Jan. 13 is Black Shirt Day and Black Excellence Day

January 11, 2023

North Surrey Secondary student Jeremiah Brooks is one of the guest speakers at this year's Black Excellence Day live virtual event, taking place on Zoom this Friday.

This Friday, the district is proud to support both Black Shirt Day and Black Excellence Day, two movements recognizing Black history, stories, art and people in solidarity with Black Canadians, as well as encouraging education and dialogue on the history of racism and civil rights in Canada.

“During school, days with a particular focus like Black Excellence Day are dedicated to bringing to light specific people and cultural groups, and are really important for us to celebrate,” said JB Mahli, the district’s new Director of Instruction for Racial Equity. “We’re always looking for ways to celebrate our identities, who we are and the connections we have with one another, and at the same time the connections to our curriculum.

“They also prompt us to think about how these concepts, ideas and values are embedded within our curriculum. Lots of staff, students and teachers work on personal and social identities within their classes, and this is a good opportunity for communication and collaboration between everyone about how important identity is in the work that we do every day.”

Started in 2021 by the Anti-Racism Coalition (ARC) Vancouver, the inaugural Black Shirt Day drew tremendous support from our students and staff and citizens provincewide, taking the day to promote racial inclusivity and recognize inequality.

Following the inaugural event, the Ninandotoo Anti-Racism Society, a Vancouver-based charitable organization, consulted with various Jewish and human rights community groups about concerns over the words "black shirt" in relation to traumatic experiences of Holocaust survivors. In response, the society established Black Excellence Day to be inclusive while continuing to acknowledge the ongoing civil rights struggle of Black and racialized Canadians.

Both movements typically take place Jan. 15, coinciding with the birthday of American civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. However, if Jan. 15 falls on a weekend, as it does this year, they are celebrated on the preceding Friday. The day, itself, is also a chance to show solidarity by wearing black.

This Friday, about 7,000 Surrey students from more than 80 schools are attending a live virtual event hosted by the Ninandotoo Anti-Racism Society and the Burnaby School District on Zoom from 10:15 a.m. to noon. The event will feature discussions on the contributions of Black Canadians and their ongoing civil rights struggle, with presentations from the following guest speakers:

Hon. Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care
Hon. Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion
Alice Mũrage, Director, African Ancestry Project
Debra Olaniyi, Associate-Manager of Programs and Services, Federation of Black Canadians
Sheba Birhanu, Associate Director of Partnerships, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA)
Djaka Blais, Executive Director, Hogan’s Alley Society
Tychon Carter-Newman, Motivational Speaker and Social Media Influencer
Bryan Burnham, Retired BC Lions Wide Receiver
Javain Brown, Vancouver Whitecaps Defender
Elage Bah, Vancouver Whitecaps Midfielder
Dakota Joshua, Vancouver Canucks Prospect
Joey “King Handles” Haywood, Former Pro Basketball Player and Elite Basketball Trainer
Khari Wendell McClelland, Musician & Music Historian
Albert St. Albert Smith, Musician
Amaal Nuux, Singer
Jeremiah Brooks, North Surrey Secondary student
Dieulane Miller, Student & BED ’23 logo designer
Annecia Thomas, Student & Activist

Schools that wish to register can contact their administrative team for the Microsoft Forms link. The live link to the event will be sent to schools on Thursday, Jan. 12.

Events such as these are powerful opportunities to learn, promote inclusivity, acceptance and equity in our schools and communities.