NEWS RELEASE
TOWN OF COLLINGWOOD
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Each February, Canada celebrates Black History Month, a call to honour the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities. The theme for Black History Month 2022 is February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day.
On Dec. 14, 1995, Jean Augustine, the first Black Canadian woman elected to Parliament and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, requested and received unanimous agreement from the House of Commons on her motion to declare February Black History Month in Canada.
The Town of Collingwood will raise a flag on Feb. 1 to mark the beginning of Black History Month asking us to listen, learn and act. Our diversity strengthens who we are, and it is up to all of us to build a community where everyone feels a sense of belonging, is respected, and valued.
Created in collaboration with the Unity Collective, Collingwood’s Black History Month flag includes three bold symbolic panels of colour: red standing for life and sacrifice, yellow symbolizing cultural richness and diversity and green representing growth and change. Bold black lettering highlights people joined in a circle of hands, in unity as a community of diversity, together.
Dr. Augustine’s legacy as a politician, educator and advocate for social justice has contributed to transformational change in Canada. The Unity Collective invites you to attend a virtual discussion on Feb. 10 at noon. Space is limited, please register at bit.ly/CwoodStories. We encourage group viewing in classrooms or among colleagues and invite actionable discussion afterwards.
While Black History Month is celebrated in February, we look to our unified pathway forward in building an inclusive community that welcomes and celebrates our diversity with collective collaboration and action every day.
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