Register now to participate in Black History Month celebrations at Lakehead University
February 3, 2021 – Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ont.
February is Black History Month and you are invited to celebrate with Lakehead University throughout the entire month.
Lakehead University International (LUI) and the Office of Human Rights and Equity (OHRE), in collaboration with many on-campus and off-campus community groups, invite you attend Black History Month Celebrations.
The theme is “Where we started,” which begins with a dialogue celebrating the past, followed by conversations about where we are going, and events will wrap up discussing where we need to be and how we will get there together.
Groups participating in virtual events include the Caribbean and African Multicultural Association of Thunder Bay (CAMUT), the African Caribbean Student Association (AFCASA) and the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association (TBMA).
Black History Month kicks off this Friday, Feb. 5 from 12:30 - 1:30 pm (online through Zoom) with a Black Alumni panel discussion facilitated by the following Lakehead Black alumni: Moffat Makuto (one of Lakehead’s first Black student graduates), Bassie Kargbo, Tomi Akinyede, and Bobbi Eegunnike.
This alumni panel is being facilitated by another Black alumni and Black international student service professional, Lateefah Olatunde. The panel includes a community welcome from Dr. David Barnett, Lakehead’s Provost and Vice-President (Academic).
This discussion will provide audience members with a chance to learn about Lakehead’s Black student experience from some of the University’s first Black students.
Over the course of February there are many other stimulating online events planned, including a panel discussion called Where We are Now, with current Black Lakehead students and facilitator Jonathan Erua from OHRE, including a featured presentation from Dr. Semie Sama from the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law.
On Tuesday, Feb. 16 from 1 - 2 pm join Lakehead for the Good Fight, a conversation with Alice Mphafi, a social worker who was born and raised in a political family during apartheid in South Africa – a former freedom fighter, she was arrested and detained for fighting for human rights.
Alice will share her lived experience growing up in apartheid in South Africa and her experiences coming to Canada to study at a northern university situated in a resource-based community similar to Thunder Bay – UNBC in Prince George.
On Wednesday, Feb. 17 from 6-8 pm, AFCASA presents a Black Entrepreneurs night for Black business owners to share their experiences as they help shape a new northern economy.
Other fun events throughout the month include: Black artist (Lakehead’s own) Mary Wokomah hosting an inspirational live artist at work session; an African Hair workshop; a beading community get together; AFCASA’s virtual painting workshop called Still I RISE; community movie nights and much more.
The month will end with Black Jeopardy hosted by OHRE, where participants will answer Black category questions to win prizes including daily doubles etc.
Throughout the month of February, the community is invited to visit Lakehead University’s Black History Month Celebration website. Each day key moments in Black History will be revealed and visitors to this website can enter daily to be eligible to win gift cards or prize packs that will be randomly drawn at the end of the month.
Lakehead University International and its partners hope you will participate in this wonderful celebration of Black History on Lakehead’s campuses and communities.
Visit Lakehead’s University’s Black History Month Celebration website now to register for upcoming events. Some may fill up fast.
For further details please contact Sabreena MacElheron at director.iss@lakeheadu.ca.
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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.
Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has 10 faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2020 World Universities Rankings for the second consecutive year, and 98th among 766 universities from around the world in THE's 2020 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.
