GEM - Summer 2017
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Second<br />
QUARTER<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
global<br />
eyes<br />
es<br />
Manitoba African and Caribbean Quarterly Magazine<br />
Angela<br />
Davis in<br />
Winnipeg<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
1
Reflection<br />
Broken people or broken leaders create many problems in the world that<br />
no one can solve except them. Broken people often do not love and accept<br />
themselves. When they don’t they are constantly trying to prove their<br />
worth and in doing so hurt themselves and others. This poem speaks to that.<br />
Enjoy.<br />
As I Began to Love Myself” by Charlie Chaplin<br />
As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering<br />
are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth.<br />
Today, I know, this is “AUTHENTICITY”.<br />
As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody<br />
As I try to force my desires on this person, even though I knew the time<br />
was not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though this<br />
person was me. Today I call it “RESPECT”.<br />
As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different life,<br />
and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to grow.<br />
Today I call it “MATURITY”.<br />
As I began to love myself I understood that at any circumstance,<br />
I am in the right place at the right time, and everything happens<br />
at the exactly right moment. So I could be calm.<br />
Today I call it “SELF-CONFIDENCE”.<br />
As I began to love myself I quit steeling my own time,<br />
and I stopped designing huge projects for the future.<br />
Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness, things I love to do<br />
and that make my heart cheer, and I do them in my own way and in<br />
my own rhythm. Today I call it “SIMPLICITY”.<br />
As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for<br />
my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything that drew<br />
me down and away from myself. At first I called this attitude<br />
a healthy egoism. Today I know it is “LOVE OF ONESELF”.<br />
As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right, and ever since<br />
I was wrong less of the time. Today I discovered that is “MODESTY”.<br />
As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the past and worry<br />
about the future. Now, I only live for the moment, where EVERYTHING<br />
is happening. Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it<br />
“FULFILLMENT”.<br />
As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can disturb me<br />
and it can make me sick. But As I connected it to my heart, my<br />
mind became a valuable ally. Today I call this<br />
connection “WISDOM OF THE HEART”.<br />
We no longer need to fear arguments, confrontations or any kind of<br />
problems with ourselves or others. Even stars collide, and out of their<br />
crashing new worlds are born.Today I know THAT IS “LIFE”!<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
2<br />
BREAKING NEWS<br />
Kenya has created a strong precedent<br />
in Africa by Kenya’s Supreme<br />
Court declaring that last month’s<br />
Presidential election be cancelled<br />
with a 60 day window to repeat the<br />
process. This cancellation was<br />
triggered by the opposition party<br />
accusing the ruling party of election<br />
irregularities.<br />
One local African commented that<br />
they are pleased to see this development<br />
in Kenya and that Keyna is<br />
teaching the rest of Africa new ways<br />
of doing politics and a civilized way<br />
of resolving conflicts.<br />
The election commission had<br />
declared incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta<br />
the winner by a margin of 1.4 million<br />
votes.<br />
Raila Odinga, Mr Kenyatta’s<br />
opponent, said members of the<br />
electoral commission had committed<br />
a monstrous crime.<br />
President Kenyatta said it was<br />
important to respect the rule of law.<br />
It is amazing to see that even though<br />
the international community has<br />
accepted the result, Kenyatta agrees<br />
for redoing election.It is amazing to<br />
see that the court did not care about<br />
the cost of redoing election in the<br />
name of the fidelity of the<br />
constitution.<br />
The rule of law is the basis for any<br />
democracy. And without the rule of law<br />
in democracy, you have chaos. M<br />
eles Zenawi
GLOBAL<br />
EYES<br />
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Whats Inside<br />
Feature on Angela<br />
Davis’s Visit to<br />
Winnipeg, Health &<br />
Wellness, Reflection,<br />
Regulars: Letter to<br />
my children, Global<br />
Counsellor, Recipes,<br />
Pictorial of Maiko &<br />
Friends Concert,<br />
NICCOM<br />
Multiculturalism Day<br />
Conference, Creative<br />
Foundation Workshop<br />
and More<br />
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Mail cheque/Money Order to: Global Eyes<br />
Magazine (<strong>GEM</strong>)<br />
671 Rathgar Avenue,<br />
Winnipeg, MB., R3L 1G6<br />
Global Eyes Magazine is an independent quarterly publication<br />
devoted to promoting cultural awareness of the African and<br />
Caribbean communities of Manitoba and highlighting the issues<br />
and concerns of these communities. It also aims at promoting<br />
cultural diversity and appreciation.<br />
It features articles ranging from the achievements of local,<br />
national and international personalities and general information<br />
that is of interest to the African/Caribbean Diaspora. It offers<br />
editorials with African/Caribbean sensibilities and letters to the<br />
editor. The Magazine is produced under a volunteer editorial<br />
committee that assists with proof-reading, publicity and<br />
distribution.<br />
Editor: Beatrice Watson<br />
Distributed to local businesses,<br />
and in Winnipeg and<br />
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All contents are copyrighted<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
3
Editorial -Take One<br />
One of the things Angela Davis<br />
talked about in her presentation was<br />
the importance of music in the Civil<br />
Rights Movement.<br />
She said music was very<br />
important in bringing home the<br />
message of justice, equality and<br />
racism in American society.<br />
There was also hope in the<br />
lyrics, and music had a way of making<br />
a bad situation seems better and<br />
bearable.<br />
Musicians and other artists<br />
always appear to be ahead of their<br />
time when they push music to the<br />
edge. Hip Hop/rap music for example<br />
helped to bring the issues of inner-city<br />
black and Latino youths to the fore.<br />
Many people at first criticized<br />
hip hop music for being gangstas,<br />
vulgar and misogynistic and it was all<br />
that but it also reflected the mood of<br />
the youth and sent a message to<br />
society. They had taken it to the<br />
extreme and crack cocaine and<br />
concomitant violence were part of the<br />
mix. What was happening to young<br />
inner city children? Were they reacting<br />
to their own situation where no one<br />
seemed to care and the police constant<br />
hunt to find petty drug dealers and<br />
lock them away for years instead of<br />
dealing with the underlying social<br />
issues of the day for young Black and<br />
Latino youth?<br />
Today Hip Hop has attained<br />
acceptability in all areas and it is<br />
being sung from coast to coast to coast<br />
all over the world. It’s still a clarion<br />
call for emerging issues but done in a<br />
more socially acceptable manner. It’s<br />
like now that we have your attention,<br />
here’s what we have to say.<br />
During the civil rights movement,<br />
old spirituals were turned into songs<br />
of freedom e.g. Oh Freedom, We<br />
shall overcome, “Ain’t Gonna Let<br />
Nobody Turn Us Around” and other<br />
songs that encouraged folks to stay the<br />
course and don’t give up.<br />
They were singing and dancing<br />
to these songs so there was this<br />
element of fun which was important to<br />
keep people uplifted as they press on<br />
in the struggle.<br />
Social scientists claim that the<br />
freedom songs sung by activists on the<br />
frontlines of the civil rights struggle<br />
hold an iconic place in the musical<br />
history within the movement. There<br />
were al also other forms of popular<br />
music which blended in to give voice<br />
to freedom struggle, black racial<br />
consciousness and race relations such<br />
Editor: Beatrice Watson<br />
Distributed to local businesses, and in Winnipeg and via<br />
email to individuals in Manitoba and former Manitobans<br />
in various parts of the world.<br />
To receive Global Eyes by mail please send a cheque for<br />
$15.00 to:<br />
Global Eyes Magazine<br />
671 Rathgar Avenue<br />
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3L 1G6<br />
Phone: 204-477-1588<br />
globaleyesmagazine@gmail.com<br />
as - blues, gospel, folk, jazz, rhythm<br />
and blues, rock and roll, and soul in<br />
which both blacks and whites and<br />
others were involved.<br />
When Angela Davis was<br />
imprisoned and there were marches to<br />
“Free Angela” all across the country,<br />
Yoko Ono and John Lennon wrote a<br />
song for the “Free Angela” campaign<br />
which speaks to what was happening<br />
in that moment in time.<br />
Sister, there’s a wind that never dies<br />
Sister, we’re breathing together<br />
Sister, our love and hopes forever keep<br />
on moving oh so slowly in the world<br />
They gave you sunshine<br />
They gave you sea<br />
They gave you everything but the<br />
jailhouse key<br />
They gave you coffee<br />
They gave you tea<br />
They gave you everything but equality<br />
Angela, can you hear the earth is<br />
turning?<br />
Angela, the world watches you<br />
Angela, you soon will be returning to<br />
your sisters and brothers in the world<br />
Sister, you’re still a people teacher<br />
Sister, your word reaches far<br />
They gave you sunshine<br />
They gave you sea<br />
They gave you everything but the<br />
jailhouse key<br />
They gave you coffee<br />
They gave you tea<br />
They gave you everything but equality<br />
Angela, they put you in prison<br />
Angela, they shot down your man<br />
Angela, you’re one of the millions of<br />
political prisoners in the world<br />
All contents are copyrighted.<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
4
IRCOM Opens new<br />
Housing for<br />
Refugees<br />
With great fanfare IRCOM<br />
House opened its new social housing<br />
facility at 215 Isabel Street<br />
which will welcome some 60<br />
refugee families of various sizes.<br />
Finding housing for large<br />
families is an extra challenge<br />
dealing with the current shortage of<br />
housing in Winnipeg. This house<br />
caters to lager than normal families.<br />
Housing is one of the most<br />
challenging settlement issues facing<br />
new immigrant, refugees and settlement<br />
agencies in Manitoba. Not all<br />
landlords like to rent to people with<br />
no rental history or no jobs and the<br />
non-profit agency Immigrant and<br />
Refugee Community Organiztion of<br />
Manitoba (IRCOM) was established<br />
in 1991 to focus on the housing<br />
needs of newcomer refugee families.<br />
IRCOM offers a refugee<br />
family or single individual transitional<br />
housing for the first three<br />
years at which time they have to find<br />
their own accommodations.<br />
As one attendee at the opening<br />
reception said “It is very hard to<br />
leave. It is like leaving your family<br />
all over again. It’s the best experience<br />
I had living in IRCOM House”<br />
she said.<br />
The building is made up of 60<br />
modular units that can be joined to<br />
create up to four-bedroom suites for<br />
large families.<br />
It also includes an on-site<br />
daycare, library, classrooms, access<br />
to legal and support services,<br />
laundry, bike storage and a high tech<br />
bed bug heat treatment room.<br />
LOCAL AND GLOBAL BRIEFS<br />
Indigenous is the<br />
Word<br />
In keeping with the spirit of<br />
reconciliation with Canada’s first<br />
peoples, the provincial government<br />
announced that effective immediately,<br />
in its written communications<br />
to the media or public, they will<br />
use the term Indigenous when<br />
referring to First Nations, Métis<br />
and Inuit people. This will replace<br />
the use of the word Aboriginal,<br />
except when the word Aboriginal<br />
is part of a formal name or title.<br />
African<br />
Canadian Youth<br />
with a Broad<br />
Vision<br />
How can African youth<br />
who immigrate to Manitoba<br />
maintain their connection with their<br />
motherlands? How do the<br />
newcomers keep a strong African<br />
identity while also integrating into<br />
the mainstream Canadian culture? In<br />
July 2016 in Winnipeg in response<br />
to these crucial questions, a group of<br />
youth formed the African Canadian<br />
Youth.<br />
In their first four meetings, the<br />
African Canadian youth who hail<br />
from various countries on the<br />
African continent have come<br />
together to get to know each other, to<br />
celebrate their diverse cultures and<br />
to discuss current social issues in<br />
their homelands. In addition, the<br />
youth in Canada plan to help the<br />
young people back home by sending<br />
them educational materials which<br />
are so scarce there. Therefore, in<br />
September, they are going to hold a<br />
big discussion conference in the<br />
University of Winnipeg (UofWpg).<br />
These youth, as protagonists for<br />
change, have a vision of how they<br />
can unite together, and assist the<br />
young in Africa.<br />
All Manitoban African youth<br />
are welcome to join. For more<br />
information about the group,<br />
reference Facebook page and group:<br />
African Canadian Youth or send an<br />
email to yesiamafrican@gmail.com<br />
Submitted by Stephanie Bloodworth<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
5
Culture Changes<br />
Fosters better<br />
Parenting<br />
Paternity leave is on the rise<br />
globally as cultural attitudes shift in<br />
favor of fathers taking a more active<br />
role in parenting. On May 24, <strong>2017</strong>,<br />
the Republic of Panama became the<br />
latest member of a growing group of<br />
countries that require paid paternity<br />
leave. Law 27 of May 23, <strong>2017</strong>,<br />
grants three business days of paid<br />
paternity leave from the date of<br />
childbirth, as long as the male<br />
employee provides his employer<br />
with (i) at least one week of notice<br />
of his spouse’s or cohabitant’s due<br />
date, and (ii) a birth certificate<br />
issued by the National Directorate<br />
of the Civil Registry certifying him<br />
as the father of the child. The threeday<br />
paid leave qualifies as service<br />
time in Panama, and the employee<br />
may not work for any other<br />
employer or be self-employed<br />
during his leave.<br />
(Source Mondaq)<br />
Commentary<br />
One Nation Exchange is a Social Enterprise project supported by<br />
SEED Winnipeg that is helping immigrant and refugee women in Winnipeg<br />
to create meaningful work and at the same time have a social outlet where<br />
they can meet and connect with other women. The One Nation was housed<br />
at City Place for the month of July as a pop up business at no charge. City<br />
Place has been offering new businesses the opportunity to promote their<br />
business and to test the location as a viable business location for their<br />
product.<br />
The women at One Nation Exchange sew bags and prepare t-shirts to<br />
be screen printed with the One Nation Emblem designed by Winnipeg<br />
printer Karen Cornelius. The products are attractive and appear to have the<br />
potential to do very well. The screen print is bold and makes a powerful<br />
statement of unity. To date their products include t-shirts, tablecloths,<br />
shoulder bags and pillow cases. You can find the bags at the Canadian<br />
Museum for Human Rights boutique. According to the organizers,<br />
consumer demand for these products is on the rise. Dedicated volunteers<br />
work with the women to help with the business and organizational end of<br />
things. One Nation Exchange (O.N.E.) is a not-for-profit organization<br />
committed to promoting unity by creating opportunities for intercultural<br />
experiences, training & employment for women representative of Canada’s<br />
diverse cultures.<br />
National Aboriginal Day<br />
Two Indigenous speakers were<br />
invited by the The Manitoba<br />
Advisory Council on the Status of<br />
Women to commemorate<br />
Canada’s National Aboriginal day.<br />
They spoke about the importan ce<br />
of storytelling and oral history in<br />
Indigenous communities and also<br />
told the story of water. Bannock<br />
and jam with tea were served.<br />
Some of the women who are part of the<br />
project. They said they were very<br />
happy and loved to sew.<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
6
I cringe each time I hear<br />
someone speaking about Colonization<br />
because the Europeans brought terror<br />
to every indigenous community they<br />
invaded. In an effort to appease those<br />
who are stuck in the colonial mode, I<br />
coined the word Colonial Terrorism.<br />
The Berlin conference of<br />
1885 was called when European<br />
countries were arguing over which<br />
part of Africa they would TAKE.<br />
Without asking any African’s opinion,<br />
they met and decided whom they<br />
would invade, terrorize and take,<br />
much like they are still doing today.<br />
Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and now<br />
Syria, all non-white, non-European<br />
countries, are examples.<br />
The most proven way to<br />
control a people is to take away their<br />
culture. Africans brought to the<br />
Caribbean and the Americas were<br />
culturally divided. Siblings were<br />
separated, parents were separated<br />
from their children and the slaves<br />
were not allowed to speak their own<br />
languages nor practice any cultural<br />
activity. They were fed food foreign to<br />
their bodies, yet were expected to<br />
Colonial Terrorism<br />
work from sunup to sundown every<br />
day. Literacy meant sure punishment.<br />
Those same Europeans traveled to<br />
Canada, tricked the indigenous<br />
peoples into giving up their land and<br />
forcibly removed children from their<br />
homes. They put them into residential<br />
schools where they treated exactly the<br />
same as the Africans were.<br />
A short article is not enough to<br />
document the atrocities perpetrated by<br />
Europeans in their MARCH OF<br />
TERROR on indigenous people<br />
around the world. Suffice it to say that<br />
in each case the Europeans ended up<br />
with the land and resources, imposed<br />
Talents within the Community<br />
their religion while dissenters<br />
ended up dead. Yet we see today<br />
that those groups who want to return<br />
to their land and their religion are<br />
branded as terrorists. Maybe we<br />
should refer to them as anticolonizers.<br />
In a few days Canada will<br />
be celebrating 150 years as a nation.<br />
That means 150 years of domination<br />
and oppression, much as<br />
America(241) will do a few days<br />
later. Both these countries along<br />
with France, Italy Germany, The EU<br />
coalition, are still destroying<br />
everything in countries already<br />
mentioned. Now the European<br />
nations are closing their borders to<br />
protect their citizens from refuges<br />
who have nothing to protect but the<br />
dead bodies of their loved ones and<br />
rubble created by US and EU<br />
bombs. Colonial Terrorism never<br />
stopped. Europeans became filthy<br />
rich by raping and plundering these<br />
nations. Now it has become such a<br />
bad habit, they cannot stop.<br />
Submitted by Victor Vaughan<br />
Mariana<br />
Cañadas sang<br />
at the Pride<br />
<strong>2017</strong><br />
celebration at<br />
the Scotia<br />
stage, Forks.<br />
“It is a dream<br />
come true<br />
singing on the<br />
Scotia Stage”<br />
she said.<br />
The Bahitizz sisters; Sylvie, Rachel, Francine and Odette<br />
Bahati, perrformed on June 1, <strong>2017</strong> at the Manitoba for Human<br />
Rights’ Annual General Meeting and Open House.<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
7
My beloved children,<br />
Believe in your dreams.<br />
dreams can come true and do<br />
come true. I was thrilled to<br />
finally meet Angela Davis who<br />
has been one of my favourite<br />
activists as a young woman<br />
growing up in an obsure village.<br />
She made Afro cool and everyone<br />
wanted Angela Davis’ afro. She<br />
was strong, confident, brilliant all<br />
the qualities that I admired and<br />
most of all she could talk in a way<br />
that made you want to listen more<br />
and more.<br />
I liked the fact that in those<br />
days she was not afraid to go<br />
against the grain when she said<br />
that even though she is a feminist<br />
her primary focus was with human<br />
rights and the prison industrial<br />
Dear Globalcounsellor,<br />
I am 35 year old African American<br />
man who is engaged to an Irish-<br />
Canadian woman. We are planning<br />
our marriage to take place next<br />
Spring but to be honest I am having<br />
second thoughts. I am not a racist<br />
and I am open to diversity but of late<br />
the idea of having bi-racial children<br />
is bothering me. My motivation for<br />
even dating outside my race is to<br />
help to bring about unity to show<br />
people that we can find love in any<br />
colour. It was to break down<br />
barriers but when I see in <strong>2017</strong><br />
black men in the USA are still being<br />
lynched for being with a white<br />
woman, I am thinking, am I willing<br />
to sacrifice my life in this way?<br />
Would I feel comfortable walking<br />
with my white wife in Virginia<br />
where I am from originally but made<br />
Canada my home for the last 10<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
8<br />
Letter to my children<br />
complex in which there was and<br />
still is an over representation of<br />
black men. She could not see<br />
fighting for women’s rights without<br />
looking at the broader picture of<br />
human rights. She refused to put one<br />
over the other. What would be<br />
women’s rights if black men were<br />
still at the bottom of the barrel with<br />
no accest to human rights? She<br />
understood there can be no women’s<br />
rights without addressing the<br />
question of racism and<br />
discrimination on the basis of skin<br />
colour. At that time in history<br />
women’s rights were mainly about<br />
white women’s rights for white men<br />
ruled the roost then as they do now.<br />
“Liberation is a dialectical<br />
movement – the black man cannot<br />
free himself as a black man unless<br />
Global Counselor<br />
years. My roots are in Virginia. I<br />
know my bi-racial children will<br />
always find a home in the Black<br />
community because that my people<br />
are not fussy about race, they love<br />
people and they love family regardless<br />
of how they come out. But what<br />
about my children’s family on their<br />
mother’s side? Will they be accepted?<br />
It seems ridiculous that I<br />
am asking these questions in <strong>2017</strong><br />
but here we are again fighting the<br />
same old demons. I just want peace<br />
and I don’t know how to bring these<br />
issues up with my wife to be. I am<br />
not a coward but I just want peace<br />
in my home and in my life. Please<br />
help me.<br />
Conflicted<br />
Dear Conflicted,<br />
I hear you my brother but don’t take<br />
the easy way out. In this life there<br />
must be something you believe in so<br />
black women can liberate herself.<br />
Black women’s liberation is<br />
inseparable from the liberation of<br />
the male. Women’s liberation in the<br />
revolution is inseparable from the<br />
liberation of the male.<br />
“As a black woman, my<br />
politics and my political affiliation<br />
are bound up with and flow from<br />
participaptiion in my people’s<br />
struggle for liberation and with<br />
fight of oppressed people all over<br />
the world against American<br />
imperialism.<br />
Davis was clear and articulate<br />
and she stuck to her passion even<br />
now some 40 years later. She still<br />
calls for abolishment of the prison<br />
system one of the most racist<br />
systemic bastion of institutional<br />
racism<br />
strongly that you are willing to give<br />
your life for it. From all you’ve<br />
said, making a difference, bringing<br />
people together, breaking down<br />
barriers are strong values. The<br />
Loving couple made it through Jim<br />
Crow days, you can make it through<br />
today. Love conquers everything. In<br />
the face of hate you show love and<br />
even if you die, you’d be dying for<br />
something you believe in and you<br />
will be remembered. Your life<br />
would not have been in vain.<br />
If you really love your Irish sweetheart<br />
do not let the racists rob you of<br />
a minute of pleasure and happiness<br />
with this woman. Go and create a<br />
life based on love with the blessings<br />
of your ancestoros who died so that<br />
you can enjoy greater freedom to<br />
choose. Goodluck on your wedding<br />
day.
IS THE GRASS THAT<br />
GREENER IN WINNIPEG?<br />
Spring is there while summer tiptoes<br />
around the corner. My room<br />
temperature switched, back and<br />
forth, from the heater to the air<br />
conditioner. Winnipeg’s weather is<br />
so intriguing. That explains the cold<br />
I caught last month. Microbes,<br />
viruses and allergies fought hard to<br />
keep me in bed, but I won! Spring is<br />
my favourite season because I am<br />
not chased by hungry mosquitoes.<br />
No kidding, I was stung in May but<br />
let’s pretend, it never happened.<br />
Okay? Anyway, compared to the<br />
ones in Paris (France), I noticed that<br />
Winnipeg’s grass looks greener. My<br />
neighbours’ grass exhibits a green<br />
that seems too intense or artificial.<br />
Don’t get me wrong, the colour’s<br />
brightness is breathtaking. The<br />
greenest grass I’ve ever seen is,<br />
here, in Winnipeg! That really got<br />
my attention. Or is it a contrast with<br />
the winter scenery? I mean dwelling<br />
among slippery, melted, snowy and<br />
dirty sidewalk… you name it.<br />
In Paris, the grass was just green.<br />
When I looked around everything<br />
“The announced function of the<br />
police – to protect and to serve the<br />
people – becomes the grotesque<br />
caricature of protecting the interests<br />
of the people.”<br />
I studied her works during my<br />
university days in the Women’s<br />
Studies program and wrote one of<br />
my major papers on her work and<br />
vision of feministm. Reading<br />
Angela Davis I changed my focus<br />
from rah rah feminism to a more<br />
global approach the liberation of a<br />
people.<br />
Meeting her in person is<br />
definitely one of the highlights of my<br />
life . Even though I admired her so<br />
was sad, hopeless and lifeless.<br />
Circumstances were tough. So I<br />
made-up mind to look for a greener<br />
grass. In 2011, I packed up my bags<br />
for a better life in Canada. But the<br />
reality hit me. Life won’t be easy in<br />
Slurpee-city as a foreign worker.<br />
And then moodiness, unhappiness<br />
and depression became my allies. It<br />
was silly to walk around with my<br />
winter clothing from France –<br />
equivalent to Canada’s fall clothes.<br />
Once again spring kicked winter to<br />
the kerb. I love spring because it<br />
Letter ...continued from p11<br />
much I was satisfied with being<br />
connected to her through her books.<br />
It was never my dream because I<br />
never thought it was possible but<br />
what if I had this dream?<br />
Beatrice and Angela<br />
resets the temperature to give us a<br />
break like a recovery period; a new<br />
beginning that gives new strengths<br />
and hope. There are challenges<br />
everywhere, but I keep dreaming<br />
big. And I just decided to stay<br />
positive no matter what. I praise the<br />
Lord for giving me a job and a good<br />
health. I came to Canada to better<br />
my future. God allowed tough times<br />
to happen in my life to draw me<br />
closer to Him. I grew stronger in my<br />
spiritual journey and it was worth it.<br />
Is the grass that greener in<br />
Winnipeg? The answer is yes<br />
because I learned to water mine. J<br />
Bénédicte Brou<br />
Follow me on Tweeter at https://<br />
twitter.com/BenebrouCa and<br />
benebralive.blog.spot.ca<br />
Congratulations to Rachel Alao,<br />
pastor and former Settlement Counsellor<br />
at Immigrant Centre who<br />
recently had a book launch for her<br />
first book `The Spirit of Empowerment`.<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
9
If someone had told me that,<br />
Winnipeg would host the Olympic<br />
Games; I would have said: “Nah!<br />
Not even in your dreams! Go get<br />
lost!” Boy, how I was wrong! The<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> Games <strong>2017</strong> will take<br />
place in Winnipeg. I couldn’t<br />
believe it! What a good surprise.<br />
There is finally hope in Winnipeg!<br />
Just kidding! I know that you just<br />
frown… got you! Anyway, I live in<br />
Winnipeg for more than 5 years<br />
now, and I noticed some changes.<br />
There are many new events and new<br />
activities.<br />
That is good news because I get<br />
bored easily, so I crave for novelty.<br />
For instance, I have been to<br />
Folklorama and to the ‘Festival du<br />
Voyageur’ twice in 4 years. Why?<br />
Because I already know the<br />
outcome. I need to be surprised. But,<br />
the upcoming <strong>Summer</strong> Games are<br />
very appealing. They are not<br />
Winnipeg <strong>Summer</strong> Games <strong>2017</strong><br />
Winnipeg’s seasonal events. I<br />
cherish new concepts; I am antiroutine.<br />
I can’t help it.<br />
Here is a heads up: these games<br />
will display 16 different sports. And<br />
several artists and the past<br />
Olympics will entertain us. Isn’t it a<br />
nice way to spend time with your<br />
family and friends? I see Winnipeg<br />
as a family-centered city. And I<br />
admire the time that people set apart<br />
to enjoy activities with their family.<br />
For ‘carless’ fellows like me,<br />
the carpool or taxi might help. I<br />
assume that the cabs would be very<br />
busy. And the traffics would be<br />
inevitable especially during rush<br />
hour. I know that the bus transit<br />
really sucks in the evening. The<br />
tourists may come from all across<br />
the globe. The hotels will be<br />
overbooked. That would boost the<br />
city’s finances, I guess. That also<br />
reminds me that we should be aware<br />
about sex trafficking that might<br />
occur during the events. Let’s be on<br />
guard, folks.<br />
The tickets are available online<br />
at www.<strong>2017</strong>canadagames.ca. The<br />
price goes from $5 for children up<br />
to $200, the latter if you plan to<br />
attend various venues on different<br />
dates and time. The Games are from<br />
July 28 th to August 13 th . Enjoy your<br />
summer in Winnipeg! Such a dream<br />
comes true.<br />
Bénédicte Brou<br />
Follow me on my blog at http://<br />
benebralive.blogspot.ca/ and on<br />
Twitter https://twitter.com/<br />
BenebrouCa<br />
A New Book for your<br />
Bookshelf or Kindle<br />
In this book, 36 overcomers<br />
(included Delia Joseph, Life Coach<br />
in Winnipeg) share their testimony<br />
of pain, setbacks, fear, illnesses,<br />
drugs and alcohol addictions. They<br />
all went through hell, but they made<br />
it. Today they live in victory.<br />
Moreover, as successful coaches,<br />
they dedicate their lives to help<br />
others. They give hope. This book<br />
shows that nothing is impossible to<br />
resilient people. The 36 writers<br />
never looked back with regret. They<br />
just keep going. Furthermore, they<br />
make our world a better place to<br />
live. This book is so inspiring that I<br />
recommend to everyone.<br />
Submitted by Bénédicte Brou<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
10<br />
<strong>GEM</strong> joins in congratulating<br />
Delia (Veronica) Joseph for<br />
this great accomplishment.<br />
We wish her continued<br />
success in her coaching and<br />
writing in service to other.<br />
Owner and founder of<br />
Improveology Coaching
Community in Action<br />
Ah We Kind a Food<br />
This annual food and cultural<br />
fare by the St. Vincent and the<br />
Grenadines community has always<br />
attracted a multicultural crowd<br />
partly because their food and<br />
entertainment are tops.<br />
You get to eat your belly full in<br />
Caribbean parlance. And there is<br />
always goodies to buy and take<br />
home for the rest of the week -<br />
sugar cake, sweet bread, coconut<br />
drops and other Caribbean delights.<br />
This community has added a<br />
popular addition to their entertainment<br />
and that is Caribbean style<br />
auction. This is the game that you<br />
pay to bid. It is a great fun-Raiser<br />
especially with someone like John<br />
Jack as the auctioneer. He had the<br />
crowd going wild and spending<br />
big dollars.<br />
Bajan Night<br />
It’s when the Barbadian community<br />
get to show off their food<br />
specialities such as coo-coo and<br />
salfish, flying fish, cassava pone and<br />
their version of the famous Caribbean<br />
coconut drops.<br />
The organization announced a new<br />
post secondary scholarship that<br />
would help asutdents with their<br />
financial expenses.<br />
Antoinette Zloty, Board member,<br />
Barbados Assoc.<br />
2nd Annual Torch of<br />
Dignity Relay<br />
A few hundreds of Winnipeg<br />
people participated in the Manitobans<br />
for Human Rights MHRI) 2nd Annual<br />
Torch of Dignity Relay, Agusut 7,<br />
<strong>2017</strong> from the Kildonan Park to to the<br />
Oodena Celebration Circle at the<br />
historic Forks site. The Bear Clan<br />
Patrol and the Winnipeg Police were<br />
honorary marshals for the route.<br />
It was a beautiful sunny day<br />
perfectfor a relay. Elder Louise Mae<br />
Campbell blessed the event with an<br />
opening prayer followed by a Treaty 1<br />
Welcome by Chief Jim Bear of<br />
Brokenhead First Nation. Former<br />
Winnipeg CEO David Northcott gave<br />
the keynote address.<br />
Speakers included Rajat Iyal the<br />
refugee who lost his fingers to frostbite.<br />
He could not thank Canada and<br />
the people of Winnipeg enough for<br />
accepting him as a refugee and for<br />
offering him their kindness.<br />
He said all he wantedd to do know<br />
was to give back to the community.<br />
Other speakers was a former<br />
homeless man who spoke about the<br />
poor treatment he received from the<br />
hospital . Today he is giving back to<br />
the community trying to help those<br />
less fortunate than himself,<br />
Valerie Thompson, president of<br />
MHRI said she was encouraged by the<br />
number of people who showed up and<br />
vows to continue working towards<br />
making Winnipeg a Human Rights<br />
City.<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
11
Angela Davis in Winnipeg<br />
Left to right: Molly McCracken (CCPA) , Adeline Bird, Alexa<br />
Potashnik, Kemlin Nembhard, Krishna Lalbiharie, Uzoma<br />
Asagwara, foreground sitting: Angela Davis<br />
What do you do when you come<br />
face to face with an iconic figure<br />
like Angela Davis? You give her<br />
multiple standing ovations for just<br />
showing up, you scream and shower<br />
her with loving adoration and<br />
appreciation. That was how the<br />
room felt on Sunday May 6, <strong>2017</strong><br />
when Angela Davis graced the stage<br />
at Knox United Church to address<br />
the assigned topic - Race,<br />
Resistance and Revolution:<br />
Freedom is a Constant Struggle.” .<br />
The sold out event organized<br />
by the Centre for Alternative Policy<br />
Initiatives, Black Space and Queer<br />
People of Colour was packed with<br />
those who grew up with Angela’s<br />
larger than life figure in the Black<br />
Power Movement during the heady<br />
days of the Sixties in the United<br />
States of America and the younger<br />
generation of feminists and activists<br />
who were introduced to her through<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
12<br />
her books and university courses.<br />
There was a healthy mix of<br />
Traditionalist, Boomers and<br />
Zoomers, Genx, Millennial and<br />
everyone in between.<br />
What is the attraction of<br />
this phenomenal woman, that<br />
everywhere she goes she is greeted<br />
like a modern day guru of social<br />
activism, her words are carefully<br />
digested and in the midst of<br />
hundreds of people you can almost<br />
hear a pin drop in the hush silence<br />
her voice commands and yet she is<br />
not a strident speaker but soft and<br />
playful at times.<br />
Her life reads like an action<br />
movie that keeps you on the edge<br />
of your seat. She is a woman who<br />
escaped the death chamber, a<br />
woman who was jailed for 18<br />
months, who faced the demon of<br />
American racism, a woman who<br />
was stripped of her citizenship of<br />
the USA and found refuge in Cuba,<br />
she ran for Vice President of the<br />
USA on the Community Party Ticket<br />
and she spoke her truth wherever<br />
she could.<br />
A former leader of the<br />
Communist Party USA (CPUSA),<br />
civil rights activist and academic,<br />
Angela Davis has dedicated her life<br />
to freedom fighting. She has been<br />
described as “the most recognisable<br />
face of the left in the US.”She has<br />
been associated with revolutionary<br />
movements such as the Black<br />
Panther Party in the 1960s. She also<br />
co-founded Critical Resistance —<br />
an organisation which exists to<br />
counter the US’s prison system. Who<br />
would not want to hear such a<br />
woman speak her truth?<br />
Davis acknowledged being on<br />
Treaty land and the home of the
Métis Nation. As she spoke it<br />
seemed like everyone hung on every<br />
word for pearls of wisdom to drop.<br />
“Sometimes we cannot<br />
distinguish between freedom and<br />
unfreedom” She said. “The<br />
problematic character of the notion of<br />
freedom that can be talked about in<br />
the USA constitution which states “all<br />
men are created equal” means these<br />
men have access to rights and<br />
liberties. The US claims it is the first<br />
democracy. The hardness of these<br />
notions has to be pulled apart. What<br />
dollars. The Issue of race appears<br />
to be the property of the victims.<br />
All of us in this region have<br />
to grapple with it. Our future<br />
depends on our understanding of<br />
it.”<br />
Slavery in the US was<br />
abolished without abolishing<br />
slavery. Today we are still<br />
grappling with the afterlife of<br />
slavery, she said.<br />
How do we develop<br />
consciousness? How do we<br />
become aware? How is racism<br />
Angela Davis with the staff of CCPA staff -<br />
Molly McCracken, Karen Schlichting and<br />
Lynne Fernandez<br />
men were they talking about? We fail<br />
to grasp the elitist character of<br />
democracy as it is offered to us.<br />
Davis says she is excited that we<br />
finally seem to be recognizing why<br />
issues of racism is so central to the<br />
US and Canada.<br />
“Colonization provides the<br />
ground upon which these countries<br />
were developed. Consider this<br />
region and we recognize the extent to<br />
which oppression of indigenous<br />
populations and the enslavement of<br />
Blacks provided the bedrock of these<br />
societies.”<br />
“Why is it so hard to recognize<br />
the Haitian revolution? They were<br />
forced to pay the French government<br />
what amounted to some #34 billion<br />
transformed in contemporary<br />
world? Movements such as the<br />
Black Lives Matter have a<br />
philosophical relevance, they help<br />
us to realize the moral damage<br />
racism has caused.<br />
“Everything should be subject<br />
to questions. We need to question<br />
the questions, that is critical<br />
thinking – we need to engage in the<br />
critical process of questioning”<br />
However, the media and other<br />
systems want to normalize racism<br />
and other oppressions. We have to<br />
hold on to that sense of disbelief,<br />
Davis encouraged.<br />
Davis had a lot of positive<br />
things to say about music and its<br />
centrality to movements over the<br />
years. She said music was one of<br />
Elder Albert McCleod opened with a blessing.<br />
the major drives against the movement<br />
against racism and it was central to the<br />
development of revolutionary movement.<br />
She said musicians seem to have a gift of<br />
making complicated ideas simple and<br />
understandable through their music and<br />
lyrics.<br />
She said that focussing on how to<br />
articulate the nature and structural<br />
character of racism, unlearning racism<br />
workshops and admonishing whites when<br />
they use the wrong words are small<br />
actions but the more import thing is about<br />
the structures that persists that enable<br />
racism to exist. “Racism has not declined<br />
because Blacks and Latinos are more<br />
visible. We do not look for racism in the<br />
individual but the ways in which our ways<br />
of knowing shift.”<br />
She said Obama was elected<br />
because of a movement. The young people<br />
refused to believe that it was impossible<br />
for a black man in our post racial era to<br />
be elected President “One Black man in<br />
the White House but millions of black<br />
men in the Big House” adding that there<br />
are more black men in prison today than<br />
were enslaved in the 18 th century.<br />
She called attention to the history<br />
of imprisonment in the USA and the<br />
connection with rehabilitation. Prisons<br />
Calvin Joseph was the official photographer<br />
for the Angela Davis Event. Thanks to<br />
CCPOA for sharing it with <strong>GEM</strong><br />
continued on p21<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
13
Creative Foundation of Manitoba Stimulates Student Creativity in Interactive<br />
Workshops<br />
The Creative Foundation of<br />
Manitoba, Inc. delivered a highly<br />
interactive and stimulating workshop<br />
for elementary school children<br />
in Winnipeg.<br />
More than 100 grades 5, 6 and 10<br />
school children converged at the<br />
Holiday Inn South Venue for a day<br />
of creative and interactive activities<br />
including, music, moving cartoon,<br />
visual art, poetry and human rights<br />
presentations.<br />
In each of the workshops, the<br />
students were fully engaged. They<br />
were as sharp as nails, bright as<br />
stars and brave as David in their<br />
eagerness and enthusiasm and<br />
willingness to take risks.<br />
Hon. Rochelle Squires brought<br />
greetings on behalf of the provincial<br />
government. She encouraged<br />
the children to see themselves as<br />
artists even though they may not<br />
have artworks hanging in a gallery.<br />
She told them they are all artists and<br />
to have fun with it.<br />
Presenters included, Yisa<br />
Akinbolaji, Catherine Akinbolaji,<br />
Dr. Sunday Olujoku, President of<br />
Creative Foundation and writer, and<br />
Beatrice Watson, Manitoba Human<br />
Rights Commission staff.<br />
To all account the day went by<br />
very quickly, the children enjoyed<br />
their pizza and salad lunch and each<br />
got a gift i.e. the artwork they<br />
produced - to take to their mothers<br />
for Mother’s day, which was the<br />
Sunday following the workshop.<br />
They each prepared a piece of art<br />
work using Yisa’s patented technique<br />
remoglue that sparkled with<br />
colour.<br />
The teachers gave the conference<br />
their thumbs up.<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
14<br />
Students showing off their<br />
painting s; Group photo of<br />
speakers/facilitators<br />
Yisa Akinbolaji demonstrating<br />
remoglue technique<br />
and student follows<br />
Kamta Roy Singh shares his wit and wisdom with the<br />
Nigerian Professionals of Manitoba<br />
Kamta Roy Singh originally from Guyana, South America ,was recently<br />
invited as the guest speaker at the Nigerian Professionals of Manitoba<br />
Information session where he shared his struggles and victories as an<br />
immigrant. He spoke about arriving in Canada with about $27 dollars in his<br />
pocket to being the proud owner of several Tim Hortons Franchise today.
Maiko Watson Wows Hometown Fans<br />
Maiko delivers a donation to Helen &<br />
Randi of Match International<br />
Lisa Hacket and Mavis McClaren fierce<br />
comunity supporters<br />
Maiko Watson<br />
and friends<br />
at the<br />
Dalnavert<br />
Museum<br />
performed to a<br />
sold out<br />
supportive fan<br />
base.<br />
New fans<br />
Maiko and her favourite grade 2<br />
teacher Joan Lloyd<br />
Heather Gaskin a customer of Maiko’s<br />
hair braiding business days<br />
Ms Atwell and Maiko’s first vocal coach<br />
student<br />
Cliff, Michael and Keith from the Baha’i<br />
community<br />
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you thank you to all who came out. Itt was one of the best concerts I’ve had.<br />
Love, love love. Maiko Watson.<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
15
Celebrating Excellence in<br />
Academia - Two Bright Stars<br />
Tasha Spillett, a Cree and<br />
Trinidadian woman from Manitoba,<br />
will use feminist and race theory to<br />
look at the impact of Indigenous<br />
land-based education on the wellbeing<br />
of Indigenous girls in urban<br />
areas. Land-based education<br />
reconnects Indigenous peoples with<br />
the land and the social relations,<br />
knowledge and languages of the<br />
land.<br />
Through interviews with Elders and<br />
Indigenous teenage girls who<br />
participate in land-based education<br />
initiatives in urban areas, Spillett<br />
aims to identify best ways of<br />
connecting Indigenous girls with<br />
land-based knowledge and<br />
determine how that knowledge can<br />
be an effective response to systemic<br />
violence.<br />
“I believe it’s my responsibility to<br />
serve my community,” said Spillett,<br />
who is supervised by Alex Wilson,<br />
educational foundations professor<br />
and director of the U of S<br />
Aboriginal Research Education<br />
Centre. “Having the support of the<br />
Vanier allows me to not only focus<br />
on my research, but also to remain<br />
an active member of my community<br />
while engaged in my studies.”<br />
Ahmed Tiamiyu, a mechanical<br />
engineering student from Nigeria,<br />
will study a special type of stainless<br />
steel which could be used for high<br />
temperature and load-bearing<br />
applications. His goal is to improve<br />
the strength and wear resistance of<br />
this material for possible<br />
applications in the design of nuclear<br />
and chemical reactors in Canada,<br />
thereby improving safety.<br />
“The Vanier scholarship offers me a<br />
unique opportunity to achieve my<br />
career goal of advancing technology<br />
through the development of new and<br />
improved engineering materials,”<br />
said Tiamiyu, who is supervised by<br />
mechanical engineering professor<br />
Akindele Odeshi and Jerzy Szpunar,<br />
Canada Research Chair in<br />
Advanced Materials for Clean<br />
Energy.<br />
It is by education that we become<br />
prepared for our duties and<br />
responsibilities in life. . If one is<br />
badly educated he must naturally<br />
fail in the proper assumption and<br />
practice of his duties and<br />
responsibilities. Marcus Garvey<br />
Interim Treaty<br />
Commissioner<br />
Loretta Ross<br />
Congratulations to Loretta<br />
Ross, Winnipeg lawyer who was<br />
recently appointed as interim Treaty<br />
Commissioner for the Treaty Relations<br />
Commission of Manitoba.<br />
Ms Ross in additjon to being<br />
a promiinent lawyer is a member of<br />
the Board of Commissioners at the<br />
Manitoba Human Rights<br />
Commision, and a Board member of<br />
Manitoba Wise - an equality rights<br />
seeking organization.<br />
On July 29, <strong>2017</strong> The Treaty<br />
Commission held an open house to<br />
introduce the new Commission to<br />
the community in a relaxed informal<br />
manner.<br />
Ross is slated to be guest<br />
speaker at the Wise Breakfast in<br />
October this year, celebrating<br />
Women’s Equality Rights in<br />
Manitoba.<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
16
I saw first that things were ugly<br />
And most of all ugly was I<br />
That’s when you hinted at beauty<br />
A beauty too great for my eye.<br />
You told me of a garden free<br />
For those who live their life for you<br />
I said that’s not the path for me<br />
‘Cause it was meant for others too.<br />
I thought I was still approaching<br />
As I began to walk away<br />
But the dark was soon encroaching<br />
And all night came over my day.<br />
I can‘t remember how I talked<br />
For I slept in a dreamer‘s bed<br />
I can‘t describe the land I walked<br />
For I was blind and deaf and dead<br />
Then a man bearded withy birdsong<br />
With the loveliest perfumed eyes<br />
Happened along my way along<br />
His proud journey among the skies<br />
I said, you‘ve been to this garden<br />
He said won‘t you come too<br />
The journey will be a hard one<br />
Just a leap of the heart will do<br />
I leapt and still haven‘t landed<br />
The direction I ‘m in is up<br />
I can see and hear one-handed<br />
In my other hand there‘s a cup.<br />
And all the birds and bees are drawn<br />
To take drink from its flowing lip<br />
They come to see me at the dawn<br />
And go home on their midnight trip.<br />
My words fail so in this beauty<br />
I‘m shamed how much failure shows<br />
Still I’m drawn by love and duty<br />
To offer you this song my rose.<br />
John Dunn, Winnipeg Poet¸<br />
Playwright. Now lives in China where<br />
he teaches English but visits ‘home‘<br />
To visit daughter Laila and his<br />
beautiful grandchildren living in<br />
Dauphin Manitoba<br />
Creative Expressions<br />
NATURALLY<br />
You laugh<br />
Call me ‘redundant’<br />
How many times have I drawn<br />
The same substance<br />
’As many times as a man<br />
Needs to breathe...’<br />
Be it a recipe for a barbeque<br />
Or new method for the abdomens<br />
Or a better way to wear my pants<br />
I would continue to pretend...<br />
AROUND<br />
Optics<br />
I was thinking<br />
how the design of a spider;s web<br />
might seduce<br />
The compound eye<br />
of a fly<br />
when your breasts<br />
Called my attention<br />
From a distance.<br />
John Dunn<br />
You’d rather split profit<br />
Than to share a secret<br />
Somehow, I thought it<br />
The other way...<br />
Sure we had something<br />
Not much for promoting<br />
But kept a smile glowing<br />
The other way...<br />
Neil Pitamber<br />
CONDOLENCES<br />
Our thoughts and prayers go out to<br />
all those who have departed this<br />
world and the families and loved<br />
ones they left behind. May these<br />
souls RIP<br />
Reflections of Life<br />
We take for granted what we see<br />
Through the eyes of mortality<br />
We touch the wood and think it’s<br />
real<br />
Think this is the real deal<br />
We don’t know this isn’t so<br />
We don’t know it’s all too shallow<br />
What we see and what we feel<br />
Things we’re offered as a meal<br />
Are creations of our imaginations?<br />
Abstractions of our contemplations<br />
We see a man he is black<br />
We run clackety clack<br />
He is a killer and a robber<br />
A jive talking slobber<br />
What if we live in the moment?<br />
What if we suspend judgment?<br />
What if we open our hearts and<br />
mind?<br />
And see what we can find<br />
It might surprise us what lives in<br />
that dust<br />
we may find gems of kindness<br />
instead of disgust<br />
What if we just let go of the ego<br />
What if we just let our feelings<br />
flow?<br />
What if we let it take us to that<br />
space?<br />
That space of pure grace.(BAW) (c)<br />
Special condolences to the Atwell<br />
family who have lost their father<br />
George Atwell and to the family of<br />
Joan Joseph. We grieve with you and<br />
pray for your strength to carry on.<br />
Celebrations<br />
We celebrate with those who are<br />
marking anniversaries, birthdays,<br />
births. May your lives be blessed<br />
and enriched by these significant<br />
events.<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
17
CHEAT PIEROGIES<br />
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and<br />
halved<br />
½ cup mayonnaise<br />
1 cup sharp old cheddar, grated<br />
salt and pepper (to taste)<br />
Sauerkraut filling:<br />
1 tbsp vegetable oil<br />
1 tbsp butter<br />
1 yellow onion, diced (or 2 yellow<br />
onions, caramelized)<br />
2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed and<br />
drained<br />
salt and pepper (to taste)<br />
Assembly:<br />
1 package egg roll wrappers<br />
vegetable oil (for frying)<br />
butter (for frying)<br />
water (for sealing)<br />
Garnish options:<br />
sour cream<br />
fried onion slices<br />
cubed smoked bacon, fried<br />
minced chives<br />
paprika<br />
Preparation<br />
Potato and cheese filling<br />
Add potatoes to a pot of cold<br />
salted water. Bring water to a boil<br />
and cook until potatoes are tender,<br />
about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes<br />
and mash with butter. Fold in<br />
cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside.<br />
Sauerkraut filling<br />
Sautee onions in oil and butter until<br />
softened and lightly browned. Add<br />
drained sauerkraut to pan, sautee<br />
for 5 minutes, season with salt and<br />
pepper. Set aside to cool slightly.<br />
If making caramelized onion<br />
option, caramelize onions, then add<br />
sauerkraut to pan, season with salt<br />
and pepper, sautee for an<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
18<br />
HEALTHWISE Recipes<br />
additional 5 minutes.<br />
Assembly<br />
Place about 1 heaping tbsp of filling<br />
into centre of wonton wrapper. Use<br />
fingers to wet perimeter of wonton.<br />
Fold wonton in half and seal edges,<br />
making sure to push all air out of<br />
filling. Continue until all wontons<br />
are stuffed.<br />
Blanch to pierogies in salted boiling<br />
water for 2-3 minutes, until wrapper<br />
is translucent. If working in batches,<br />
place blanched perogies on an oiled<br />
plate, separating layers with<br />
parchment paper as they will stick<br />
together.<br />
Heat a non-stick pan to medium<br />
heat, and add a splash of oil. Fry<br />
pierogies until golden brown on<br />
both sides. Continue until all<br />
pierogies are cooked, add more oil<br />
as needed.<br />
Top with sour cream, fried onion<br />
slices, fried bacon cubes, chives<br />
and paprika I’m not betting on it.<br />
GUYANESE<br />
SAVOURY PLAIT<br />
BREAD<br />
Ingredients<br />
1. 3 ½ cups all purpose flour<br />
2. 1 tbsp dry yeast<br />
3. 1 ¼ cup plus 1 tbsp warm<br />
water at 110 degrees<br />
4. ¼ cup melted butter<br />
5. 1 tsp salt<br />
6. ¼ cup sugar<br />
7. 1 egg yolk + 1 tsp water<br />
Instructions<br />
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.<br />
2. In a large bowl place warm<br />
water and sugar, then sprinkle yeast<br />
on to water and let sit for 10<br />
minutes to allow the yeast to proof.<br />
3. Add flour, melted butter and<br />
salt in the mixture with the yeast<br />
and mix to form a dough. The dough<br />
will be sticky. Add just enough flour<br />
(about 2 tablespoon) and knead for<br />
5 to 10 minutes. A stand up mixer<br />
with the dough hook attachment<br />
would be an excellent alternative to<br />
hand kneading the dough.<br />
4. Cover bowl with a clothe then<br />
set in a warm place and allow to<br />
rise for 45 minutes.<br />
5. After 45 minutes, remove the<br />
dough from the bowl and place on a<br />
lightly floured surface. Knead for 2<br />
minutes to form a smooth ball, this<br />
shouldn’t take long. Next cut the<br />
dough into 3 even pieces then roll<br />
each piece into equal logs about 14<br />
inches.<br />
6. Braid the 3 logs to form the<br />
loaf. Make sure both ends are secure<br />
by pressing them together firmly<br />
then tucking under.<br />
7. Let rise for 45 minutes in a<br />
warm place. On the cooktop of the<br />
preheated oven would be perfect.<br />
8. In a small bowl mix egg yolk<br />
and water with a fork then brush on<br />
the top of the bread. This will create<br />
a golden brown crust.<br />
9. Place in preheated oven and<br />
bake for 30 minutes.<br />
10. Remove from oven and allow<br />
to cool, then place in a bag and seal.<br />
Jehan Peters recipe<br />
Quotable Quote<br />
No disease including cancer can<br />
exist in an alkaline environment.<br />
Dr. Otto Warburg<br />
1931 Nobel Prize Winner for<br />
discovery of cancer
The Alkaline Way to Better Health<br />
If you are looking for good<br />
health, have tried a lot of diet<br />
protocols and health regimes but<br />
still not quite where you want to be<br />
you may want to up your game and<br />
give Dr. Sebi’s nutritional formula<br />
for better health a chance.<br />
He is the African Honduran<br />
herbalist and holistic healer taught<br />
by a Mexican herbalist and his<br />
grandmother . Through diligent<br />
research Dr. Sebi developed a diet<br />
and herbal regime which have been<br />
used to cure diseases that still<br />
baffle traditional medicine e.g.<br />
AIDS, diabetes, sickle cell,<br />
Arthritis, stroke etc. He was<br />
charged by the US government of<br />
fraud (making false claim) and won<br />
his case by producing more than 80<br />
patients who came forward to tell<br />
their stories of healing.<br />
One of Sebi’s claims to fame<br />
is his belief that rendering the body<br />
into an “alkaline state” makes it<br />
impossible for disease and<br />
ailments to exist. Dr. Sebi also<br />
created vegetable cell compounds<br />
in order to fortify the body. He also<br />
claimed to have a cure for AIDS<br />
and cancer along with a long list of<br />
other related cures.<br />
To put your body in an alkaline<br />
state Dr. Sebi recommends certain<br />
foods to avoid in particular animal<br />
products, dairy products, wheat,<br />
sugar, GMO and hybrid foods<br />
which create mucus and damage<br />
to the mucus membranes. He<br />
recommends natural spiring water<br />
for its significant mineral content.<br />
You do not have to follow his<br />
recommendation to the letter but if<br />
you are suffering from some kind<br />
of chronic disease, isn’t it worth a<br />
try, to enjoy better health?<br />
Dr. Sebi died under tragic<br />
circumstances in a jail in<br />
Honduras for having on his person<br />
$20,000 in cash. He was accused<br />
of money laundering. If you look<br />
at his videos and writings from<br />
more than 10 years ago, Dr. Sebi<br />
apparently loved to walk with real<br />
money and not depend on banks<br />
etc. There are people who are like<br />
that. What is wrong with having<br />
real money? Why that was a<br />
crime? His case is still being<br />
investigated and the people closed<br />
wot him feel certain that Dr. Sebi’s<br />
name will be cleared. Dr. Sebi<br />
atreated many celebrities as well<br />
including Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez,<br />
Eddy Murphy, John Travolta,<br />
Steven Segal among others.<br />
Alkaline foods include ;<br />
kale, romaine lettuce, tomatillo,<br />
grape tomatoes, seeded grapes,<br />
seeded watermelon, teff grain,<br />
spelt flour, spelt bread, rye<br />
bread, seeded water melon;<br />
Gaffin Wid<br />
Buddy<br />
Oh man, I’m<br />
up to hey wid dis<br />
racism crap all ova de place especially<br />
in Winnipeg. Dis is the home of<br />
Folklorama biggest cultural festival in<br />
Nart America, we like Chinese food,<br />
jerk chicken and curry chicken, we are<br />
marrying each odda den what is de<br />
problem? Ah met a guy from India de<br />
adda day talking bout how he’s being<br />
treated soh bad because ah he race an<br />
ting. Ah seh bouy wheh yuh come<br />
from nah gat racism? He seh na man.<br />
Ah seh what about de Dalit people. He<br />
seh oh, they are simple people<br />
uneducated and people help dem out by<br />
givin dem odd jobs here and dere. Ah<br />
seh dat is discrimination, yuh keeping<br />
dese people down an not giving dem a<br />
chance. Ah ask him how he tink de<br />
must feel and he seh dey happy doing<br />
odd jobs, dat is dere job and no body<br />
compete wid dem. Dey work get pay<br />
an feed dey family. Ah seh well de<br />
white people tink we are good doing<br />
odd jobs in Canada too, how about<br />
dat? Is like me Rasta friend Danny<br />
shooting off he mout and mekking fun<br />
of two guys holding hands. He seh dat<br />
people like dem need to be put in jail<br />
and dun way wid. Ah seh rememba de<br />
time when black people used to be put<br />
away… nah whipped and lynched fuh<br />
less dan dat. Ah seh we kiant want<br />
rights fuh weself and not give it to<br />
odda people. Dat is wrong.<br />
Everybady gat rights jus fuh being<br />
human. If we don’t see dat promoting<br />
discrimination based on race, sex,<br />
religion etc. is like shooting weself on<br />
we foot. We black and brown folks are<br />
nat out a de racism woods. We still face<br />
bad discrimination. If anything we<br />
should be at de front promoting civil<br />
rights fuh everyone. Man I kiant<br />
unadastan people. I mine me own<br />
bisness. Once people don’t get up in<br />
me bisness I’m okay. It’s live an let<br />
live. Ketch yuh nex time.<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
19
Multiculticultural Diversity on the upswing in<br />
Manitoba<br />
The Nigerian Canadian Congress<br />
Organization of Manitoba<br />
(NICCOM) celebrated Manitoba’s<br />
Multiculturalism Day with a conference<br />
themed “Engendering<br />
Multicultural Harmony : Grasping<br />
the nuts and bolts for Progress, that<br />
featured various speakers from the<br />
multicultural community whose<br />
topics expanded understanding of<br />
diversity and multiculturalism in<br />
Manitoba.<br />
Held on June 23, <strong>2017</strong>, at<br />
the Winnipeg Technical Institute ,<br />
Pembina Highway, the speakers<br />
included Dr. Lori Wilkinson Professor<br />
at University of Manitoba, Yisa<br />
Akinbolaji, Helen Wang, Won Jae<br />
Song, MLA Waab Kinew. Guest<br />
speaker was Ms Deborah Handziuk<br />
head of the Winnipeg Technical<br />
Institute. Minister Rochelle Squires<br />
brought greetings on behalf of the<br />
provincial government and Councillor<br />
Janice Lukes, brought greetings<br />
on behalf of the City of Winnipeg.<br />
Dr. Sunday, Olukoju, NICCOM<br />
president warmly welcomed the<br />
guests and promised participants a<br />
day of great multicultural intellectual<br />
feast.<br />
Dr. Lori Wilkinson’s powerpoint<br />
presentation captured the<br />
growing diversity in Manitoba , and<br />
new cultural groups settling in<br />
Manitoba over the last few years.<br />
Helen Wang , Editor of Chinese<br />
Tribune, & President of<br />
Manitoba Chinese Family Centreand<br />
Won Jae Song, Publisher of Diversity<br />
Times and Korean Times<br />
Newspapers, spoke about the<br />
challenges and opportunities of<br />
multiculturalism at the grass roots<br />
level e.g. language barriers and<br />
adapting to a new culture.<br />
Top:(Member of the<br />
Chinese community<br />
Minister Rochelle<br />
Squires, Helen Wang and<br />
Janice Lukes ,<br />
Middle: Won Jae Song,<br />
Bottom: Selina Bieber,<br />
Conference emcee,<br />
Kenny Daodu, Public<br />
Relations Officer,<br />
NICCOM and Judith<br />
Hayes, Executive Director,<br />
Manitoba Start<br />
Yisa Akinbolaji, Tehani Jainaire, Director,<br />
Multiculturalism Secretariat, Dr.Lois<br />
Stewart-Archer, CBW past president & a<br />
community member<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
20
were supposed to be a more humane<br />
alternative because it was retained<br />
in the Slave Law. “Slavery<br />
provided a model for punishment<br />
that persists in the aftermath. It was<br />
not just about a Southern form of<br />
punishment. Under the new<br />
capitalism two million people were<br />
incarcerated.”<br />
Global capitalism destroyed<br />
dreams for black people, Davis<br />
asserts, as factories shut down and<br />
moved across the water. As<br />
capitalism sought cheaper labour<br />
and tried to escape unions, they<br />
moved and people began moving<br />
across the borders like the<br />
corporations move and when that<br />
happened they were called illegal.<br />
“No human being is ever illegal.”<br />
Davis said we have to make the<br />
global connection. Black Lives<br />
Matter reverberated all over the<br />
world. Islamophobia plays into the<br />
racism of today.<br />
“We need to use the tools of<br />
feminism to deal with racism and<br />
not glass ceiling feminism. Talking<br />
about glass ceiling reminds people<br />
that she is already way up there but<br />
feminism for those women whom the<br />
floor is threatening to collapse.”<br />
She said Queer black women<br />
understand that trajectory in the<br />
construction and reproduction of<br />
gender, and how we have been<br />
oppressed by the binary system of<br />
gender – a gendering apparatus.<br />
Davis has so much knowledge<br />
and so much to share that during the<br />
Question and Answer session her<br />
answers became mini talks. To the<br />
question, how do we teach towards<br />
solidarity and the steps to a stronger<br />
movement? She responded to take<br />
small steps, do what you are<br />
interested in, and find a way to<br />
connect that passion with radical<br />
movement. Do what you can.<br />
She was asked about the<br />
connection between the Black and<br />
Indigenous struggles. Davis said<br />
when slaves were freed they were<br />
promised 40 acres of land and a<br />
mule. “I want my 40 acres. Whose<br />
land is that?”<br />
How to talk about privilege<br />
with the privileged? She said it is<br />
really important that we all become<br />
aware of our own particular<br />
privileges. “I prefer to talk about<br />
White supremacy.”<br />
In her concluding remarks she<br />
said that we have made little<br />
progress in purging our collective<br />
psyche of racism. Prison has been<br />
a powerful institution. We put<br />
people away where we can be safe.<br />
We incarcerate the problem and<br />
don’t deal with it because it is too<br />
hard.<br />
Mindfulness and social justice<br />
have a connection. How can we use<br />
mindfulness to create community,<br />
how can we bring our whole selves<br />
to the table and be supported. How<br />
can we create a movement where<br />
people know how to share their pain<br />
without judgement. “I am bearing<br />
witness for those who did not make it<br />
this far. We have to take care of our<br />
sadness and our spirit and learn to be<br />
together. And we need to develop a<br />
repertoire of response to deal with<br />
racism and microaggresions..”<br />
Davis encouraged the young<br />
people to build coalitions with<br />
white people. Its not about<br />
alienating people but creating a<br />
movement that would help to<br />
transform our society that will<br />
benefit everyone. In the end it is<br />
peace, justice and equality we all<br />
want.<br />
Davis left her audience with a<br />
lot of food for thought and hunger<br />
for more. After the formal<br />
presentation there was a reception<br />
where she was surrounded and<br />
patiently spoke and took pictures<br />
Angela Davis contyinued from p 13<br />
with those who were there.<br />
Thanks to three incredibly<br />
strong women who were the movers<br />
and shakers behind this historic<br />
moment – Molly McCraken, Centre<br />
for Policy Alternatives, Uzoma<br />
Asagwara, Queer People of Colour<br />
and Alexa Potashnik, Black Space.<br />
Molly McCraken, Ex Dir of Canadian<br />
Centre for Policy Alternatives<br />
welcome address, and Uzo<br />
Asagwara emcee<br />
Beatrice Watson<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
21
Celebrating Women Gala Event<br />
l-r:Humaira Jaleel, Sandra Kloss, Helen Whetters, Barbara Toews, Barbara Nielsen<br />
It was a night of celebration and<br />
appreciation to five outstanding<br />
women in the community who were<br />
recognized for their contributions to<br />
making Manitoba batter.<br />
Sandra Kloss, Council of<br />
Women of Winnipeg, Barbara<br />
Nielsen, Consumers Association of<br />
Canada, Barbara Toews, Provincial<br />
Council of Women of Manitoba and<br />
Helen Whetter of MATCH<br />
International, Manitoba Region who<br />
received the Women Helping<br />
Women Award - and Humaira<br />
Jaleel, leader of Islamic Circle of<br />
North America, winner of the Not<br />
Afraid to get your hands dirty”<br />
Award. She is a professional<br />
Muslim woman who wants to<br />
demonstrate it is possible to be both<br />
strong, empowered women and<br />
women of faith. All these women<br />
have volunteered tremendous<br />
amount of time towards community<br />
building work.<br />
An annual event organized by<br />
the Provincial Council of Women of<br />
Manitoba Inc., (PCWM) Alexandra<br />
Shkandri, President, said that since<br />
PCWM’s inception in 1949, this<br />
organization has had the privilege of<br />
counting many exceptional women<br />
amongst our members and<br />
“tonight’s honorees carry on that<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
22<br />
legacy and were selected by their<br />
peers for their outstanding<br />
contribution to Manitoba.” The Not<br />
Afraid to get Your Hands Dirty<br />
award was established in 2013 by<br />
UNPAC (United Nations Platform<br />
for Action Committee) of Manitoba<br />
to honour the long time service of<br />
their Executive Director, Jennifer<br />
DeGroot. The award is intended<br />
for a Manitoba woman/girl who<br />
recently demonstrated a creative<br />
activist response to an identified<br />
injustice, in an attempt to bring<br />
about social or political change for<br />
women. Humaira did just that when<br />
preparing for an activist event in<br />
Winnipeg and realized the morning<br />
of event that there was not going to<br />
be a stage. When you are going to<br />
have an event with speakers one<br />
needed a stage she thought and,<br />
woke up her husband and had him<br />
take their bed apart and also had a<br />
friend do the same, they took the<br />
bed frames got some plywood and<br />
hastily put together the stage for<br />
speakers.<br />
Soroptimist organization<br />
received the Federate Honouree<br />
award for their consistent financial<br />
support to women and girls achieve<br />
their dreams through scholarships,<br />
both locally and abroad. Their<br />
most recent project is Dream it be<br />
it - a mentoring program for young<br />
women.<br />
Each year they give out the Live<br />
your Dream bursaries for women<br />
returning to school to improve their<br />
families, economic situations, they<br />
also make and distribute comfort<br />
pillows to women who have under<br />
gone breast surgery and help women<br />
and girls in other areas as well.<br />
The evening was filled with<br />
chatter, laughter, food, silent auction<br />
and networking opportunities.<br />
Members of Soroptimist Group<br />
Alexandra<br />
Shkandri,<br />
President,<br />
PCWM.
Thanks to Hope McIntyre,<br />
Artistic Director of Sarasvati<br />
Theatre for giving me this<br />
opportunity to share my<br />
thoughts on the importance of<br />
hearing immigrant and refugee<br />
stories.<br />
Chimamanda Ngozi<br />
Adichie brilliantly asserts in<br />
her essay the danger of a single<br />
story”, how what people read,<br />
hear about, or watch on TV<br />
can influencetheir view of<br />
foreignersthe idea that a story<br />
has more than one side. We are<br />
not one-dimensional beings.<br />
We are complex and so are<br />
our stories.<br />
There are many<br />
preconceived ideas about<br />
immigrants and refugees and if you<br />
only listen to what the media have<br />
to say you may not get the entire<br />
story. When we hear stories of<br />
immigrant and refugees especially<br />
in their own voices we get a<br />
personal angle, they tell a<br />
perpetual human tale of the search<br />
for peace and a better life for their<br />
children, they speak about the<br />
difficulties of living in a state of<br />
constant war, the journeys they<br />
make on foot, through snake and<br />
lion infested habitats to get to<br />
safety. The safety that we all crave<br />
as human being. When we hear<br />
their stories we begin to<br />
understand that they are human<br />
beings just like us, with needs just<br />
like us, and that given the chance<br />
may have chosen to remain in their<br />
countries and build a life among<br />
family and friends, connections<br />
which are lost when they are<br />
forced to run for their lives and<br />
scatter abroad. These immigrant<br />
and refugees stories help to bridge<br />
the divide between those of us who<br />
have lived her longer and the<br />
newcomers, by fostering deeper<br />
Sarasvati Theatre Season Kick Off<br />
understanding.<br />
Hearing their stories may shift<br />
our position from judgement to<br />
curiosity and human compassion.<br />
You will hear them speak of not<br />
coming here to take our jobs but to<br />
give as much as they can in<br />
gratitude for being welcomed here.<br />
You hear stories from all<br />
perspectives: teenagers, older and<br />
younger adults of how hopeless it<br />
feels living in refugee camps and<br />
because they do not want to be a<br />
burden on people are willing to do<br />
the grunge work Canadians do not<br />
readily take, like cleaning toilets,<br />
working in factories and other<br />
minimum wage jobs; that in order<br />
to make ends meet everybody has<br />
to work. It helps us to understand<br />
that people do not come here to be<br />
on welfare, though it is<br />
appreciated. They want to work<br />
and take care of their families.<br />
Learning about immigrant and<br />
refugee stories through theatre is<br />
both entertaining and a source of<br />
accessible learning. It helps to<br />
break down barriers and expand<br />
our horizons. A co-worker whose<br />
mother migrated from Germany<br />
after the Second World War said<br />
they ran and took risks<br />
because there was<br />
nothing left to lose,<br />
they had lost<br />
everything.<br />
Though we live<br />
in glass houses and<br />
drive fancy cars we<br />
are at heart still<br />
hunters and gatherers<br />
– we go where food<br />
is, we go where there<br />
is a chance to survive<br />
and thrive. No border<br />
can stop folks from<br />
trying to move. It’s<br />
our nature, the<br />
continuing story of our evolution.<br />
And finally it is important for us to<br />
hear these stories because they<br />
remind us of our own stories of<br />
migration.<br />
HURRY HURRY<br />
FEMFEST Starts September 16<br />
with the Opening Cabaret you do not<br />
want to miss. Get your tickets early.<br />
The best deal is a season pass.<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
23
Dalnavert Museum<br />
Michael Peters Maiko Watson<br />
& Julian Bradford<br />
Angela Davis surrounded<br />
Global Eyes Magazine <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
24