Rhythm & Blues Cambridge Celebrates Black History Month
Cambridge, Ontario. (February 1, 2024) – Every February, Canadians are invited to participate in Black History Month festivities that honour the legacy of Black Canadians, past and present.
Rhythm & Blues Cambridge (R&B) is proud to once again partner with the City of Cambridge, Idea Exchange, the KW Multicultural Centre and Kinbridge to present Black History Month 2024 - a month-long series of in-person events for Cambridge residents of all ages. R&B’s mission is to provide a safe engaging space to empower, inform and inspire the Black Community in Cambridge.
Now in its fifth year, this celebration of Black history and culture acknowledges the many accomplishments and contributions of members of African Canadian communities in Cambridge and across Canada. Event participants will experience a unique look at how the contributions of Black communities in Waterloo Region help shape our history, through discussions of Black history, art, culture, joy, wellness, and resistance – with a goal of celebrating Canadian Black history today and every day.
“The City of Cambridge recognizes the importance of celebrating Black History Month and raising awareness of the many contributions the Black community has given to the City of Cambridge and to Canada,” said Cambridge Mayor, Jan Liggett. “Thank you to the Rhythm and Blues committee for all your hard work creating this month-long series of events. We invite you to honour and celebrate the Black community’s resilience by learning, listening and fostering a society that combats racism, all forms of discrimination and where all residents feel a sense of belonging.”
One of the main highlights of the R&B event line-up is a Black Love Day Celebration, entitled The Black Love Treatment. This event takes place on Saturday, February 17th from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Cambridge Community Players (formerly Galt Little Theatre), 47 Water Street South, Cambridge. The afternoon will begin with Master of Ceremonies Dwayne Morgan, spoken word artist and Canadian National Poetry Slam Champion sharing some of his work, followed by an open mic session providing an opportunity for local talented artists to perform. The headline performance of the afternoon will be Yasus Afari, a writer, dub poet, and musician from Jamaica. In addition to the performances on the main stage, there will be an opportunity to participate in an art activity throughout the event. A delicious lunch will be provided by Irie Myrie’s Caribbean Catering Company.
Rhythm & Blues Cambridge is a grassroots organization led by local members of the Black community. The name Rhythm & Blues comes from the saying “They want our rhythm but not our blues”.
Funding for these events was made possible by the Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation, Region of Waterloo Upstream fund, Lyle S Hallman Foundation, and the City of Cambridge.
Event Schedule:
- Saturday February 3: 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Art from the Heart Processing
- Sunday February 11: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Hair Joy: Celebrating our kinks, our coils, our curls hair workshop
- Saturday February 17: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. The Black Love Treatment
- Saturday February 24: 12:00 pm - 4:00 p.m. Black History Month Celebration
Additional Resources
- For more information, including registration details, please visit the Rhythm & Blues Cambridge website
- Follow Rhythm & Blues Cambridge on Instagram at: @Rhythmandbluescambridge
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Media Contact
Corporate Communications
Project Contact
Marjorie-Ann Knight
Krysanne McLean
Brittney Emslie
rhythmandbluescambridge@gmail.com
About the City of Cambridge
The City of Cambridge is one of the fastest growing areas in the country. With nearly 140,000 residents, Cambridge is the second largest community within Waterloo Region. It is strategically located astride highway 401 in southwestern Ontario, part of the Toronto to Waterloo Region Innovation Corridor. With a multicultural mix and a strong foundation of support services, Cambridge has a diverse economic base with leading industries in advanced manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, nuclear, pharmaceutical, business, and financial services.
For more information about the City and its services, visit www.cambridge.ca. For accessibility accommodations, please contact accessibility@cambridge.ca. To opt out of the news release distribution, email corpcomm@cambridge.ca.
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