Satori Shakoor moves through art forms the way great musicians move through keys. One minute she is on a Pittsburgh stage as a Bride of Funkenstein, the next she is laying the groundwork for Obsidian Theatre in Toronto, then she is on PBS hosting and elevating new voices. Throughout each chapter, a single thread remains: storytelling as a witness, medicine, and a public square.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Parent Category: Arts and Entertainment
- Category: Theatre
Mary Antonini brings depth and joy to the Shaw Festival’s 2025 season, starring in Blues for an Alabama Sky, Anything Goes, and White Christmas. Her journey from Broadway to Shaw reflects resilience, artistry, and the importance of Black joy on stage.
AfroToronto.com interviewed Mary Antonini, one of the Shaw Festival’s most dynamic performers, about her role in the Canadian premiere of Blues for an Alabama Sky. Directed by Kimberley Rampersad, the play is set in Harlem during the 1930s, weaving together joy, struggle, and resilience during the Harlem Renaissance.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Parent Category: Arts and Entertainment
- Category: Theatre
Two decades after Blood.claat premiered in Toronto, d’bi.young anitafrika returns to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Sankofa Trilogy.
This podcast episode marks a deeply personal, full-circle moment for me and AfroToronto.com. Twenty years ago, in November 2005, I sat in the backspace of Theatre Passe Muraille during the Stage3 Festival with director Weyni Mengesha and playwright-performer d’bi.young anitafrika. They were workshopping blood.claat, a daring new monodrama that would become the foundation of what we now know as the Sankofa Trilogy.
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- Written by: AfroToronto Team
- Parent Category: Arts and Entertainment
- Category: Music
ACCHO launches “Take Care of We (Get Tested),” a powerful HIV awareness anthem for Ontario’s African, Caribbean and Black communities. Performed by Dario Dvon, the campaign inspires unity, care, and action.
The African Caribbean Council on HIV/AIDS in Ontario (ACCHO) has launched an inspiring new campaign to strengthen HIV awareness and encourage African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) communities to get tested. At the heart of this initiative is “Take Care of We (Get Tested)”, a stirring anthem performed by Barbados-born, Toronto-based RnB/Soul artist Dario Dvon. With its blend of uplifting melodies and urgent messaging, the track reminds listeners that knowing your HIV status and supporting one another is a shared responsibility rooted in love, resilience, and community care.
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- Written by: AfroToronto Team
- Parent Category: Arts and Entertainment
- Category: Arts & Culture
BAND launches an online Arts & Culture Map highlighting Black-led venues, events, and artists across Canada. The interactive tool fosters connection and visibility.
BAND Gallery & Cultural Centre has introduced a new digital tool that is poised to transform the way audiences discover and engage with Black-led arts and culture in Canada. The BAND Arts & Culture Map is an interactive, user-friendly platform that pinpoints venues, events, and heritage sites across the country, offering a dynamic resource for locals, tourists, and cultural enthusiasts alike.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Parent Category: Articles
- Category: Arts and Entertainment
The AGO unveils "Moments Contained," a 9-foot bronze sculpture by Thomas J Price, spotlighting Black identity, shared humanity, and Toronto’s cultural evolution.
The streets of downtown Toronto now host a powerful new figure—one that doesn’t stand on a pedestal, but on equal footing with the people passing by. On July 30, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) unveiled its newest public sculpture, Moments Contained, a nine-foot bronze creation by acclaimed British artist Thomas J Price. Located at the gallery’s main entrance at Dundas Street West and McCaul Street, the sculpture depicts a poised Black woman in casual dress, standing tall with quiet strength, her hands tucked into her pockets and her gaze facing north.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Parent Category: Arts and Entertainment
- Category: Music
Toronto artist Kalisway blends funk, R&B, and soulful nostalgia into a colourful soundscape. Her recent Black Canadian Music Award win marks a rising star’s moment.
Kalisway, a Toronto-based artist known for her distinct fusion of funk, alternative R&B, and soul-soaked nostalgia, is experiencing a well-earned spotlight moment. As one of the five recipients of the 2025 SOCAN Foundation’s SiriusXM Black Canadian Music Awards, she’s not only celebrating artistic recognition but also deepening her commitment to independent artistry, community empowerment, and cultural authenticity.
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- Written by: News Editor
- Parent Category: Articles
- Category: Arts and Entertainment
A vibrant trailblazer across Montreal and Toronto, Juliette Powell broke barriers as the first Black Miss Canada, a bilingual VJ on MusiquePlus’s Bouge de là! and MuchMusic’s Electric Circus. Later in life, she emerged as a leading voice in AI ethics, serving as an academic, consultant, and author.
Canada has lost one of its brightest stars with the passing of Juliette Powell—a groundbreaking broadcaster, author, and AI-ethics scholar who left an indelible mark on media, technology, and the lives of countless young Black Canadians who saw themselves reflected in her work. Born in Manhattan on June 22, 1970, but raised in Montreal, Powell became a cultural bridge between English and French Canada, a visionary in tech ethics, and an inspiration to a generation.
She died of acute bacterial meningitis on June 3, 2025, at the age of 54.
