Education

Madden Ross (right) participated in an inaugural weekend-long basketball camp in Halifax hosted by Milwaukee Bucks guard, Lindell Wigginton (left).
Madden Ross (right) participated in an inaugural weekend-long basketball camp in Halifax hosted by Milwaukee Bucks guard, Lindell Wigginton (left). Photo: Lisa Ross.
Education News Sports Youth 

‘Dream big’: NBA pro Lindell Wigginton hosts basketball camp in Halifax

Dozens of young basketball players from the Halifax area gathered in the Saint Mary’s University gym on Saturday morning to watch as a National Basketball Association (NBA) star stepped onto the court to offer some words of inspiration.

Lindell Wigginton, 25, who grew up nearby in the city’s Uniacke Square area, launched his inaugural weekend-long basketball camp at the university’s Homburg Centre in hopes of developing the next generation of talent.

The Milwaukee Bucks point guard said through his skills academy, he aims to offer resources and insight that weren’t available to him when he first started out.

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Ryan "R$ Smooth" Somers gives the peace sign while broadcasting on the radio
Ryan "R$ Smooth" Somers
Arts Education Entertainment History News 

DJ R$ $mooth celebrates career as host of longest-running Black music radio show in Atlantic Canada [VIDEO]

The longest-running Black music radio show in Atlantic Canada recently celebrated its 25th year anniversary on the airwaves.

Ryan Somers, aka DJ R$ $mooth, has been hosting $mooth Groove$ on CKDU 88.1 FM since 1998. The show, which airs every Sunday from 5pm to 8pm, broadcasts out of the Student Union Building on the campus of Dalhousie University.

“I always think of the show as like a home base, like no matter what’s going on… most people can hear me that Sunday,”

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Graduates and attendees to the Pathway to Success event hosted by The Africadian Empowerment Academy on Friday, June 23, 2023.
Graduates and attendees to the Pathway to Success event hosted by The Africadian Empowerment Academy on Friday, June 23, 2023. Photo: Matthew Byard
Education Employment Housing News 

Grads of Africadian Empowerment Academy find pathway to success with Red Seal certification

Ten students received their Red Seal certifications in skilled trades this year by taking part in the Africadian Empowerment Academy.

The students were honoured at an event dubbed Pathway to Success, which was hosted by the academy on Friday evening.

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Isaac Saney, chair of the Black and African Diaspora Studies Degree Major Committee at Dalhousie University
Isaac Saney, chair of the Black and African Diaspora Studies Degree Major Committee at Dalhousie University. Credit: Matthew Byard
Education Education & Youth News 

Black and African Diaspora degree program at Dalhousie may be first in Canada, professor says

A Black history professor at Dalhousie University says a proposal to expand the university’s Black and African Diaspora studies minor program into a full degree could make it the first program of its kind in Canada.

The current minor program started online in 2017 within the faculty of arts and social sciences. Isaac Saney, chair of the Black and African Diaspora Studies Degree Major Committee, is now working with other Black professors at Dalhousie on the final proposal for the full degree program.

“Then the idea came out,” Saney said. “Why don’t we have a major where somebody can come in and graduate with a degree in Black and African Diaspora Studies?”

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David Woods accepting an honorary degree. Credit: Matthew Byard
David Woods accepting an honorary degree. Credit: Matthew Byard
Arts Education Education & Youth Elders News 

‘Exemplary artist’ David Woods receives honorary doctorate from Dalhousie University [VIDEO]

“All of these stories had a consistent theme of an individual or an event of significance that had been ignored by history and by an accident had been brought to my attention, and through my passion and commitment to create an excellent work I was allowed to become a conduit for their public recognition to give them a second life.”

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On Monday, Cikiah Thomas, Delvina Bernard, and Andrea Douglas participated in a ‘Pre-Conference Event for 2023 Universities Studying Slavery Conference, which was moderated by Isaac Saney.
On Monday, Cikiah Thomas, Delvina Bernard, and Andrea Douglas participated in a ‘Pre-Conference Event for 2023 Universities Studying Slavery Conference, which was moderated by Isaac Saney.
Education Education & Youth History News 

Virtual panel discusses the ongoing legacy of slavery and the topic of reparations

On Monday, speakers at a virtual panel discussion talked about reparations and the ongoing legacy of slavery from Nova Scotian and Canadian perspectives. The event was hosted by Dalhousie University, University of King’s College, and the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia and was advertised as a pre-conference event for the 2023 Universities Studying Slavery Conference to be hosted by University of King’s College. Isaac Saney, director of the transition year program, moderated the three-person panel.

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Howard Benjamin.
Howard Benjamin.
Black Business Education Education & Youth Elders News Youth 

East Preston Empowerment Academy is changing the careers of Black tradespeople

“We know that there’s a lot of people of colour who’ve been traditionally doing the concrete work in this province,” Benjamin said. “But there’s been very little-to-none that are actually Red Seal designated. Meaning they can never bid for that job, meaning they will always be subjugated to some other company, giving them second rate … subcontractor money.”

“Right now Nova Scotia’s booming in construction, and that community isn’t getting to take advantage of it like other communities are.”

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Shartelle Lyon and her mother Sharmay Beals-Wentzell founded the Valley Anti-Racism Association following the murder of George Floyd.
Shartelle Lyon and her mother Sharmay Beals-Wentzell founded the Valley Anti-Racism Association following the murder of George Floyd. Photo: Shartelle Lyon
Black Business Education Education & Youth Elders Justice & Politics News 

Mother-daughter duo’s passion for anti-racism inspired creation of information sessions for seniors

A series of virtual information sessions for seniors, hosted by professionals from Nova Scotia’s Black community, was inspired by a mother-and-daughter duo who wanted to support BLM protests and fight racism in the province.

The Valley Anti-Racism Association was founded by mother and daughter Sharmay Beals-Wentzell and Shartelle Lyon, who said the group was inspired by the tragic murder of George Floyd last year.

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