The dinner is raising funds for GBHS’s #ChangeStartsNow education initiative
As we near the end of a tumultuous year, special holiday meals can bring a source of comfort that many are craving.
On Dec. 12, the Guelph Black Heritage Society (GBHS) is hosting its fifth annual Caribbean Christmas dinner. The dinner, which has been running for over 25 years, was traditionally hosted by the Guelph Caribbean Canadian Association.
This year the meal is being offered in a take-out format to be enjoyed at home safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each year the GBHS picks a different Caribbean island to highlight for the event. Denise Francis, president and treasurer of the society, said they highlight the Caribbean islands specifically because many in the Black communities of Guelph and Wellington have ancestral ties to the tropical region.
“We would tell people a little about the island and culture,” Francis said. “It’s more about sharing our stories in a fun way because when people are entertained and having fun, they learn.”
In addition to the annual dinner, GBHS continuously brings the Guelph Black community together by hosting educational events during Black History Month and Emancipation Day. They also fundraise to support education through their #ChangeStartsNow initiative, which a portion of the proceeds from the Christmas dinner will be donated to.
“So we’re trying to raise a dollar for each resident in Guelph,” said Alexis Charles, director of programming for the GBHS. “That’s about 135,000 dollars that will go toward programming, anti-racism education, and equity initiatives.”
According to the GBHS website, the #ChangeStartsNow initiative focuses on providing educational programming on Black history and culture as well as resources on diversity, anti-racism, and discrimination.
“We’re exhausted as a community so it’s so important to have these initiatives where we can come together as a community and celebrate as a community.”
— Alexis Charles
“We will be hosting educational and cultural events,” Francis said. “We’re doing an online business directory of BIPOC-owned and operated businesses in the Guelph-Wellington area. We’re also starting a Black Youth Council so that young people in our community can come together and have mentorship and a place to get together.”
The GBHS is also creating a library of Black literature where they’ll be highlighting books from Black authors.
“But the biggest thing is that we’ll have our 100 list of top resources, whether they be books, movies or podcasts,” Francis said.
“This list has been curated by members of the society and volunteers.”
One dollar from each meal sold will be donated to the #ChangeStartsNow education fund. In addition to providing education, the dinner also places a spotlight on local businesses. The dinners are catered by Kitchener-based company The Big Jerk. Participants can choose a red snapper, jerk chicken or vegan chickpea or callaloo as their main, and each dinner comes with a side of rice, peas, and coleslaw.
“We also contacted Laza to do beverages which is a great local partner that’s based out of Guelph,” Charles said. “Working with those two community partners was the biggest thing.”
Typically the event is also a dance, but due to safety restrictions the meals will be picked up at the Heritage Hall in Guelph from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. and then taken home to enjoy safely.
Charles said it’s not just the pandemic that has placed importance on celebrating. This year saw Black Lives Matter come to the forefront of culture and the community, and Charles said that this Christmas is a time for healing.
“The events of this year have shown just how important it is to take time for ourselves,” Charles said. “We have the BLM movement as well as the pandemic going on. Our community is tired, our community is grieving… We’re exhausted as a community so it’s so important to have these initiatives where we can come together as a community and celebrate as a community.”
A version of this article appeared in print in The Ontarion issue 189.4 on Nov. 26, 2020.
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