“It was a great experience being able to travel a journey with a man who has done so much for this country and Black people, in particular.” “I hope someday his works and his vision his accomplishments will be seen and that they’ll be seen through the archives that I’ve collected,” says LaRose. His call for action ultimately led to police reform and the creation of Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, an independent agency that probes situations involving civilians and the police. Rosemary is a wonderful person - very inspiring,” says LaRose, who has known Sadlier for 25 years.Ī former mechanic and welder, Dudley Laws was a Black Canadian activist who rose to prominence during the ’70s and ’80s as an outspoken critic of the Toronto police following the shooting of several Black men.ĭemanding justice in protest marches with his rallying cry, “No justice, no peace,” Laws co-founded the Black Action Defence Committee, an organization with similar aims as today’s Black Lives Matter. “She is a remarkable woman, believes in Blackness, believes in herself and has done enormous amounts for the community.

“How can we have social justice if only one group’s contributions, achievements - being, are known?” “I never saw myself reflected in school from the students and teachers through to the textbooks, subject material and curricula,” she told the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. An Order of Ontario recipient and recognized expert on the history of Black Canadians, she also worked with Jean Augustine on the recognition of Black History Month. Rosemary Sadlier is the founder and president of the Black Canadian Network and the former president of the Ontario Black History Society. While in office, Augustine was instrumental in championing legislation to recognize February as Black History Month, a motion that passed unanimously in 1995.Ī former principal, Augustine was honoured by having a Brampton, Ont., secondary school named after her in 2016. “It’s important that no one be able to say that Blacks can’t perform in every segment of Canadian society because we can,” she told The Globe and Mail in 2002. Credit: CPĪugustine went on to become the first Black woman in cabinet, taking on the role of minister of state for multiculturalism and the status of women. “She has been a tremendous source of inspiration, not only to me but a significant number of people in my community, as a second Black person to come to that house,” says LaRose. “These are people who have played a significant role not only in my life but in the life of Black Canadians and Canadians everywhere,” says LaRose, “and we need to continue to sing their praises and give them all of the respect that they so deservingly earned.”Īn educator, activist and politician, Jean Augustine broke barriers when she became the first Black woman to be elected to parliament in Canada during the 1993 federal election. But who influenced LaRose in his choice to lead a life of public service? We asked him to talk about the leaders who had the most profound impact on him. While he did not capture his seat, LaRose remains an active community leader.

His advocacy work led to his run for public office in the 2018 Toronto municipal election. He’s so influential and beloved that Toronto MP Judy Sgro says that “nothing in Jane and Finch would be completed without his hand.” At the Jane-Finch Concerned Citizens Organization (JFCCO), LaRose and his team help residents navigate issues like police brutality and deportation.

Despite what you have heard, Toronto’s Jane and Finch community is joyful, resilient and strongįor the last 25 years, he’s been the director of the oldest community organization in Toronto’s Jane-Finch neighbourhood, an area known for its diverse immigrant population.Jane and Finch turns the camera back on LaRose, a leader in his own right. Over the decades, he has witnessed history as it happened, from the overthrow of colonialism and rise of Black political leaders in Africa to an unforgettable day in Washington, D.C., when he joined the demonstrators at the Million Man March.Īn avid videographer, he documented many of these historic events with his camera. At 81 years old, community activist Winston LaRose has led a formidable life.

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