How Have Black Communities Shaped Toronto? | The Agenda

0:00 >> JEYAN: HOW HAS ONTARIO'S CAPITAL CITY BEEN SHAPED BY BLACK CULTURES? A NEW EXHIBIT AT THE MUSEUM OF TORONTO FEATURES AN ORAL ARCHIVE OF MORE THAN 500 STORIES TOLD BY 100 BLACK CANADIANS. IT'S CALLED BLACK DIASPORAS TKARONTO-TORONTO, AND JOINING US NOW TO DISCUSS ARE BRIA DIETRICH, ASSOCIATE CURATOR OF PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND LEARNING, AND DAVIN HENSON, DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL PROGRAMS, BOTH AT THE MUSEUM OF TORONTO. Welcome to you both. DAVIN I will start with you. How did this exhibit come about? >> DAVIN: Yeah, so that exhibit came about WE were approached in late 2023 by AN ORGANIZATION CALLED Afro urban to develop an archive of stories representing the Black Diaspora and the greater Toronto area so we went about that, the exhibition that we've created is comprised of

0:49 over 400 stories from the Black Diaspora across the GTA. And it really is curated along 5 themes including films as well to really create this incredibly dynamic exhibition in our space. >> JEYAN: Let's get an idea of what visitors will see. We have a photo when they enter the exhibit they will see a map with pins on it. Tell us a little bit about this. It's a world map with red, blue and green pins stuck to it. What's the purpose of the map and what DO THE PINS mean? >> BRIA: YEAH SO we are INVITING visitors TO USE A PIN THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT COLOURS one colour invites you to put a pin where you were born, the second is where you call home and the third is where you have ties around the world. >> JEYAN: Tell us I know we are looking at this MAP but TELL US why and how FAR WE ARE SEEING

1:37 these pins? >> BRIA: YEAH in true Toronto fashion the Caribbean is very well populated, very very well populated but we also have pins in Africa, even I think Russia and Greenland. We'd love to hear those stories. Like, yeah, it really spans the whole globe. >> JEYAN: You mentioned the amount of stories here. I'm curious, what was the process of gathering the archives? >> DAVIN: So the process basically started with Afro urban and MUSEUM OF Toronto selecting 25 interviewers who then we invited the 25 INTERVIEWERS REALLY REPRESENTED the DIVERSE communities, BLACK COMMUNITIES across Toronto those 25 interviewers were then asked to bring in to nominate two people to interview in which point, we really are focusing on

2:28 ensuring that there was a wide representation of age, location, occupation and sex so that we had a wide range of perspectives. From that point, 50 interviews were conducted, 19 minutes in length, really focusing on spaces and moments in people's lives. From there, 8 to 10, sometimes more stories were identified and those really created the foundation of this archive. That was the process. From that point, we ACTUALLY INVITED TEN FILM MAKERS TO COME AND engage with the archive, SEE WHICH stories resonated with them and at that point, they used those stories as a foundational narrative for some short films we have commissioned for the exhibit as well.

3:14 >> JEYAN: We do have some of those short films but I want to step back and look go into the audio soundbites, because that's a big part of this. Let's have a listen to that clip. >> SPEAKER: There so many instances THAT I HAVE WHERE I HAD TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT I AM AN OWNER. And I think the narrative had changed also. I remember in 2006 EVEN WHEN I STARTED THE BUSINESS OF British rentals, we didn't broadcast that banner THAT WE ARE BLACK OWNED. But for many years I was like okay, I'm the property manager. The PERCEPTION FOR ME was I WOULD be treated DIFFERENT I WOULD BE PAID LESS, IF THEY

4:00 thought that it was owned by SOMEBODY ELSE that THEY WOULD TREAT ME DIFFERENTLY I WOULD I COULD command more RESPECT TO and THEY ARE OKAY SEEING ME IN THE ROLE OF PROPERTY MANAGER. And so I gave that ROLE. >> JEYAN: All right BRIA, tell us a bit about that that was one of many audio clips. Why does this exhibit focus on oral storytelling? >> BRIA: It's REALLY SORT OF hearing Black voices tell their own black stories that's really important for this exhibition. I think that story in particular is in our courage section really taking Faith to open her own business but also facing racial discrimination at the same time. It's 2025, and that would be a big selling point of black owned business but not that long ago,

4:45 20 years ago it was something that had to be hidden and I think it's really important to hear these stories now as we reflect back on history. >> JEYAN: Davin, how did you make sure the final exhibit was representative of many different communities. We saw the map, we can see how wide it ranges. How do you make sure that the representation is covered? >> DAVIN: I think it really comes back to that process that I was going through earlier about how we selected the 25 interviewers and also in terms of the interviewers that were nominating, the people that they were nominating from the community. It's really important for us to ensure that there was equal weight for factors such as age, location, occupation, so ultimately, those FACTORS REALLY DID CONTRIBUTE TO ENSURING WE

5:32 HAD a representation within the exhibition. >> JEYAN: Brie, obviously not all black amenities and people in general have had the same experiences. I'm curious, throughout this process, either themes of that you've found repeating themselves in some of these? >> BRIA: Within the exhibition itself we broke up the 500 stories and 5 thematic categories being courage, faith, building, movement, and relationships. There were three lines throughout, definitely there were community building that was a big part of a lot of stories, particularly as it relates to the Black Diaspora, coming HERE AND FINDING community AND BUILDING THE COMMUNITY itself, and as we heard in that story, racial discrimination also is like a three line that runs throughout the exhibition as

6:20 well and sort of finding your place in yourself within the city. >> JEYAN: Was it difficult to sorta find the themes or come down to the 5? >> BRIA: There was definitely definitely a lot of listening to a lot of videos, a lot of oral histories but I think ultimately, it was a lot of the stories that touched on the 5 THEMATICS and IN SOME CASES it was difficult to decide which category each story went into because there was a lot of courage, faith, relationships. So definitely, it was a bit of a subjective approach but also all the stories they sort of had a thematically relying throughout. >> JEYAN: You talked about tough decisions. I'm curious Davin, you mentioned in the films. There's only a handful of them, 10?

7:07 >> DAVIN: Exactly 12. >> JEYAN: You talked about it a bit but tell me, how did you choose which ones to kind of go through, what was that process like? >> JEYAN: Yeah, I think that process was very exciting. The Museum of Toronto AND Afro URBAN created this archive, identifying which filmmakers were going to be, this exhibition was incredibly exciting, IT REALLY runs the gamut of filmmakers who are seasoned, working PROFESSIONALS MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTISTS who maybe film isn't their main vocation, but they came in and you know, really showed a lot of passion and generated some incredible films. Based on WE HAD EMERGING artists there that created AI, AI generated films, we had films

7:58 that are more documentarian a style, right up until animated stuff. It's very exciting, and a VERY REWARDING PROCESS. >> JEYAN: It's only fair if we are talking about short films we should SEE SOME SHORT FILMS SO let's have a look at one of them. >> SPEAKER: It was so amazing. The parade was incredible, I needed a week to recover. CARIBANA is a big big thing. I think it's really up beautiful celebration, I think. >> SPEAKER: That's really the Hot Spot. When people come to visit Toronto. >> SPEAKER: It's that vibe, is that energy. It's the hype, it's the PRIDE, it's the joy, the freedom of expression. The union, the joy, the exuberance, that was palpable.

8:44 I don't know if I... I don't think I can ever TOP IT. >> JEYAN: I know it's February and cold outside but give me some good joy and warmth there. I'm curious BRIA, what does that particular archive teach us about how Black communities have short of SHAPED the city? >> BRIA: I think a lot of the stories, they are specifically black focused but they are also anybody who comes to exhibition it's relatable. There's a common experience in living in Toronto and being in Toronto. But there's also moments that only black people can really relate to and experience. It's really important that we are given a voice, black people are given a voice to talk about

9:30 those personal experiences. >> JEYAN: Davin, are these stories that most people of Toronto are familiar with, are these stories that are sort of... Kind of surprised you when you know you are kind of archiving these stories? >> DAVIN: Absolutely. I think the stories really do you do run the gamut. People come in and engage with these there will be the familiar and unfamiliar. Ultimately we are talking about incredibly intimate conversations that people are having and that's why we kept it first names only in terms of how we share these stories. These are very personal stories that people are sharing that we are archiving. I think if there's anything that we can hope, that people come away with this exhibition, black people have been in Toronto for generations, for hundreds of years.

10:17 I think these stories do matter and ultimately, these are Toronto stories. >> JEYAN: ALL right we will play another Toronto story. Let's have a look at another short film. >> SPEAKER: Doing archival work, you are discovering stories of our existence. >> SPEAKER: And sometimes I'll be experiencing things and then I'm like is that my memory or is that my mom's? HAHA. >> SPEAKER: Why am I curious about this particular story? >> SPEAKER: My mom is a memory keeper. She cares for our family archives and SO growing up SHE ALWAYS INSTILLED IN ME THE IMPORTANCE OF preserving our histories and remembering those who came before us. >> JEYAN: I'm curious, very different from the CARIBANA CLIP.

11:05 I'm curious, are you taking on some weight when you're sharing these stories and airing these stories? As is their responsibility as well ensuring them? >> BRIA: As well absolutely. We take very seriously as Davin said, these are personal stories of people's lives and their experiences and we want to make sure we are doing justice to the stories that are being told and portraying them in a way that people who are telling these stories feel good about. That was a big part of the process as well and archiving the process was you know, these were taking place, 500 stories were selected but then we went back to the community member who told that story and make sure that they felt comfortable with those stories being told, that was also part of the filming process, the filmmakers took on.

11:53 Some stories, multiple stories it depended but once a film was made they went back to the person who's stories they told to confirm that that film representative their stories. >> JEYAN: Getting up bit personal I'm curious, as this exhibit came together, did you recognize yourself or your family and the stories YOU heard. >> BRIA: Definitely I am of mixed heritage so I'm Jamaican and white. Growing up, there was not really a place to listen to hundreds of stories of black people's experiences in Toronto or Southern Ontario particularly speaking. So, yeah, there's definitely stories I can relate to and there is stories probably Davin can relate to. There's definitely a little piece of I think any visitor who comes they can come and find

12:39 some of themselves in the history IN the EXHIBITION. >> JEYAN: Davin similar question did this experience add to your perspective of your own community AND history? >> DAVIN: Yeah, I mean, for me lunch much like BRIA, I'm OF multiracial BACKGROUND BOTH MY FOLKS ARE FROM THE WEST INDIES from Guyana, black, Chinese, Indian, European and for me, my entry point to blackness has always been through the West Indies. I think even bringing my parents exhibition it's been exciting to have West Indian folks see multiple generations of folks come and engage with this and also see parallels not only between their stories but more recent immigrants who've come from East Africa, SOMALIA, ETHIOPIA, and see the parallels and creating those bridges between communities.

13:26 >> JEYAN: I'm curious, as you mentioned some of these archival stories are about the present, and about the past. What has changed over time for the Black Diaspora? >> DAVIN: I think it's continued to get more diverse and I think there are more stories. As I was mentioning earlier, the reality is this Diaspora starts hundreds of years ago which is when black folks started arriving even before Toronto was an actual city so I think that's a fundamental learning and as it progressed, I think there's just been layers and layers of stories where there is a lot of connection across that maybe people don't see off the surface at first glance. >> JEYAN: I'm going to ask, I'm curious you have headphones on, listening to some of these

14:15 stories. Is there one or two that give you goosebumps? Like this is a story that either connects with me or that will that will resonate with others, A favourite? >> BRIA: I would say one of my favourites is Rosemary. It's in our movements section, a common QUESTION OF BLACK PEOPLE IN TORONTO ARE ASKED OR PEOPLE OF COLOUR GENERALLY where are you from, where did you come from, where were you really born? And her story really dates back to her parents were born here, she was born here, her family came up as black loyalists in the 1700s and as far as talking about THE BLACK DIASPORA, I love that story how it relates how black people have BEEN here, they've been creating community and finding themselves here. That's one of my favourites.

15:01 >> JEYAN: Davin? >> DAVIN: I'm going to cheat a little bit and say it was one of the films. I loved all of the films that were created but one that really stands out to me is third class citizen which was He took this original quote which is really talking about the challenges of engaging with the migration or immigration system here. And then colour that or they colour that with the set of music and really pacing that really heightened that story and created a whole new experience and provided further insight into that original story and I think that's the essence of why we did these short films. It was incredibly captivating and engaging. >> JEYAN: In the last minute or so, one question.

15:48 This is a massive archive. You've unearthed a number of stories, 500 stories and I'm sure people will continue to add as they visit the museum as well. What do you hope it will be used for in the future? You both have the mic on this one. >> BRIA: It exists, black diasporas exist physically in our space, but exist as a GEOLOCATED MAP ON BLACKDIASPORAS.COM AND SOME DAY HOPEFULLY MUSEUMOFTORONTO.COM I hope it exists there. The archive will live on, people will be able to go onto that map and hear all of the stories and watch all of the movies. From now until hopefully forever. That's the hope that I can hope it can live on.

16:34 >> DAVIN: Yeah, I think that this work we've done with black diasporas really contributes to kind of the Museum of Toronto overall mission which is to create and share digital stories about our city and be able to share those and make those accessible. To what BRIA was saying, it's something that will be documented, documented on our website and it will be there for people in the city to engage with long after this exhibition is closed. >> JEYAN: ALL right we will LEAVE it THERE. Davin, Bria, thank you so much. I should mention, BLACK DIASPORAS IS ON at the Museum of Toronto until March 1st and you can go through the map of the archives. >> SPEAKER: Thank you so much.