­­­­­­By Erica Phillips

CD Release: Shakura S’Aida performs in Toronto on May 17 at Revival Bar with her full band, and May 18 at Hugh’s Room for an acoustic show.

With Time by Shakura S’Aida, who needs coffee. This two-CD, 16-song set will wake you up and put a smile on your face. Born in Brooklyn, New York, raised in Switzerland and living in Toronto for many years (she speaks three languages), S’Aida’s infectious vibe is as present in person as it is on her new CD.

On Time, S’Aida’s powerful voice is backed by a cast of phenomenal musicians — Brooke Blackburn, Alison Young, Kenny “Bluesboss” Wayne, Shamaka Ali, and Joaquin Nunez Hidalgo, just to name a few. They match her energy and intensity note for note. The themes — nostalgia, regret, heartbreak, joy, desire, empowerment — and the lyrics resonate in so many ways. And, with her  music’s powerful energy, S’Aida and all the musicians must’ve been exhausted after the recording sessions.

I found that the songs on Disc 1 made it really hard to sit still — I had to tap my feet under my desk cause I couldn’t get up and dance. Most of the songs on Disc 1 were written by S’Aida and Grantis. Don’t Tell Mama Where Her Children Hide was co-written by Brooke Blackburn. Even though this is S’Aida’s CD, she lets the power of her musicians shine. Subtitled “Time to Rock my Soul”, Disc 1 delivers a mix of fiery songs and is occasionally infused with a gospel feel and some slower tempo tracks.

The first track Queen of Rock N Soul, written by Jeff Thomas is a great clap-your-hands-and-sing-along up beat song with plenty of confidence. The song is a re-write of Long John Baldry’s Don’t Try to Lay No Boogie-Woogie on the King of Rock and Roll.

The title track, Time, is more intense and asks for something many of us wish we had more of. While Bring Me Back reminisces about youth, starting over and is a tribute to other performers. It’s a song that makes you smile with its back-in-the-day references.

“What is about old school days/ why do we miss them so/ The rhythm of life was a cool speed/ not too fast and not too slow/ BTO, Commodores, Supertramp/ I had my Chaka and my Prince tapes too/ Music that moved and inspired and made your body groove.”

Between Us is a sweet acoustic song that brings down the tone and volume — it’s good because we need a break from the fervor of the first five tracks.

On Disc 2 it’s time for the blues! With its slower tempo, acoustic instrumentation and smoky vocals, it’s great to listen to at the end of the day. It’s a mix of gospel, traditional blues and bar room blues with the occasional hint of swagger, humour and sexiness. These songs simply transport you to a different era.

For example, Halfway Blues, which S’Aida co-wrote with Brooke Blackburn, sounds like a private conversation between her and singer Harrison Kennedy. Blackburn plays guitar in the background.

I was relatively unfamiliar with Shakura’s work before this CD, she has a new fan in this writer and with the release of Time, many more new ones. Add some of these songs to your play list and your workouts will never be the same.

To hear a sample from Time or to see S’Aida on tour, visit http://www.shakurasaida.com.

Abena and her mother

By Abena A. Green

When I was in high school, my mom would sometimes drop me off at school in the mornings.  As I was getting out of the car, she’d say, “Be the best you can be.”  Today, with old drugstore flyers reminding me of this past Mother’s Day, I hear my mother’s words again.  However, they’ve evolved from being just sweet speak to my 13-year-old ears to real advice on how to approach each day.

For the first half of my school career, I succeeded academically without consciously applying my mom’s words. Until pre-calculus and chemistry entered my life in high school, I achieved pretty good grades without much effort and was fortunate to have seen many 90-percent grades.

University taught me what it was like to sweat for grades. Many of my undergraduate days saw me agonizing over matrix algebra equations and striving to get 70 percent in the course. It was in these years that I started thinking about my mom’s six words and, in just the way the way Peter Pan flew off the storybook pages and changed the Darling children’s lives forever, her words took on life for me.

I learned was that being the best you can be is necessary (especially if you’re a minority) in order to demonstrate your skills and to prove your worth to get a job, get into school, make a team, etc.  My mom always told me I had to work twice as hard as my peers to get the same results.

But I also learned that  the aim of being the best you can be is not always to prove yourself  to others, it’s also about  knowing that you brought your A-game and gave it your all. As a poet,  I’m truly touched when someone tells me they enjoyed my poem, but  I’m most happy with myself when  I know that that night, I chose a good piece, memorized it well, and performed with passion.

As a mantra I’ve found “Be the best you can be” both comforting and challenging. It’s comforting when I consider that it’s “Be the best that you can be” not “Be the best that Mary can be”.  The challenge is that being your best may mean losing certain comforts like sleep, financial security and friends.  It also pushes you to deal with your doubts and fears.

It’s incredible how these six words that my mom sent me off to school with on the occasional morning, became such layered revelations as I grew up.  My mom is a nurse, an educator, a conversation carrier and a trusted ear to many. From her six words, I’m gaining insight into what it takes to thrive in this world.

Abena A. Green is a freelance writer, poet, dancer and co-founder of Tempo Magazine, a publication that celebrates the contributions that Africans of all backgrounds are making to redefine the future of the continent.

By Edward Brown

Besides an ongoing weekly gig at the cozy Snug Harbour Restaurant in Port Credit, recording artist and 2012 Harry Jerome Award recipient Jay Douglas has an exciting concert date set for Friday May 18^th at Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. 

Any attempts to place creative limits onJay Douglas, the Jamaican-born, Toronto based recording artist and 2012 Harry Jerome Award recipient are futile. The dynamic performer’s musical landscape knows no boundaries. Consider his inclusion of Leonard Cohen’s oft covered classic, Hallelujah, on the 2011 Juno nominated CD, Lovers Paradise.

Cohen had a megahit in 1984 with the folk-rock ballad, now a recording industry standard. Since then, the song has been covered nearly to death, with everyone from k.d. lang to an obscure Norwegian quartet recording a version. The song’s originator has even come out and said enough is enough, placing an unofficial moratorium on future cover versions of his song.

It takes a musical innovator like Jay Douglas to successfully reinterpret Hallelujah with a fresh reggae beat. Judging from the positive response this version has garnered, it’s safe to assume Cohen would make an exception this one time.

Jay Douglas has been part of the Canadian music scene since the early 1960s. In his trademark leather cap and ready grin, he shows no signs of slowing. Equally proficient performing R&B standards, funk, reggae, soul, big band classics, Motown, and top 40 hits, he is Canada’s version of the hardest working man in show business. As agile as Jagger, Douglas’s stage presence has been compared to the late godfather of soul, James Brown.

Arriving in Toronto from his hometown of Montego Bay in 1963, it wasn’t long before Douglas was performing to sellout crowds in fabled Toronto nightclubs like Club Blue Note and Le Coq d’Or. Back then, he fronted The Cougars. Beloved blues songstress, Jackie Richardson was among the members.

Douglas went on to record, write, tour, and perform with a number of entertainers. He has shared the stage with everyone from reggae and jazz guitarist/composer Ernest Ranglin, to Pee-Wee Ellis and comedian Don Harron. When approached by US-based Light In The Attic Records, Douglas became the driving force behind the 2006 compilation, Jamaica to Toronto Project. Since release, the CD has rekindled interest in reggae artists once thought lost to time.

In recognition of his outstanding achievements in entertainment, Jay Douglas received the prestigious 2012 Harry Jerome Award.

Besides an ongoing weekly gig at the cozy Snug Harbour Restaurant in Port Credit, Douglas has an exciting concert date set for May 18^th at Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto.  Complete with a 12 piece band and string section, this concert promises to be a blockbuster performance. Word is, Douglas has been busy rehearsing a number of his favourite R&B classics.

With an eclectic repertoire at his disposal, audience members are in for a fantastic show, plus a surprise or two. Fans wouldn’t expect anything less from Canada’s reigning monarch of music.

Four-time Juno award winner, Kardinal Offishall will be a guest speaker for the conference portion of this year’s Toronto International Music Summit, taking place at the Royal York Hotel on May 26, 2012.

One of the hardest working men in the business, Kardinal has ASCAP and SOCAN awards to his name, along with 4 MMVAs. His unique twist on hip-hop, high-energy stage performances and charismatic persona have seen him perform at Prince’s Trust Fashion/Rock show, that was broadcast to over 400 million viewers in over 70 countries worldwide and in Malaga, Spain to over 250,000 people. In addition to his top notch performances he has incurred well over 46 million views for his music video “Dangerous” on YouTube which ranks as one of the most viewed hip-hop videos online! To say Kardinal has some unique insights to share on the music industry is an understatement! For more information on Kardinal Offishall, go to: https://www.facebook.com/kardinaloffishall.

TorontoIMS is also pleased to announce that, in partnership with high-end fashion designer ULA Zukowska, the evening portion of the summit will feature fashion walk-throughs in between band performances. Reputed as Canadian fashion’s conceptualist, Ula Zukowska has drawn inspiration for her collections from such hard-hitting muses as a devastated Mother Earth and despair in life’s volumes. Against a backdrop of a world in dissonance, the designer continues her signature experiments with form and fabric, creating fashions that echo folding structure. In an industry where cross-marketing across all forms of media and art has become essential, showcasing both fashion and music at TorontoIMS is a natural progression for the event. For more information on ULA Zukowska, go to: http://www.ulazukowska.com.

In addition to being present at one of the music industry’s most enlightening get-togethers, attendees will also have a chance to take a look at some of Canada’s up-and-coming independent artists at the Hard Rock Cafe on Saturday, May 26th following the day time conference. A portion of the proceeds from the conference will be donated to MusicCounts, which has been devoted to providing music education in schools around the country since 1989.

Tickets to the Toronto International Music Summit and following event at the Hard Rock Cafe can be found online at: www.torontoims.com. For a full list of speakers, click here  Toronto International Music Summit

Click here to find out how you can WIN 2 VIP TICKETS to the Toronto International Music Summit

Fashion Art Toronto [FAT] Arts & Fashion Week showcases art, music and fashion from artists around the world with an emphasis on support for Canadian design. The annual spring event happens in  a large space that features avant-garde art exhibits and installations, musical performances, and runway shows. This year, the festivities highlighted FAT’s growth with over 200 artists showcasing their limitless, innovative talents. Below is a taste of some of the creativity at FASHIONscapes, FAT’s 2012 runway showcase.

LANDscapes

Armour by Seema

Armour by Seema told a story of the contrast of the hard and soft. Models walked the runway in soft metallic linen and floral chiffon dresses that floated as lightly as air. The dresses were topped of by leather “armour” and sequins in a neutral palette that adorned the shoulders or acted as back and breastplates. The most intriguing idea of this style duality is the message of being protected from the elements; when the sun shines, the armour comes off.

Angela Sum

Angela Sum was another heavy-hitter showcasing a romantic range of beige and soft pastels. Heads turned toward models in shift dresses featuring a combination of sheer, opaque materials resembling cracked earth. Sum played with various design techniques — intricate rosettes, chunky knits and crochets — as well as soft layered fabrics.

CITYscapes

Parade

In Parade’s fall/winter 2012 collection the beauty’s in the details. The leather patchwork in metallic shades graced everything from corsets to cocktail party-ready shorts that proved a great complement to sheer silk pants and blouses that floated along the runway. Each dark wool piece had a pop electric of leather piping to modernize each timeless piece.

Raji Aujla

This menswear designer has an issue with boundaries in that, she happily has none. Raji Aujla’s collection was a thought-provoking mash up of East and West. The models walked down the runway showcasing pieces that pulled from the immaculate tailoring of Savile Row to the opulence of maharajas. These pieces are perfect for a man who loves to juxtopose  jodhpurs with tailored jackets, metallic pants with asymmetric cuts, collars and sashes in place of cowl necks.

DeMOYO

High society meets downtown chic in DeMOYO’s latest collection. Her affinity for classic silhouettes with an updated twist was threaded through each piece in her luxuriously ladylike collection. Her eveningwear featured hints of playfulness, including her use of ruffles, structure, and pleating to exaggerate a women’s shoulders, chest and hips. DeMOYO collection takes a woman from high-brow to tongue-in-cheek.

BODYscapes

Briar Rose

Aptly titled “Lost in Arizona”, this collection was sexy and sultry. Colour-blocked lace was paired with soft fringe that compliments each sway of the hips. Each piece of lingerie gave a nod to neutral colours and metallic and leather accents. The models were topped with capes that were a great accent to this out of the ordinary collection perfect for a bad girl with good taste.

Sakhuja
Seeing through the extravagance of rich textiles and beautiful makeup techniques, designer Sakhuja reminded us of what should never be forgotten. Sombre models walked with sullen faces and disfigured, bloody limbs swathed in luxurious Indian fabrics and animal skins. With her awe-inducing crocodile gown, Sakhuja made lasting impression.

FUTUREscapes

Garde Del Avante

It seems people often envision the future in two ways. The first being a highly technological society and the second being post-apocalyptic. Garde del Avante had a mixture of both. Her tribal jewellery picked up the pieces of the past while looking towards the future with chunky mixed materials and metals in shapes of different proportions. Anyone that buys Garde Del Avante knows that she leaves one looking exquisite, yet heavily guarded.

Von Bardonitz

With designs that are hard edged, but also whimsical one has no choice but to smile at Von Bardonitz’s creativity. She understands the the movement of her geometrical cuts and plays with the human form. Her choice in fabrics lay in great contrast yet come together in complementary ways. Though her choice of cuts are very modern, her fine tailoring makes for a timeless collection.

Photos courtesy of Fashion Art Toronto (FAT)

Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Music and movies are great ways to trigger an evening of rest and relaxation. You may not have much of an opportunity to do much chilling, but this week indulge when at all possible.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)
When somebody annoys you, take it with a grain of salt. Allowing them to affect your state of mind in an unhealthy manner is never good for the body.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Give what you can, but do not over extend your kindness to those who constantly show no gratitude toward your considerate nature. You may still want to be nice and giving, but being overly generous will be like throwing your jewels to swine.

Leo (July 23-August 22)
When you get a good idea write it down and do something with it. Sitting on ideas and goals will lead to nothing. Working on them could lead to more than you initially hoped for, and you could learn valuable lessons in the midst of it all.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)
Do not become consumed with the burdens of life. They come and go, but if you hold on to them, they will not release you.

Libra (September 23-October 22)
When a friend says they will do something for you, but they end up letting you down, simply express forgiveness. Not only will it create good karma for you, it will also prevent negativity from seeping into your ego.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
Be proud of your accomplishments. Even when people who tend to question what you have and have not achieved, ignore their judgments, because they have not walked in your shoes.

Sagittarius (November 22- December 21)
When we allow others to dictate our moods based upon their bothersome actions, we cause negative effects on our health. Headaches, stiffness of the muscles and joints, sore throats and more can take place. Chalk their rudeness up as ignorance, and focus on you.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)
Do not become discouraged by the trials you may be experiencing in life. Learn what you can from the circumstances, and even if they are weighing you down, do not allow them to hold you down.

Aquarius (January 20-February 19)
Worrying will not get you any closer to solving the issue at hand. Working through it, with confidence that things will unfold for the positive for all who are involved is key to resolving things.

Pisces (February 20-March 20)
People who care will not always express it in the way you feel they should. However, if you demonstrate patience, eventually you will also begin to understand why they show their kindness the way they do.

Cerise Fairfax Life Coach | (416) 722-5233 | Visit www.cerisefairfax.com For Life Coaching advice and daily Inspiration. To book a private one to one session, via phone, please call, text, email. Become a facebook friend www.facebook.com/cerisefax. Follow www.twitter.com/cerisefairfax.

By Anya Wassenberg

With a regal presence on stage that belies her diminutive stature, Malian singer Khaira Arby wowed the crowd at Lula Lounge in Torontop  on May 8 with a long set of her own brand of jazzy Saharan music. Because of the troubles that have engulfed her native country since the coup earlier this year, there was some doubt that her North American spring tour would even get off the ground, but as presenter Alan Davis noted in his introduction, if there was ever a time for her to spread her positive message to the rest of the world, that would be now.

Her brand of music is mesmerizing, with its hypnotic layering of rhythms and melodies over a heavy bass line. It often sounded like there were more melodies and rhythms going than what was being created by the five musicians on stage, which included two stellar guitarists who traded off  lead guitar.

Arby’s music is both traditional and modern — imagine rock guitar riffs and bluesy melodies over churning, time-honoured West African polyrhythms, and throw in  a dash of funk for good measure. Her young band is super tight with a flair for showmanship that makes their virtuosic playing look easy. Her voice is as strong and compelling as her stage persona.

Underneath all that great music are the lyrics that have often had a great impact socially in Mali. Women’s issues are often at the forefront of Arby’s music, including a song where she speaks out against female circumcision. In the song Waidio, she dares to assert a women’s right to pursue her own happiness — a radical view in her very traditional society.

Arby has become an inspiration and a role model for Malian women. In a country where women don’t enjoy the kind of autonomy that they do here in North America, she divorced her first husband when his controlling nature interfered with her musical career. This is something virtually unheard of with women of her generation. She paved the way for others to follow, and modernized the role of the female praise singer as much as she’s modernized the music itself.

Hailing from a village not far from fabled Timbuktu, Khaira sings in the languages of the Malian desert, including Songhai, Tamashek and Arabic. While she’s been a star in her native country for decades, her first international release (Timbuktu Tarab) came out in 2010. Her current tour continues in the U.S. through May.

Sway’s online recap of this week’s current events by Darling Nicky

A President More Progressive than His People

“President Obama’s sitting Presidential endorsement of gay marriage is one of the most visible displays of #YOLO I have ever seen.” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

I feel like I live in an era that will have the most profound impact on World History since the Stone Age.  In my lifetime (and I am only *ahem* 30-shut-yo-mouth), I have witnessed some of the most remarkable political changes of heart ever.  Whether it was the incredible support for Jerry Falwell’s “Moral Majority” movement in 1979 and its subsequent dissolution in 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 that reunited East and West Germany, or former President George W. Bush’s famous flip-flop over Iraq’s stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction, I have certainly been privy to societies that have walked both sides of the fence.

Generally, it is unheard of in politics that a sitting Head of State would take a position on a civil matter that has yet to become an eminently dividing issue.  That said, things usually have to reach a social boiling point before a President will take a formal public position on matters that are still in the momentum-building phase and that don’t yet affect a majority of people among the constituencies.

One by one, at a State level, marital legislation has been revised to include legal unions of gay and lesbian couples.  But akin to Abraham Lincoln who initially did not support emancipation in his political campaign, Barack Obama has had a reversal of his 2008 position, now formally declaring his support of same-sex marriage and equal rights.

I am completely fascinated by the current political landscape.  Not so much because I think it’s “cool” or “awesome” that homosexuals are getting the rights they’ve been waiting for, but because, if you want my opinion, from the moment that adoptions were being granted to same-sex couples, national U.S. legislation should have been put in place. To add to my thoughts, when you consider the uphill battle that many same-sex couples have to face; semantics of the law, social scrutiny from their community, or being mistaken for siblings in the absence of outward, public displays of affection, I believe that there is a bond of love between them that dwarfs many traditional heterosexual relationships.

The reason I am enthralled is because for the first time in my life, I am experiencing a global (yes, I said global because what America does absolutely influences the entire World) shift in values, and a civil emancipation of a people that have experienced unspeakable oppression, most similarly to post-Slavery Blacks.  Following slavery, Blacks were still lynched, subjected to segregation, and literally penalized over the most uncontrollable of variables; skin colour. In turn, during my lifetime, I have witnessed homosexuality held as the scapegoat for everything from AIDS to blindness.  Yet, I also stem from the generation thought so highly intelligent that I can type, edit and submit this article from the same device that allows me to make a phone call.

I admire President Obama’s conviction and political savvy. Come election time, the American people will be forced to wear their true colours on their sleeves, showing the world whether or not they can live up to being the true Democracy upon which the American Dream is supposedly built.

John Travolta Sex Scandal

“John Travolta thing is real presshah! “Hollywood is controlled by homosexual Jewish men who expect favors in return for sexual activity.” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

In keeping with the theme of equality for gays and lesbians, I figured I would offer up some commentary on the recent scandal surrounding our beloved cross-dressing Hairspray mama, John Travolta.  He is being sued by not one, but two masseurs for allegedly soliciting them for sexual favours.  John and his lawyer are vehemently contesting the accusations citing that he was nowhere near the city that these acts took place and was actually thousands of miles away.

Having done quite a bit of research for the piece above on Obama, it is not unclear to me that untraditional sexual behavior is very common, and that we would be kidding ourselves if we truly believed that all of our idols and heroes weren’t without the same sexual curiosities as the average Joe.  My position: what business is it of ours what people choose to do in their personal and private lives?

I have no idea how what John Travolta or any other actor, singer, or performer does in their bedroom affects the quality of their acting, singing or performing or my ability to appreciate it.  The only professions where sexual preference and disclosure is of direct consequence to me are those that hold positions of moral (such as religious leaders) or political influence.  Apart from that, I no more care about which famous person is gay than I do about the orientation of the cashier at my local grocery store.  Ring me up, pack my groceries, and let me get on with my day.

I hope that one way or another, this matter with John Travolta is handled with some level of dignity so that we can continue to enjoy him in future cross-dressing roles.

Darling Nicky is an entertainment writer, blogger and publicist. Check out her out at www.darlingnicky.ca

Whether your family is taking you out to brunch or out for a good laugh at comedian Oliver’s annual show, Sway Stylist keeps you up-to-date with the latest trends so you can step out in high style.

Keep your daytime look casual yet trendy with a pair of floral pants and this season’s star colour — coral. Wearing printed pants is easy when paired with a complementary colour. Just keep your colour palette consistent to make the floral pattern the focus of a great look instead of the source of a busy outfit.

For a great nighttime look you can take a step towards this season’s hottest trend — colour blocking. An easy way to colour block is to break up a neutral palette with a pop of bright colour like these swanky blue pumps. Change up your textures to mix things up and top off your look with a rich lipstick for some added drama.

I was in Ottawa, the nation’s capital, recently during the midst of the Ottawa Senators playoff series against the New York Rangers. It was there that I learned of the racist tweets meted out towards Black Canadian-born hockey playerJoel Ward of the Washington Capitals. Joel had the audacity to score the overtime goal against the Boston Bruins that sent his team to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of smugness on the part of some Canadians that only in the United States would Joel experience such animosity. This reaction is hardly surprising given that, historically, Canadians have constructed their national identity in opposition to the United States.

In doing so, there are a number of historical facts we conveniently forget or paint a revisionist portrait of how certain things actually occurred. We forget that colonialism was practiced in Canada against First Nation’s people — most visible in the implementation of the Indian Act with its various amendments. The impact of colonialism is also enshrined in our national anthem as we sing “Our home and native land,” which really should be “our home on native land.” This denial is further buttressed by those in positions of power such Prime Minister Harper who at the G20 held over three years ago told the world, “We also have no history of colonialism.”

The denial doesn’t stop with First Nation’s people. While slavery was practiced in Canada, albeit on a much smaller scale, there are still many Canadians of all hues who continue to believe it was a southern U.S. phenomenon. So, we look to the U.S, with its sordid history of slavery, assassinations, riots, and the KKK (which also had branches in various provinces in Canada) and take pride that Canada’s history lay untarnished by such uncivilized behavior.

There are some Americans who also believes these myths. Several years ago I submitted an article to a reputable peer-reviewed U.S. feminist journal on Black Canadian-born nurses. The editor of the journal wrote that she had no idea that segregation existed in Canada. I couldn’t help but think that part of her gentle suggestion that I submit the article elsewhere was based not necessarily on article’s quality, but that I would have to restructure it to educate Americans such as herself.

Yes, segregation, both formal and informal existed in Canada. Constance Backhouse in Colour Coded: A Legal History of Racism Canada wrote that the military was segregated, and how attempts were made to bar Blacks from jury service, and that some hospitals refused access to facilities to non-white physicians. Non-white patients were also refused service, and Blacks were denied burial rights in segregated cemeteries. Backhouse further explained that while no consistent pattern ever emerged, various hotels, restaurants, theatres, athletic facilities, parks, swimming pools, beaches, dance pavilions, skating rinks, pubs, and bars were closed to Blacks across the country.

It was with this knowledge that I sat in my hotel room hoping that in her one minute interview, Joel’s mother, Mrs. Cecelia Ward, wouldn’t perpetuate this fallacy by telling the reporter that her son’s experience was atypical — that he had rarely experienced racism in Canada. On the contrary, Mrs. Ward told the reporter that racial comments were made about her son in relation to hockey all his life. In other interviews, Mrs. Ward explained how families and players told Joel to play basketball and how one referee actually called him a monkey.

It was Joel’s comment in the Toronto Star, Global and Mail, and USA Today, especially his admitting that “racism doesn’t faze me,” that I found a bit disconcerting. I’m quite certain that Joel made these statements in reference to his performance, but I couldn’t help but think how his statements are being interpreted by others. That the various media outlets chose to emphasize the “racism don’t faze me comment,” as well as how Joel has quickly moved past the incident is quite telling. There seems to be this underlying suggestion that the rest of us who decry any of the isms should get over it and move on just like Joel did.

I understand, to a certain degree, Joel’s response. Who wants to be that person who is always talking (or for some people complaining) about racism so folks can ask, “why are they always pulling the race card?” I also get the fact that after facing all kinds of discrimination while growing up and having reached a level of success, that some of us would prefer to leave it all behind us. It would also help immensely if no one attached qualifiers, i.e. the Black hockey player, as a form of identification.

I also realize the folks who write these stories make certain editorial choices regarding what information gets included and excluded. I am also aware, as boxing super-star Floyd Mayweather Jr. reminded me in a recent Rolling Stones article, referring to Jeremy Lin that “Black players can’t say what they feel about him — they got contracts and moral clauses…” I’m pretty certain Joel has similar constraints in his contract as well.

Maybe Joel also took solace in the childhood nursery rhyme “sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I didn’t believe it then and certainly not now that words don’t hurt. If that was the case, the Bible wouldn’t caution us about our tongue. Those awful epithets and language used to describe Joel speaks volumes. It was the perpetrators way of telling him, in no uncertain terms, that hockey is the preserve of white males — like William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada’s 10th prime-minister, who wanted Canada to remain a “white man’s country,” so too should hockey.

No matter how far we have come, we cannot afford not be fazed by any of the isms (racism, sexism, ageism, heterosexism, etc.) because inequality in its myriad manifestations continues to permeate the very fabric of North American society. Who we are, and what we have become, is partly a result of those who have gone before as it’s on their shoulders that we stand. I would submit that had there been no Willie O’Ree or Herb Carnegie, there would be no Grant Fuhr or Joel Ward, lest we forget.

Dr. Karen Flynn is a Toronto native living in the U.S. She is a Professor of African American Studies, and Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Illinois and author of Moving Beyond Borders: A History of Black Canadian and Caribbean Women in the Diaspora.