Robert Wright is the acting interim director of African Nova Scotian Justice Institute. Photo: Matthew Byard

African Nova Scotian Justice Institute to continue ‘invisible’ legal work with renewed funding

The man in charge of the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute says its legal work is largely “invisible,” but with renewed funding, it’s increasing its workload.

“Our role in shaping the law, and improving the law, and improving how the criminal justice system responds to and relates to Black people has already been substantial,” interim acting director Robert Wright said.

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Photo: Angela Simmonds / Facebook.

Angela Simmonds resigns as Preston MLA, deputy Speaker

Angela Simmonds, the Liberal MLA for Preston, will be stepping down as a member of the provincial legislature. Her last day will be on April 1.

Simmonds made the announcement Wednesday afternoon in an open letter to her constituents.

“There are many different reasons people get into politics. For me, it has always been about the people. I wanted to help others believe in change and feel inspired to find the courage to make those changes a lasting part of our community. I wanted people to look at me and see opportunity within themselves,” Simmonds wrote in the letter.

“For me, this decision is necessary to stretch out the legacy of changemakers, lifting up new voices while also preserving my own. This experience has taught me a great deal, and I’m ready to take that knowledge into our community, create opportunities and make change — now.”

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Artist and historian David Woods speaks outside City Hall where people gathered as Halifax regional council voted on heritage designation for the former home of Dr. Clement Ligoure. Credit: Matthew Byard

‘Mission accomplished:’ home of Nova Scotia’s first Black doctor gets heritage designation

Halifax regional council voted unanimously Tuesday to designate the former home and clinic of the late Dr. Clement Ligoure, the

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Shelley Fashan, left, and Tara Taylor are the founders of the Emerging Lens Film Festival.

Festival for Black Nova Scotian filmmakers back on stage for this spring

A film festival created for Black Nova Scotian filmmakers is now open for submissions and its organizer hopes the event will go ahead without COVID restrictions for the first time since 2019.

The Emerging Lens Film Festival is now in its 13th year. Co-founder Shelley Fashan said the idea for the festival first came about in 2010 when she attended the screening of a documentary by East Preston filmmaker Tara Taylor, who eventually became Emerging Lens’ other co-founder.

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Alonzo Wright is the new director of the Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT). Credit: Nova Scotia Government/Twitter

[VIDEO] – SIRT’s first director of African descent welcomes questions from Black community

One of the longest-tenured Black senior crown prosecutors in Nova Scotia’s history recently appointed as director of Nova Scotia’s Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is encouraging and welcoming questions from the Black community about cases in his new role.

Alonzo Wright becomes the fourth director of SIRT since its 2012 launch. He’s SIRT’s first director of African descent.

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Promise Akoi & Gbenga Akintokun

YouTube series helps African immigrants find connections, community in Nova Scotia

A team of African immigrants in Halifax have created a YouTube web series to help keep other African immigrants informed on issues specific to their new community.

The show, which is called Community Update, was created by Gbenga Akintokun. Promise Akoi is the current host. 

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