To mark Black History Month and its 2024 edition under the theme Une communauté, une municipalité, une région, the Association des personnes d'origine africaine et caribéenne de Vaudreuil-Soulanges et de Beauharnois-Salaberry (APOAC) invites the public to take part in the various activities taking place from February 4 to March 2.

To mark the occasion, APOAC will be touring the municipalities of Pincourt, Vaudreuil-Dorion and Île-Perrot, raising awareness among elected officials and civil servants.

The official launch of Black History Month activities will take place at Valleyfield Cathedral, with an Afro-Caribbean celebration followed by a screening on February 4, 2024, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. All are invited.

A detailed list of activities will be published shortly.

Traditional celebration-Symposium on March 2

To round off the festivities, all citizens of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges and Beauharnois-Salaberry MRCs are invited to a traditional symposium party, featuring an Afro-Caribbean public market, kiosks, games, raffles, a DJ and a dance performance, to be held at the Île-Perrot community center on March 2, 2024, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

APOAC's Board of Directors points out that: "Black History Month is one of the occasions for awareness, sensitization and exchange where everyone has an appointment with the history of a community in the various municipalities".

Elected officials get involved

The development of such a program would not have been possible without the support of a number of collaborators, including the MP for Vaudreuil, Marie-Claude Nichols, the MP for Beauharnois-Salaberry, Claude Debellefeuille, MP Peter Sheifke and the municipalities of Île-Perrot, Pincourt and Vaudreuil-Dorion.

"Black History Month reminds us that the brilliance of diversity illuminates our shared history, and that the strength of unity lies in celebrating our differences," says Marie-Claude Nichols.

"I'm delighted to see the diversity of activities organized by APOAC and its partners, and I invite the public to join me in participating in this rich programming during Black History Month," adds Claude DeBellefeuille. 

"APOAC has already been highlighting Black history in Vaudreuil-Soulanges for 5 years. I'm delighted to see the wealth of programming that the organization offers to citizens, with the goal of inclusion for better living together. History is a unifying subject that helps us better understand others, which is to our credit. Knowing where we come from helps us redefine where we're going," says Marilyne Picard, MNA for Soulanges and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Seniors.

"As we celebrate Black History Month 2024, let us honor the profound contributions of Black people in Canada to our society. Their resilience, culture and achievements are woven into Canada's identity. This February, our community of Vaudreuil-Soulanges recommits itself to learning, recognizing and celebrating these stories, not only as the history of Black communities, but as an essential part of Canadian history. Together, let's continue to build a more inclusive and equitable community for all," said Peter Schiefke.

"To celebrate Black History Month, the Pincourt Town Council and I enthusiastically join APOAC in highlighting the rich diversity within our community. We are honoured to take part in this tour of awareness and exchange, highlighting the importance of inclusion and mutual understanding," says Claude Comeau, Mayor of the Town of Pincourt.

"Vaudreuil-Dorion is a welcoming and inclusive community that recognizes diversity and fights against all forms of discrimination. That's why we're pleased to support APOAC again this year for its Black History Month activities. Community initiatives such as these help promote the values of living together in the community," says Guy Pilon, Mayor of Ville de Vaudreuil-Dorion.

"Our city is delighted to host the traditional APOAC celebration at the Paul-Émile-Lépine community center on March 2. With its rich diversity, L'Île-Perrot is ideally suited to host this festive event that celebrates and promotes inclusion, sharing and openness to the world," said Pierre Séguin, mayor of Ville-de-L'Île-Perrot.

"Collective well-being promotes peace, social justice and respect for human rights, a concept that encourages sharing, inclusion and acceptance of others. This collective well-being is promoted in municipal and provincial policies and in all discourse using the term "vivre-ensemble" (living together). This euphoric state may remain imaginary, unreal, if communities do not cultivate solidarity and teamwork. Black History Month is an opportunity to listen, raise awareness, inform and share with the Afro-Caribbean community," concluded APOAC representative Nathalyrmène Rousseau.

To find out more about Black History Month activities, visit the APOAC Facebook page.

About APOAC

The Association des personnes d'origine africaine et caribéenne is a non-profit citizen organization founded in 2021 to bring together members of the Afro-Caribbean community in Vaudreuil-Soulanges and Beauharnois Salaberry. Through various activities, APOAC aims to discover, support, mentor and promote Afro-Caribbean culture and heritage. The Association also wishes to act as a bridge between the municipalities and citizens of the populations of the two MRCs.