What is the biggest determinate of a quality education? Is it teachers, or is it something far beyond the reach of teachers? What are the factors that continue to keep the achievement gap a seething sea of despair? I’ll start here and tell you that it comes down to economics, plain and simple. We may […]
Wendie L. Poitras
Posted inNews + Opinion
Rocky and Joan: A history of sacrifice
How far have we really come concerning race relations and equity in Nova Scotia since the desegregation policies of the ’50s and the civil rights movement of the ’60s? So close, but yet so far, sums it up. We have made many inroads as people of African descent in regard to building capacity and infrastructure […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Gentrifying Blackness in Halifax’s inner city
Agricola, North, Barrington and Cogswell Streets were my old boundaries—my safe place, my sanctuary, my community, my hood. Now it seems as though it belongs to someone else. Its gradual transformation from a historic Black community to a trendy place to live and be entertained has rendered unfamiliar, uncomfortable and unaffordable spaces for many of […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Building a case for an Africentric school
The community my father grew up in went without a school for 40 years. My father, Charlie Wilson, was born into segregation in 1927. He grew up during a time when schools were funded by the communities in which they were located. If your community could not afford to build a facility and pay a […]
Posted inArts + Music
Soaring African Nova Scotian pride
It has been a long journey that has landed us here in this place, Nova Scotia. I am speaking on behalf of myself and other people of African descent who are now considered indigenous Black. Meaning, this is home. Ask any of us where we’re from and we will proudly say “Nova Scotia.” We are […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
The inspirational legacy of Wade Smith
I was very saddened to hear the news of my community brother Wade Smith’s passing on Friday, June 2. Wade was many things to many people: family man; friend; mentor; coach; administer/educator; community leader and more. Upon my reflection of Wade’s 50 years, I was filled with inspiration and pride. Pride in the example of […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Food for thought, Scotian-style
[Image-1] “Scotian” food is hearty, delicious and made with soul. As the earliest black settlers to Nova Scotia, our ancestors overcame unmeasurable hardships to survive and thrive. Along with our resourcefulness we also brought our knack for southern cooking, or what is commonly known as “soul food,” and meshed it with what the land and […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
I am an African Nova Scotian womanist artist
[Image-1] I was born in Halifax and raised in Uniacke Square (Squaretown or Squizzy for those who are familiar). I was always apprehensive about allowing society to determine what labels I should wear. Eventually, I would decide myself: middle class (I like it here), African Nova Scotian, womanist, artist. I choose to be known as […]