality.

The universe does not go according toour plans, it has its own rhythm and it movesin the direction it wants like a giant tidalwave which nothing can stop. What do youdo when that happens you go with the flowand make it work. We have to learn to acceptour differences and create a model societylike we do during folklorama on a globalscale. What seems frightening and culturallyabsurd today will be ordinary tomorrow whenwe’re asked to embrace something even moreabsurd.

Jamaican Prime Minister callsfor Reparations

Ms Portia Simpson Miller, JamaicaPM has recently asked Britain to paybillions of dollars for the enslavement ofAfricans. Britain’s Prime Minister DavidCameron said he does not believereparations or apologies for slavery are theright approach. However Cameron addedthat he knew this issue would overshadowthe purpose of his upcoming visit to Jamaicaand Grenada which is to reinvigorate theUnited Kingdom’s relationship with thesecountries.

Mrs. Atwell


continued on page 15

Millennial are those children bornbetween 1981 and 1995 and they make upthe majority of people in the workforcetoday. Employers and scientists arestudying the daylights out of this group todetermine what makes them tick. Theygive their parents grief when it comes tocareer choices and commitment to thedollar.

Research shows that Millennial are alittle different from previous generations;they are not driven by money but more bymeaningful work.

They prefer to work for companiesthat support their beliefs and lifestyles –they are more committed to theenvironment, they love companies thatcontribute to charitable causes and thereare more people in this generation whoidentify themselves with the Lesbian, GayBisexual and Transgender (LGBT)community. They are open minded andmore accepting of others and more liberalthan previous generations.

Do not talk to them about retirementplans and about the future - they have ahealthy belief in the future and that theirneeds will somehow be met.

Millennial are also the mostconnected to social media and some wouldrather leave their job if they are preventedfrom using their cell phones at work. Butthey have their standards and the majoritybelieves that the use of cell phones in abusiness meeting is inappropriate and theystill think a relationship should be startedthrough traditional face to face encounter.They also like continuous training anddevelopment, love team work and requirepositive reinforcement for the work theydo. Some may see this generation as highmaintenance and if they are, these are thechildren raised to have high self-esteemand to believe they are so wonderful andreceived constant attention from theirparents.

Millennials changingthe face of Work

“We all have the power to influence how our stories aretold ,“ said Ismaila Alfa, guest speaker at the 2015 GuyanaCultural Organization’s celebration of Guyana’s 49th

Independence Anniversary at the Viscount Gort Hotel. “I am totally impressed with the Aboriginal people’s

knowledge and skill in working with the media” he added andencouraged members of the audience to learn from theAboriginal people.

Born in Nigeria to a Nigerian father and CanadianCaucasian mother, Alfa said he was surprised at some of thequestions he was asked by Canadian children as he startedattending school as a boy – questions like “have you ever taken abath or shower? Did you eat every day, do people live in houses?

“I realize what Chimamanda Adichie, Nigerian author meant by the danger of asingle story. I realized they only knew a single story from Nigeria. The truth is ittakes many stories to paint a picture”

Guyana’s 49th Independence Day

Tom Millington


Regulars

Global Counsellor

Letter to my childrenMy dear childrenMy heart skipped a beat when I

saw my first yellow leaf danced to theground signalling fall and old womanwinter waiting in the corner. It’salways shocking to me witnessing theglory of summer slowly fade in thebackground, the heat of the sun losingits vigor. Once everything settlesdown I surrender and appreciate thechanging season.

Surrendering to what is makeslife so simple and enjoyable, lessstress, less angst, less of everythingnegative and more of positive outlook.We’re just here going and growing

lovingly tendered by nature andwhen we do all is well. When wechange the way we look at things,the things we look at change. Thatis so true.

We often struggle againstthe flow of life even though wenever get the results we want whenwe can just go with the flow. Thatappears too simple a task for ourcomplicated minds, but we keepdoing the same things and expect adifferent result which Einstein saidis tantamount to insanity.

I try to take my own advice toyou – relax be calm and watch lifeflow through you – the universe isdoing its work through us, be awitness to this miracle, watchwithout attachment and see theenfoldment of your path.

Welcome fall, and yoursparkling colours, that transform anddo out in a blaze of glory. It is timeto take stock, put away summercotton dresses and make way for thewarm wools and knits for winter.

Love, mom

Dear Fed Up.Hand in there. Nothing is

unfixable if there is love between thetwo of you. You stated that yourchildren are a priority, you want to bethere for them and that’s laudable.There is a cultural divide here. Somewhite women want their men besidethem all the time, their husbandsbecome their best friends whereasstrong kinship, age mate ties areimportant in African culture; spendingtime with your male friends is part ofthe social fabric of African life as well

Dear global counsellor,I am an African man married to

a crazy white lady. I love her dearlybut she drives me insane with hersky high expectations and rigidformula for a good life. No amountof talking, dialogue, shoutingmatches could steer her away fromthe path that is sure to lead to theeventual destruction of ourmarriage. My happiest time with her

is when I do exactly what she says,help her in the kitchen, be on timefor appointments and have little todo with my friends. She wants meall for herself and that’s not howwe African men behave. It is notcultural. I need my wife and I needmy friends too and I need to havefun with my friends like having abeer or so. The problem is shewant so boss me around and I am

the unbossable type. I dig my heelsin just not to give in. I love her butshe has to respect that I am a manand do not need another mother. Wehave two adorable children and Iloved them so much and want to doright by them but I do not know howmuch more of this behaviour by mywife I can take. Am I being selfishhere? What do you suggest I do tokeep my family together?Fed up

as women with their womenfriends. Your wife clearly does notget this. I think this is somethingthat a skillful counsellor could fix.Marriage is not about my way orthe highway. When a third party isinvolved, it may help you to heareach other and see how yourbehaviour affects and are affectedby what each of you do and say.Be open to meaningfulcompromises. Maybe she isexpecting you to act like a typicalwhite Canadian partner and you

might be expecting her to put up withyour ways, ways that an Africanwoman would quicker understand.My advice to you to is to makekeeping your family together yournumber one priority. In this countryyou need the shelter of a lovingfamily to come home to. Maybe youcan try doing things as a family. Ifyour friends are also married, gettogether and while the wives talk youguys could have your time as well.


CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS

There is no ‘go’ in goal-settingNothing long without the termsNo ‘soul’ in desolationEveryday is just a re-write ofThe previously learned...I enviously grudge what others earnI peversely covetA good moral standingYeah, I need a change of sloganI could use logo re-brandingMethusala’s rings are sitting justUnder my eyesAnd Medusa tends to her gardenTrim stony petalsAnd here upon my ceilingContent has me hypnotizedA private universe of dustAnd chalky stuccoIt’s not pathetic fallacyIt’s really just the fall of‘me’The FallOf AllI See...

Dahlia, (center) the grand-daughter of Gary and Brenda Elbersmade her debut in her firstprofessional Ballet with the RoyalWinnipeg Ballet’s The Faerie Queen,a play written and choreographed byBarbadian-Canadian, John Alleyne in2000 for Ballet British Columbia.The play is widely regarded as thecornerstone of Canadian Ballet.

The Littlest Ballerina

AUTUMN DRIFT - Neil Pitamber

Bin sad fuh me dis Folklorama. Sawtwo of me buddies having a had timewid memory. Las year dese guys weregood an dis year deh can’t function. Ahhave a hard time wid dat. DisAlZehmiers is something else man.Hiow come soh young people gettingdis disease, wha causing dis epidemic.Fuh a small community like ours depercentage is high. In de las four yearsor so, a latta folks developed dis

problem. Some endup in personal carehoems and otherslanguishing in dehouse. It bruk me heartto see meh buddy confused anddesparately trying to rememba. Weneed to raise funds fuh research intodis disease.

GAFFIN WID BUDDY


The Photographic works of Corey Parsons

Corey Parsons is Freelance MediaProfessional that has been takingprofessional photos since 2014. Coreyhas worked as Multimedia contractorthis year 2015 under his new brandname Prevail Media.This exceptionally talented imagemaker’s educational backgroundconsist of a Bachelor of Arts in Filmfrom University of Winnipeg,Photography 101 from PrairieViewSchool of Photography, CameraOperator with Springs TV Media teamand working towards a MediaCoordinator Diploma from Herzing

College.NotableProjects comingup is a seriesathletic mediacampaigns for sport and fitness training to promote healthy living through activity. Corey currentlylives in Winnipeg Manitoba. You follow him on Instagram @prevail_mediaofficial and Prevail Mediaon Facebook.


Radical thoughts on asleepless night

What if we do not send our children to schoolWhat if we choose to educate them ourselvesWhat if we refused handouts fromgovernmentsReturn to the land and lived as our forefathersWhat if we did not need university educationBut learn through the system ofapprenticeshipWhat if we did not go to hospitalsBut choose to live our way until the endWithout the fear of deathWhat if we did not fear death,What if we made nature our teacherThe blossoms know when to let goThe seed knows when to split asunderWhat if we embraced that knowingLive happily under the sunEating from the Garden of EdenThen what?What would become of those whose feed areon our headsStuff their cheeks at banquet tables and threwus the crumbsWork us to death for a fraction of a dollarevery dayTeachers who fill our heads with stuff thatthey know nothing aboutWhat if we took away that power and leavethem to themselvesWhere will they beWill they be richWill they be educatedWill they have power over us to giveor take away privileges?You have power my peopleTo give or deny benefitsIf you work together you are strongPowerful beyond beliefIt is you and me who give the richThe educated and the powerful their contextWithout us there can be no themDo you feel your powerDo not lie on your backsand make yourself a road they walk onStand up claim your powerTake charge and tell your storyWithout us there can be no themDo you feel your powerDo not lie on your backsYou will be the road they walk onStand up and be braveTake charge live authenticallyBe (BAW 2012)

In 2009, I studied intensive BritishEnglish Second Language for sevenmonths in Perth (Western Australia).Back to France, Ipassed the InternationalEnglish LanguageTesting System (IELTS)organized byCambridge Universitywith a competent userlevel.

“Yay! O Canada!Here I come!’’

At this time Ididn’t know that Iwould spend lot ofmoney to renew my Work Permitsand then for my Permanent Residencystatus; that I will blow up all mysavings in less than 6 months eventhough I was already working part-time; that I wouldn’t be able tounderstand the Canadian accent,either!

To be honest, I mistakenlyassumed that Canadians spoke BritishEnglish. It took me about 8 months tounderstand them. I mostly felt like amoron but after talking with otherforeigners, I realized that it was anormal process. (Sigh)

I remember that in France,

during my middle school years, I learnedto say “bye bye” and “goodbye” to end adiscussion. Many years later, in Australia,

I even acknowledged “see yah’’ and“have a good day”. And I don’tmention their numerousabbreviations such as “mossie1”,“kangoo2”, “barbie3” and “aussie4”.

Anyhow, I wasn’t prepared forthe Canadian expressions: how’sgoin’?’’, “bye for now’’ and “have agood one”. Oh boy!! Anytime Iheard “how’s goin?” my brainprocessed “house go in?’’. Howcould I answer this question? Is it

too complicated to say “how is it going?”Or when a perfect stranger told me “byefor now’’: I was like “uh… are wesupposed to meet later?” Or the tricky“have a good one”. I was alwayswondering: “have a good one, what?”

Long story short, my adaptation tothe Canadian culture was very messy. Iwas, completely lost, wandering, inSlurpee City.

But good news! I made hugeprogress. Look! Finally I figured out that:

“Winnipeg Blue Bombers” are nothockey players, “Winnipeg Jets” is not aprivate air flight company,

And I say: O Canada! Here I stay!’’

A NEWCOMER’s EXPERIENCE

Mellissa Yaw’s Book Launch a Success Mellisa Yaw’s book launch at McNally Robinsons was a huge success. Friends

and family turned out to hear the reading and purchase her book of short stories aboutthe lives of people she knew who were living secret lives. “Secret Lives” It was the

bestseller at McNallys for theweek of launch.

Melissa is featured at theback holding the roses, flanked byher mother, Anne Deurwarder,sisters Naomi and Samantha,Debbie (r) and Felomena (seated)and a family friend on the far left.

The book will make a greatChristmas present for someoneyou care about. Watch out forMelissa’s second book in thenear future.


Dr. Vernon Johns - Preacher or ProphetOn a cool night in March 2015 at

the Bethel Community Church, we weretreated to a dinner and moviepresentation. The dinner was deliciousand the movie, “The Vernon JohnsStory,” was excellent. Dr Johns,considered by some to be the father of theCivil Rights movement, was a preacherof some reputation. The Board ofDeacons was thrilled to have a man ofsuch reputation to lead the congregationof the Dexter Avenue Baptist church,which was made up of a number ofprocessional people. While they werefamiliar with his reputation, they wouldbe in for a shock with his methods.Knowing the conditions which existed inAlabama, he was prepared to put an endto the treatment of his people by thestate, and he would not accept anycowering by his congregation to thewhite establishment. We see today thatNegroes are gunned down by whitepolice officers as they were when hepastored over 60 years ago.

Dr Johns was no ordinary preacher.He did not back down from a fight.Some said he looked for fights to getinto. His seemed to take his father’sposition of, “If you see a good fight,GET IN IT” as his life’s mission. Whena young man was killed by the police heasked for witnesses to come forward,knowing that there were several asreported. No one, out of obvious fearcame forward. The head deacon, whoalso functioned as a mortician,admonished him to not rock the boat, heanswered in his next sermon by saying,“I am boat rocker” making his deaconsquirm in his seat. He really wasspecial.

He found support in a youngdeacon who seemed to understand whathe was trying to accomplish. Dr. Johnsinvited him to go into a whiteestablishment for lunch. He of coursedeclined, leaving Dr. Johns to gohimself. On another occasion Dr. Johnsstood with him outside a commercialestablishment and asked him to describewhat he saw. I see a grocery store, whatdo you see? I see, said Dr. Johns, awhole mess of Negro dollars going intowhite pockets. They take our dollars

but, they despise us so much theywon’t touch our hands during theexchange. Money is power, DeaconHill. Right now we are consumersand if we are just consumers, we areparasites.

Dr. Johns felt that the churchshould play a more active role in thepeople’s lives and set out to lead byexample. Not only did he use a

portion of the church property tocultivate produce, but he set up a stallin front of the church to sell everydayitems. The members of thecongregation were shocked andashamed that their pastor would stoopso low depths embarrassing thechurch in front of white people.

Dr. Johns practically wrote arecent documentary produced byJason Black, called 7 A.M. In it Dr.Umar Johnson pointed out in part that,between Thanksgiving and Christmas,blacks in the United States will spend3 trillion dollars in white businesses.Dr Johns could not have had thisfigure in mind but this is exactly themessage he tried to convey. Thismoney kept in the black communitywould have such economic impact,that beholding to the whitecommunity would be a memory. Dr.Claud Anderson is continually tellingus that, it is not education, nor is it ourcivil rights or human rights keeping usback. What’s keeping us back is lackof economic power. He points outthat, unless money bounces 8 to 12times before it leaves the blackcommunity, poverty is the only result.

According to him, Hispanics’ moneybounces 6 to 7 times, Whites 8 to 12 times,Asian and Arabs 11 to 12 times and Jewishmoney bounces 18 times before it leaves theJewish community. Dr. Johns in 1948 waspreaching the same concept.

This week, on the first anniversary ofthe death of Michael Brown in FergussonMissouri, we saw almost all the signs andgraffiti bearing the words “Black LivesMatter.” Is this not what the good doctorwas telling his congregation so many yearsago? It took a serious tragedy and over 60for this message to sink in.

The chairman of the Deacons boardwas a weak man and seemed quite contentto bow down to City Hall, who seemed tobe running the affairs of the Dexter AveBaptist church. Dr. Johns was not so weakand would always advertise his sermon forthe week on the church’s bulletin board.This often drew the ire of the city whowould summon the Deacon, advising him todiscourage the sermon. Dr. Johns nevercomplied even though the Deacon wouldask him to tone down his sermons.

Slavery and all its horrors were basedon economics. Blacks were brought to thiscontinent, and made to work in horribleconditions to make America one of thewealthiest countries in the world. Thoughslavery has long been abolished, it is stillalive and well in the minds of blacks. Inorder to appease the City Hall bosses, theblack congregation did not even sing Negrospirituals, citing that they were sorrowfuland undignified. Dr. Johns realized that thecongregation was mentally enslaved thoughthey did not seem to realize it themselves.The chief Sambo was none other than thehead Deacon himself.

Dr. Johns was eventually arrested inhis pulpit when he preached a sermonwhich cut through City Hall like a knife.His deacon friend saw a young black manbeing severely beaten by police, in thepresence of a large black crowd. He wasshot trying to get them to stop. The officialposition of the police is that they weretrying to subdue a disorderly coloured boyand Deacon Hill intervened. They beat himand shot him when he resisted. This eventwas repeated in Charleston South Carolinain April of this year when a black man,running away from police, was shot 8 times


Social media can be a powerful forcefor change and education if usedcorrectly. Recently a Texas motherproved it Black Lives Matter. It is nosecret that millions of Africans crossedthe Atlantic Oceans in chains and incramped ships to be forced to work onplantations for free. However,McGraw-Hill reputable textbookpublishers, in their recent publicationWorld Geography under a caption“Patterns of immigration - TheAtlantic Slave Trade between the1500s and 1800s brought millions ofworkers from Africa to the southernUnited States to work on agriculturalplantations”. This did not sit well withPearland High 9th grader, 15 year oldCoby who texted his mom Roni Dean-Burren of Pearland, Texas, and senther a photograph of the caption. Shetook McGraw-Hill to task on socialmedia for misrepresenting facts. Shereceived in excess of a million likes onFacebook enough to force McGrawHill to apologize and make changes tothe digital version of the text with apromise to make the changes to thetext in reprints. Dean-Burren said notonly are African slaves referred to“workers,” but the title of the sectionimplies that they were immigrantsinstead of prisoners who were capturedand held against their will, said“We was real hard workers wasn’twe,” Coby sent in a follow-up text.

Monica Singh,’s friends fromIWAM days threw her a birthdayparty to celebrate number 80.Friends including Uma, Pat,Polly, Sue and others broughtfood, cakes and drinks andhonoured Monica who was veryproud and grateful to have seen80 years and looking so good. Inthe Book of Family RecordsMonica has lived the longest andshe is proud of that record and islooking forward to many morebirthdays in good health.

“There is a fountain of youth: it isyour mind, your talents, the creativity youbring to your life and the lives of peopleyou love. When you learn to tap thissource, you will truly have defeated age.”

Sophia Loren

in the back. The official explanation....?He was reached for my taser said theofficer, and was shot.

Dr. Johns advertised sermon “It’s safeto murder Negroes” caught the attention ofthe City. His family members wereharassed and threatened by the whitecommunity and a cross was burned in frontof the church. His favourite daughter gavehim permission to preach his sermon.“Make it as bad as you know how, even ifit starts a war.” Dr. Hill arrived at thechurch to find a large police presence butproceeded with his sermon. After speakinga bit about Deacon Hill, he reminded thecongregation that one week earlier a whiteman was charged for shooting a rabbit outof season. He continued, “It is safe tomurder Negroes because in Alabama,niggers are always in season.” Headmonished the congregation for allowingthings to happen and not standing up toeffect change. Two police officers at thispoint entered the church to arrest him andhe finished with a question for thecongregation: “Are you worthy of JesusChrist or are you only worthy of the stateof Alabama?” As he was escorted out hisdaughter got up and started singing theNegro spiritual “Go down Moses.” Thecongregation joined in.

This event got Dr. Johns firedpredictably, and unfortunately, he wasnever offered a full time pastorate again.Before he left Alabama though, he met hisreplacement pastor Dr. Martin Luther KingJr., whose first sermon made the headDeacon squirm uncomfortably in his seat.Dr. Johns spoke his mind even though whathe said was not always comfortable forthose who heard it. As he said, “The truthis uncomfortable sometimes,” and healways told the truth. He did not shy awayfrom provocation. He spoke withconviction as did Marcus Garvey beforehim and Malcolm X after him, and he didnot preach conciliation as did Dr. King andthe parents and pastors of Michael Brownin Fergusson. I wonder what he would sayif he addressed the large crowds inFergusson at the funeral of MichaelBrown? Would he be as forgiving as thosewho addressed the congregation?Somehow I doubt that. I wonder if we willever again see a pastor bold enough and aswilling to speak out against theestablishment as Dr. Johns did?

By Victor Vaughan, Community Champion

Black Lives Matter

Uma Parameswaran, Monica Singhand Polly Pachu


HEALTHWISE Gem of Wisdom

1.Cultivate authenticity – be yourself2. Cultivate self-compassion – bekind to yourself3.Cultivate a resilient spirit – you aremore powerful than you can everimagine. Believe it.4.Cultivate gratitude and Joy – bejoyful even in adversity5.Cultivate faith and trust - Learn tolisten to your inner wisdom6.Cultivate Calm and Stillness – Letgo of anxiety as a lifestyle7.Cultivate Play and Rest – stop allthe multitasking8. Cultivate creativity - avoidcomparison, be yourself.9.Cultivate meaningful work - workthat satisfies the soul and all yourneeds will be met10. Cultivate laughter, songs anddance - relax, don’t take yourself tooseriously.Shared by Dr. Patrick Wanis.

Professor Brene Brown’s “10Guideposts for WholeheartedLiving.” Brown argues that you can onlyexperience love and belonging bybeing vulnerable, by allowing yourheart to open and by being willing toexperience all of the emotions,including disappointment and evenrejection.

2 bags fresh potato greens (4 Cups presseddown)1 lb peeled shrimp3 lbs chicken and beef1 C smoked turkey2 medium onion (chopped)1 1/2 tsp salt2 tsp seasoned salt1/4 tsp ground black pepperBaking soda1 Cup cooking oil2 Cookspoon oil2 Maggi Chicken Soup (optional)1 or 2 pods hot pepper (optional)Cut your chicken into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Cutstewing beef into 1 inch pieces. Peel and de-vein shrimp. Combine and add 1 tsp saltand 1 tsp seasoned salt. Stirto spread seasoning evenly.Separate shrimp from beefand chicken.Add two cookspoon of oil toa large skillet. Heat oil onmedium high. When oil ishot, fry chicken until bothsides are golden brown.Remove from oil. Next, fry shrimp until golden brown and add.Reduce heat to medium and sautee’ beef untilcooked. Cut turkey in small 1/2 inch pieces andadd to pot. Set aside.Then, prepare your greens. Remove the leaves from the stems. Do thisby snapping the stem about 1/2 inch from theleaf base. Rinse the leaves and transfer to a panof water. Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda overleaves. Rub the leaves. Pretend you are scrubbingand washing a piece of cloth between your twohands. Then wring the leaves using your twohands. Transfer to a clean pan. Heat one cup of oil in a deep cooking pot onmedium high. Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda.Add chopped greens, onions, and pepper. Fryfor 20 minutes, stirring frequently.Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 20more minutes stirring frequently. Addcooked chicken, beef, turkey, and shrimp.Simmer on low about 15 minutes,continuing to stir.Your greens are ready. Eat on a bed of rice.Serve with fried plantains as a side dish.

Let your food bemedicine and yourmedicine be food.Hippocrates

You will need:3 Cups parboiled rice1 lb peeled shrimp3 lbs chicken6 oz can smoke turkey1 medium onion (chopped)1 green bell pepper (chopped, optional)2 C frozen mixed vegetables1/2 cabbage, cut into 1 inch pieces2 tsp seasoned salt (Lawry’s is great)1/2 tsp ground black pepper14 oz can dice tomatoes1/2 C cooking oil1 Cup waterCook Chicken, Meat, and Shrimp and set aside.Dice smoked turkey into small (1/2 inch) pieces.

Place in a separate bowl.Add chicken, meat and shrimp topan with heated oil and stiraround quickly with spoon untilgolden brown and cooked.Transfer back to pan and add theturkey meat.Make your SauceMake sauce with chopped onion,frozen vegetables in a pan with

some oil and sauté, then add tomatoes, seasonwith salt and black pepper and add a cup ofwater. Cook for about 2 minutes then add meatsand cook for another two minutes and removefrom stove.Cook parboiled rice for about 12 minutesand set asidePut the raw rice in a deep pot and addwater to about two inches above the levelof the rice. Place pot on burner set to highand boil about 12 minutes and then strainoff the water, thoroughly rinse with cleanwater.Preheat oven to 350 degrees, set timer for 30minutes. Combine cabbage with rice in a largebowl, mix well, add sauce a little at a time to therice mixture in the panYou need to cook the rice until it is half done. Itshould not be raw and it should not be fullycooked. Do not cook it soft or your Jollof Ricewill be mushy, (unless you like mushy rice).Carefully pour rice through a strainer. Rinse withfresh water allowing water to drain from rice.TransferNow Make Your Jollof RicePre-heat oven to 350. Set timer to 30 minutes.Combine cabbage with rice in a large bowl. Mixwell.Add sauce, a little at a time, to the rice mixture inthe pan.Be careful not to add too much sauce!

Your rice should be covered with sauce, but notwatery. You may not need to use all the sauce. You canadd any remaining sauce later, while baking.Mix well and transfer to a large deep 13 x 9 inchaluminum baking pan or 2 large Pyrex dishes (8 x 11).Cover and seal with aluminum foil and place in oven.Set timer to 30 minutes.After 30 minutes, remove from oven. Remove foilcovering and carefully stir rice in pan. Replace foilcover and put back in oven. Bake another 15 minutes.Remove rice from oven again. Remove foil and testyour Jollof Rice to see is it is done.

Potato Greens Stew Jollof Rice


Leg UpMonika Feist, Chief Executive

Officer (CEO) of Success Skills Centre hasseen many success over the life span of theorganization throughout which she has beenat the helm. She has been a strong andpowerful voice for immigrants as she herselfwas once in their shoes being an immigrantfrom Germany.

“Celebrating 30 years of SuccessSkills Centre’s operations means a lot to meand my staff. It has been a fantastic clientrelationships story, an interesting funding andpartners journey, and a constant renewal ofenergy as we strive to overcome the varietyof artificial barriers our clients face daily.The first half of the 30 years our organizationwas “a voice in the wilderness”, and then wewere joined by others as the Province tookon a more active part through the ProvincialNominee Program and the many it intendedto bring to Manitoba.

For myself, the fact that the Centre isindependently sought out via word-of-mouthand former clients’ referrals, means that, theconcept of specialized services to immigrantprofessionals and skilled workers was and isneeded in order to give a hand up forindividuals willing to put in the work toreturn and apply to their home countryexperience and enter their occupations heresooner (than later, or never).” Monika said,adding, “we love to see our past clientsdropping in to see us, some from acrossCanada, to tell us their dreams have cometrue, and that we were a part that helpedshape their outcomes. It’s such a goodfeeling, and although our work never seemsto be done, every person coming into ouroffices presents us new and differentchallenges. One client recently told us at ourregular alumni gathering, that Success Skills

Centre staff was creating the citizens of tomorrow. What more of acompliment can there be!”

A CBC Morning Radio Host Alfa is also a musician. He said working for the media hasbeen a lifelong dream for him but did not see a lot of people who looked like him themedia so he pursued a Civil engineering degree at the University of Manitoba but quit afteryear three to follow his passion. “I realized civil engineering was not for me” he said andadded that once he heard an on air personality made a throw away stereotype about the emailscammers, that firmed up his resolve to get in there and do things differently. We need toteach our children how to speak to the media and to authority figures, he said.

Guyana continued from page 7

L to R - Staff member Cicely Valel, Monika Feist (CEO), Roy Vallance (Board Chair)

Gary Elbers flanked by two gorgeous women Stacey Felix(GCO President) and Ismaila AlfaGuest Speaker

A few hundredinvitees made up ofpast students,volunteers, staffand board membersplus people fromnetworkingagencies. It was aclassy inspiringevent.


Rememberingthe MissingandMurderedFirstNationsWomen. TheRed Dress artinstallationproject wascreated byMétis artistJaime Black.

Jamaica Cultural Dancers at Folklorama 2015

WelcomeFall inWinnipeg

Standing By our First Nations Sisters

gem fall edition 2015

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