Dinner to mark Black History Month in Kitchener cancelled in wake of criticism
Group says dinner was hastily put together
A dinner planned for this week to mark Black History Month in Kitchener has been cancelled in the wake of criticism by members of the African, Caribbean and Black Network of the Waterloo Region.
Members of the group say the dinner was planned hastily and didn't come across as a meaningful gesture.
"For an announcement for a private dinner to come out just four business days before the dinner, that just felt like they were not prepared at all for what they were trying to do," said Lang Ncube, who is the network's community development coordinator.
Ncube said she wants the city to go beyond celebratory events and "tackle anti-black racism" in a more substantive way.
Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said tackling those issues is part of the work being undertaken by the city's Task Force on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. He said the city hopes to address some of those issues both locally and as a potential advocate to other levels of government.
The task force is expected to come out with recommendations late this year or early next year.
Fitsum Areguy, who is also with the ACB network, said he was pleased to see Vrbanovic take action in cancelling the dinner and hopes to see "more steps in this positive direction."
"There needs to be ... a series of more difficult conversations about what the city is and isn't doing, and for the response to that criticism to not be defensive," he said.