Remembering Harriet: 100 Years Later

The Top Seven Achievements and Partnerships of

Harriet Tubman Community Organization

Tubman Games

Tubman Games

• The Tubman Games is a track and field event created for the African, Caribbean and African-Canadian community.

• Since its inception in 1971, the original founders of the The Black Track Meet: Ken Jeffers, Marlene Green, Marlene Rock, Alexander Francis, Horace Campbell and Maurice Robb made the Games a national and international success.

• The Tubman Games was a means to mobilize the African Diasporic community through sports.

• It was eventually taken over by HTCO as part of their recreation program.

• Despite its decline in the 1990’s, HTCO has revived the Tubman Games and will recreate its glory days for the community to celebrate.

Matanga Festival

Matanga Festival

• Matanga Festival is an annual summer event that promotes African-centred healing and spiritual wellness.

• Through workshops and guest speakers, the goal of the Matanga Festival is to promote and enhance the well-being of the African Diasporic community by addressing the issues faced within the communities and discussing ways to learn and grow from our experiences.

• Previous workshops from the Matanga Festival included:• Naan Yoga• Identity Workshop• Healing Circle• Healing Dance

Afropan

Afropan

• Established in 1973, Afropan Steel Band is Toronto’s oldest steel band.

• It was started by a group of pannists under the name of “Harriet Tubman Services.”

• Afro Pan has won several Caribana competitions thus garnering the name “The People’s Band.”

• Through their early years at Harriet Tubman Centre, Afropan has contributed to the community by offering steel pan classes to youths.

• Afropan still continues to share the art of steel pan to the Toronto community at large.

The African Canadian Legal Clinic

The African Canadian Legal Clinic

• The African Canadian Legal Clinic (ACLC) is a not-for-profit organization established in October 1994 expressly to address anti-Black racism in Canadian society.

• It originated as part of Harriet Tubman’s Court Workers’ Program that was created to provide legal advice to young men and women who were having difficulty navigating the Criminal Justice system in Ontario.

• ACLC administers the African Canadian Youth Justice Program, Adult Justice Program and the Youth Justice Program.

Youth Honoring Community

Achievements

Youth Honoring Community Achievements(Program)

• This is an exciting skill development program for young people. The purpose of the program is to cultivate, nurture and support marginalized groups of young people in their journey to develop leadership, research and documentary film-making skills.

• The youths meet and learn from community leaders to appreciate their heritage by visiting historical organizations and landmarks.

The Freedom Train

A Different Booklist

The Freedom Train, August 1st, 2013

Itah Sadhu & Shannon Ashman

The Freedom Train

• On July 31st, 2013 at 11:30 pm, passengers boarded the TTC subway in honor of the 100th anniversary of Harriet Tubman’s passing.

• The gather began at Union Station and headed northbound to Downsview Station, arriving at the stroke of midnight to welcome Emancipation Day on August 1st, 2013.

• Throughout this historical and symbolic underground train ride, the passengers listened to songs and speeches about freedom and the tenacity of Harriet Tubman.

• The Freedom Train not only commemorated Harriet Tubman, but also paid tribute to all freedom fighters who courageously fought for liberty and rights for all.

Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on the Global Migrations

of African Peoples

Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on the Global Migrations of African Peoples

• Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on the Global Migrations of African Peoples studies and preserves the history of African migration around the world.

• The institute was launched on March 25th, 2007 on the 200th anniversary of the British Act to abolish the slave trade.

• It was named after Harriet Tubman in honour of her spirit, courage and perseverance in guiding slaves through the Underground Railroad to freedom.

• Harriet Tubman Institute is a part of an international network representing 24 institutions around the world known as the UNESCO “Slave Route” project.

To Our Partners…

We Honour You…

MACPRI

MACPRI(Partner)

• MACPRI celebrates its 25th year!

• Independent and innovative, this organization has won the Harriet Tubman Innovation Award.

• Their concepts such as the African Image Revolution (AIR) was designed to capture the images of African people in all their glory.

• The Oware Tournament is a revolutionary strategy to engage all ages in an ancient board game, widely played across Africa.

• Their African-to-Toronto imports and Sankofa tours to Ghana have been made available to HTCO for our young people to experience Africa in its glory. The largest amounts of donations for our silent auction came from MACPRI.

Sozi Vizuri: Eat Well

Sozi Vizuri: Eat Well(Partner)

• HTCO partnered with the Africentric Alternative School on developing a nutritional program for children under the leadership of Thando Hyman Anan.

• We wanted to get major funding to provide healthy traditional meals to assist with better learning outcomes but were unsuccessful.

• However, we received $4000.00 to provide healthy snacks before and after school.

Woodgreen Rites of Passage

Woodgreen Rites of Passage(Partner)

• Based on the West African tradition, Rites of Passage guides youths through a transitional process into adulthood.

• The mentors are paired with the youths by helping them to connect and identify their African heritage which is often repressed from their everyday lives.

• The guiding principles of Rites of Passage are:• Self-respect• Self- determination• Responsibility of the community around them

• It has seen success within its young participants where many have successfully found meaningful employments and becoming community leaders.

Young & Potential Fathers

Young & Potential Fathers(Partner)

• Young & Potential Fathers seek to promote parental engagement between young fathers and their children.

• Their goal is to “strengthen the capacity of individuals, families and the community at large to provide direct support to young fathers and their children.”

• Some of the programs they offer:• Super Dads, Super Kids• Play and Learn• Nobody’s Perfect• The Incredible Years

The National Rites of Passage Institute

The National Rites of Passage Institute(Partner)

• The National Rites of Passage Institute (NROPI) is one of the oldest and largest children, youth and family based non-profit organization in North East Ohio.

• NROPI works primarily with African-American youth in identity development and resiliency as they work to answer critical questions about themselves and their relationship to the community.

• HTCO has been greatly influenced by the NROPI and has worked closely with them to incorporate their principles into the programming that HTCO offers.

Redemption Reintegration Services

Redemption Reintegration Services(Partner)

• Redemption and Reintegration Services (RRS) grew out of the community it serves, working to provide youth offenders with the programs and services they need to become skilled, active and engaged members of the community. RRS focuses on youth as assets to society, and works to increase resilience, capacity and agency among youth.

• Some of the programs and services RRS offer are:• Anew-U Social Enterprise • Drugs Oppress People Everyday (D.O.P.E)• African Book Collective• Transitional School Program (A Partnership with TDSB)

IMPACT’n Communities

IMPACT’n Communities(Partner)

• I.nspirational

• M.eaningful

• P.ositive

• A.ctions

• C.reating

• T.ransforming Communities

• IMPACT’n Communities is a non-profit organization that focuses on communities in the Kingston-Galloway area.

• Their programming is geared towards promoting healthy communities and individual well-being.

• Programs include:• IMPACT’n Youth Drop-In• Basketball Program• The Great Debate• Theatre for Peace• Adult Fitness: Caribbean Style!

Sankofa.In.Cipher Knowledge Building &

Media

Sankofa.In.Cipher Knowledge Building & Media(Partner)

• Sankofa.In.Cipher has supported HTCO by engaging young people in open and honest dialogue and through inspirational dub poetry.

• Sankofa.In.Cipher is an organization designed to uplift the African, Caribbean and African-Canadian Community through its services such as:• Motivational Speaking• Diversity & Anti-racism workshops• Scholarships and Bursaries• Poetry Workshops