Tamara Tynes after being crowned the inaugural Miss Black Canada, Aug. 30, 1998. Photo: Tamara Tynes Powell.

1st Miss Black Canada crowned 25 years ago this week

25 years ago on this date in Toronto I became the 1st Miss Black Canada. At age 18 no one expected this Scotian girl would take home the crown but I got the judges with my public speaking. Contestants would ask me where I was from as they were from the islands or African countries. Had to give them a history lesson about African Nova Scotians (We Been Here 400 +). Scotian for the win! ?✊?

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

‘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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Top left photo: Halifax Regional Police officers Const. Mark Pierce & Const. Craig Trudel in Feb. 2020 moments before arresting a 15-year-old Black teenager who suffered injuries during the arrest (seen in the bottom left three photos) before releasing him without charges. Right photo: Const. Mark Pierce entering a restorative justice meeting in May, 2023.

Halifax constable referred to restorative justice for 2020 assault on Black teen [VIDEO]

Const. Mark Pierce, the Halifax Regional Police officer charged with assaulting a 15-year-old Black boy outside of a mall in Bedford in February 2020, came face to face last week with the youth and his parents for the first time since the night of the incident.

Demario Chambers, now 19 years old, said he received a concussion, cuts, bruises, and badly hurt finger at the hands of Pierce and his partner Const. Craig Trudel when they arrested him.

They released Chambers without charges to his parents later that night.

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Viola Cain, left, and June Ross hug after a ceremony where they were recognized for their longtime roles as foster parents. Credit: Contributed

Women from North Preston, Cherry Brook recognized for longtime work as foster parents

Two women from North Preston and Cherry Brook have been recognized for their work as the most tenured foster parents in the Halifax area.

Viola Cain and June Ross were honoured for their 75 combined years as foster parents at a recent foster families appreciation banquet.

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Hadia and Oussama Bedoui. Credit: Matthew Byard

Halifax couple wins award for getting African Nova Scotian, immigrant children into soccer

A Halifax couple with African roots are being recognized for their work in getting African Nova Scotian and immigrant children, and families with financial barriers involved in soccer.

Oussama and Hadia Bedoui co-founded Ignite Soccer in 2020. Oussama is the president and head coach. Ignite was officially recognized as a club under Soccer Nova Scotia earlier this year. Oussama said Ignite has grown significantly in the last two years.

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“On the week of the 75th anniversary of Viola Desmond’s courageous stand against racism & segregation, Marci Ien came to #Halifax to meet with black women leaders about the path forward.” Photo: Andy Fillmore / Twitter.

Closed-door meeting on Black women in leadership raises concerns for province’s only Black female political science professor

“It is not the role of the Liberal Party to reach into other people’s communities and determine what leadership looks like,” writes El Jones in letter to Andy Fillmore about meeting hosted by MP Marci Ien.

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Auburn Eagles head football coach Dion Thomas-Hodges, left, with assistant coach Terrence Mendes. Photo: Matthew Byard.

“Anything is possible:” Black coach, officials achieve firsts in Nova Scotia high school sports

Auburn Drive High School football team’s win at the provincial championship this month, was also a big day for head coach Dion Thomas-Hodges and officials Vince Williams, Andre Williams, and Anthony Williams.

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Howard Benjamin.

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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