These are the political, social and artistic projects in which George Elliott Clarke has collaborated with others.
SOCIAL WORKS SINCE 2011
Recitation of poems to support the celebration of the centennial of the opening of the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children. “Old Home 100th.” Zoom recording. June 6, 2021.
Assisting Branksome Hall (Toronto, ON) in erecting a memorial plaque honouring Portia White (1911-68) by writing the copy and designing the look of the plaque. February-May 2021.
Portia White Plaque Discussion with Branksome Hall. Zoom meeting featuring Jillian Strimas, Scott Harbib, Karrie Weinstock, Emma Pickard, Mira Gambhir, et al. Branksome Hall, Toronto (ON), November 19, 2020.
The 18th LaFontaine-Baldwin Lecture (via Zoom). With John Ralston Saul, Sue Gardiner, Adrienne Clarkson, Michael Sandel, Louise Arbour, Beverley MacLachlan, Adam Gopnik, and Naheed Nenshi. “6 Degrees.” Institute for Canadian Citizenship, September 4, 2020. Aired on CBC Radio, October 30, 2020. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/in-the-midst-of-a-pandemic-is-it-too-soon-to-talk-about-renewal-1.5784052
Zoom-video participation, “Owen Sound’s Emancipation Festival 158th Anniversary.” Saturday, August 1, 2020.
Zoom-video webinar, “An African-Canadian response to the Pandemic and International Uprisings.” With Afua Cooper, Valerie Mason-John, Malinda Smith, et al. June 7, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuvacGCTdos
Zoom-video-recording of Congratulatory message to 2020 Graduands of Halifax (NS) Regional Municipality High Schools. June 2, 2020. https://youtu.be/1SkV0pSNCsU
With Giovanna Riccio, “Attended Music on a Wednesday Meeting,” as Guests of Michelle and George Walker, The Arts & Letters Club, Toronto (ON), November 27, 2019.
Panel Participant, “Fanon Today: A Creative Symposium.” With David Austin, Dors Rajan, Frank Francis, Trevlyn Kennedy, and Tola Ajao. The Theatre Centre, Toronto (ON), November 24, 2019.
Visioning Session to “inform and support the planning of a physical and permanent space that recognizes and celebrates the diverse cultural, historic, and civic contributions of Black Canadians to Toronto.” Office of Mayor John Tory, at the Orientation Theatre at Fort York National Historic Site, Toronto (ON), September 20, 2019.
Keynote Speaker, “Blackness & Belonging: Towards Justice, Recognition, and Development; Recognizing the International Decade for People of African Descent.” City of Toronto, Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit. Members Lounge, City Hall, Toronto (ON), March 25, 2019.
“Friends of Canada” Cocktail Reception sponsored by Her Excellency Laurie Peters, Canadian High Commissioner to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Ristorante Luciano’s of Chicago, Nassau, The Bahamas, March 21, 2019.
Meeting with Commissioners of the Restorative Inquiry for the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children. Restorative Inquiry offices, Halifax (NS), March 15, 2019.
Breakfast with McGill University Black Students Network. Arts Building, McGill University, Montreal (QC), February 1, 2019.
Recorded voice-over for The Leap “Green New Deal” campaign. 477 Richmond St. W. Suite 202, Toronto (ON), January 28, 2019.
Attendance at Seika Boye’s Curatorial Show on her Personal History in Dance, “The Living Dancer.” The Artist in Residence Studio, Art Gallery of Ontario, January 23, 2019.
Participation in “eRacism” Art Show. Penticton Art Gallery. Curator: Paul Crawford. Pairing of my handwritten poem, “Zanzibar: A Meditation on Slavery,” with art by Laura Martina, In the Beginning, there Was Slavery (2018), mixed media on wood panel. July 6-September 16, 2018.
http://pentictonartgallery.com/exhibitions/2018/7/6/eracism
Launch of Indigogogo fund-raising campaign for Afro-Métis Nation CD-in-production, “Constitution.” With host Daniel David Moses, and performers Sugar Plum Croxen, Shelley Hamilton, Russ Kelley, and Chris White. Plus videographers Leslie Schacter and David Richler. A Different Booklist. Toronto (ON), 8/8/18.
Successfully pushed for inclusion of an entry on “Africadian History” in the Windsor / Hants West [Nova Scotia] 2018 [Tourism Guide]. See p. 38.
Assisted Bangladesh Refugee-Claimant “Mr. P.C.” (the anonymity is necessary for his wife and children are still in Bangladesh and could be in peril) with his application to the Toronto Arts Council’s Newcomer Artist and Mentorship Program. Several in-person meetings and e-mail exchanges were essential to this process, which transpired throughout April 2018.
Panelist, Empathy vs. Cultural Appropriation. With Prof. Margaret Jane Radin, Meera Solanski, and Prof. Douglas Sanderson. Jackman Law Building, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, March 23, 2018.
Visited English 7300, “Public Intellectuals in Canada: Their Essays, Talks, and Blogs”: Prof. Joel Deshaye, Memorial University, St. John’s (NL), March 8, 2018.
Visited ENG 312, “Converts, Criminals, and Fugitivess: Print Culture of the African Diaspora, 1760-1860”: Prof. Andrea Stone, Smith College, Northampton (MA), March 1, 2018.
AFRO-METIS NATION – Our Album, “The Afro-Métis Constitution,” recorded February 15-18, 2018.
Panelist, Empathy vs. Cultural Appropriation. With Prof. Margaret Jane Radin, Meera Solanski, and Prof. Douglas Sanderson. Jackman Law Building, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, March 23, 2018.
Visited English 7300, “Public Intellectuals in Canada: Their Essays, Talks, and Blogs”: Prof. Joel Deshaye, Memorial University, St. John’s (NL), March 8, 2018.
Visited ENG 312, “Converts, Criminals, and Fugitivess: Print Culture of the African Diaspora, 1760-1860”: Prof. Andrea Stone, Smith College, Northampton (MA), March 1, 2018.
Hosted ex-Halifax Poet Laureate, El Jones, in my English 6950, M.A. in Creative Writing class, University College, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, January 30, 2018.
Lunch with Frank Baylis, MP; Tea with Hon. Wanda Thomas Bernard, Senator; and Scotch with Hon. Geoff Regan, The Speaker of the House of Commons; Parliament of Canada, Ottawa, ON, November 29, 2017. [On this same date, I attended a sitting of The Senate of Canada, wherein I was recognized by The Speaker of the Senate as the Parliamentary Poet Laureate.]
Speaker, Exceptional Volunteer Awards Ceremony. Host: Julie Dabrusin, MP. East York Civic Centre, Toronto (ON), October 21, 2017.
Attendance at 2016 Writers’ Trust Gala. Writers’ Trust of Canada. Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto(ON), November 23, 2016.
Attendance at opening of Photographic Exhibit at the Embassy of Canada, Washington (DC), titled “North Is Freedom.” This exhibit—featuring photographs by Yuri Dojc—is named for a line from one of my poems. September 22, 2016.
National Bird Project Panel. With Drs. David Bird, Alex MacDonald, Mark Graham, and Steven Price. Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Barrick Salon, Canadian Mueum of Nature, Ottawa, ON, September 19, 2016.
Presentation on political importance of Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Talk given to Greg Stulen and Associates in Masters of Political Planning, Carleton University. Darcy McGee’s pub. Ottawa, Ontario, August 30, 2016.
Assistance to Ms. Katherine Gordon, of Halifax, NS, in her attempt to arrange recordings of local, performance poet, Cynthia Chandler. August 11, 2016.
Meeting with Shelley Hamilton, Anthony Sherwood, Chris White, to advance the idea of an Afro-Metis CD and film. Toronto, ON, August 4, 2016.
Supper with Prof. Francesco Loriggio, Ms. Anne-Marie Loriggio, and Ms. Giovanna Riccio, Ottawa, Ontario, July 28, 2016.
Luncheon with His Excellency Gian Lorenzo Cornado, Ambassador from Italy to Canada, and with Ms. Fawn White and Mr. Ken White, and Ms. Giovanna Riccio. Chateau Laurier, Ottawa, Ontario, July 28, 2016.
Invited Guest, U.S. Consulate Independence Day Celebration, Wychwood Barns, Toronto, ON, July 6, 2016.
Invited Guest, Address to the House of Commons and Senate of Canada, by His Honour Barack Obama, President of the United States of America. House of Commons, Ottawa, ON, June 29, 2016.
Keynote Address: Canada: A Different Story. “Reading the Constitution in Light of John Porter’s The Vertical Mosaic.” The Tommy Douglas Institute, George Brown College, Toronto, ON, May 19, 2016.
Panel Discussion on “Race and Crime,” Free Library of Saint John, Saint John, NB, November 5, 2015.
Attendee, Discussion of Notion of an “Africadian nation.” Transition Year Program, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, September 19, 2015.
Speaker, “An Evening with George Elliott Clarke,” fundraiser for Save Our Sons, Save Our Sisters, Halifax Central Library, Halifax, NS, September 18, 2015.
Speaker, Launch of The Leap Manifesto, with Clayton Ruby, Naomi Klein, Maude Barlow, David Suzuki, Joseph Boyden, et al. Toronto, ON, September 15, 2015.
Attended USA Day Celebration, in pesence of U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Bruce Heyman, and U.S. Consul General (Toronto), Jim Dickmeyer, at Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto, ON, July 8, 2015.
Speaker, Walk With Excellence—2015, clebrating graduates of C.W. Jeffreys Collegiate Institute, Downsview Secondary School, Emery Collegiate Institute, and Westview Centennial Secondary School, Osgoode Law School, York University, Toronto, ON, May 29, 2015.
Interviews with CBC-TV (Moncton) re: racial incidents at Mount Allison University. February 4, 2015.
Speaker, Plan to Install a Plaque at a Staircase in Willard Gardens Parkette (Lollipop Park), Toronto, ON, in Honour of Raymond Souster. Community Consultation led by Councillor Doucet, Windermere United Church, Toronto, ON, October 17, 2013.
Leader, Poetry Workshop, Gilda’s Club of Greater Toronto, Toronto, ON, October 17, 2013.
Panelist, “Stories of African Nova Scotian struggles for civil liberties—and the legacy of Rocky Jones.” With Carolann Wright-Parks and Darlene Lawrence. A People’s History of Nova Scotia: A Conference by Solidarity Halifax. Mi’kmaq Native Friendship Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, October 4, 2013.
Founder, East End Poetry Fistival, City of Toronto / EastEnd Arts / Children’s Peace Theatre. Inaugural event, Children’s Peace Theatre, Toronto, ON, September 28, 2013.
Leader, Poetry Workshop, Gilda’s Club of Greater Toronto, Toronto, ON, June 13, 2013.
Speaker, 200th Anniversary, Windsor Plains United Baptist Church, Windsor Plains, Nova Scotia, October 21, 2012.
Attendance at a writers’s circle. With Huda Hassan, Veenay Sedev, InfarnAli, Edil Ayan, et al.
Toronto, ON. March 11, 2012.
Interviews with CBC-TV (National), The Chronicle-Herald, and Metro (Halifax, NS), regarding Africville Seaview Church Museum Grand Opening, Africville, Halifax, NS, September 25, 2011.
Officiated, common-law wedding between Linda Warley and Alan Filewood, St. Agatha, ON, June 18, 2011.
Panelist, “The Land We Are” Arts, Culture, and the Politics of Reconciliation.” Roundtable Discussion. Moderator: Ashok Mathur. Simon Fraser University, Harbour Centre, Vancouver, BC, April 8, 2011.
Guest of Her Honour The Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia Hon. Mayann Francis, at Government House, Halifax, NS, February 3-5, 2011.
SOCIAL WORKS BEFORE 2011
Invitee, “Celebrate Nova Scotia,” in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, and The Honourable Darrell Dexter, Premier of Nova Scotia, and Ms. Kelly Wilson, Cunard Centre, Halifax, NS, June 29, 2010.
Successfully prompted Ms. Mary Link, producer, to feature Dr. David Sealy, P.D., on CBC Radio’s The Late Show. January 2010.
Mentor, The Order of Canada Mentorship Program, 2009-2010. Protégé: Ms. Rehana Rajabali, E.I.T. Paired by Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor-General of Canada, and brought together for a meeting at Rideau Hall, November 5, 2009.
Comments on the Government of Ontario’s Recognition of Emancipation Day. With Maria Van Bommell, MPP, & Hon. Margarett Best, MPP, in partnership with the Ontario Black History Society. Main Legislative Building, Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON, July 31, 2009.
Crossroads Family of Ministries TV interview re: the importance of the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. February 20, 2009.
VoicePrint interview re: African-Canadian history, literarture, and culture. Recorded January 23, 2009.
CBC Toronto Metro Morning radio interview re: U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama’s inauguration as U.S. President. January 20, 2009.
CBC Toronto Metro Morning radio interview and CBC-TV National television interview re: Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s victory in U.S. Presidential Campaign. November 5, 2008.
CBC Toronto Metro Morning radio interview and CBC-TV National television interview re: Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s victory in U.S. Democratic Party primary contest for the presidential nomination. June 4, 2008.
Attended Summer Institute of the Trudeau Foundation, Quebec City, Quebec, May 28-30, 2008.
Accompanied Hon. John Ralston Saul to Pelham Park Youth Resource Centre, Toronto, ON, to meet with African-Canadian youth participants in the Combating Crime Through Education and Leadership program , February 6, 2008.
Speaker, Leaders of Tomorrow Conference, The Black Business and Professional Association. Bank of Montreal Institute for Learning, Toronto, ON, November 26, 2007.
Wrote to Hon. Len Goucher, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, advocating the hiring of an ethnologist for the African-Nova Scotian community. January 22, 2007.
Speaker, launch of Douglas Gary Freeman’s poetry collection, Blue Cage at Midnight, advocating his release from an extradition request of the United States of America. Toronto, ON, January 15, 2007.
Signed a patch in “The Great Canadian Quilt,” designed and sewn by the CanGo Grannies, of Kamloops, BC, to help increase awareness of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa.
Speaker, Polungo Days 2006, for Pride-Race-Unity-Development through Education (PRUDE, Inc), Saint John, New Brunswick, April 8, 2006.
Speaker, “Black Spirituality and the Poetic Sensibility,” for the Education Committee at St. Thomas’s Church, Toronto, ON, April 2, 2006.
Met with Dr. Indira V. Samarasekara, President, and Dr. Carl Amrhein, Provost, and Dr. Jennifer Kelly, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta, to discuss potential for an African and African Diasporic Studies Institute, at the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, AB, March 16, 2006.
Panelist and Facilitator, Public Town Hall Discussion of “City of Justice”: Ideas for improving Canadian cities and specifically the City of Calgary, Alberta,” co-hosted by John Ralston Saul and the Dominion Institute, with Hon. Bob Rae, at ArtSpace, Crossroads Market, Calgary, AB, March 11, 2006.
Attended “Halifax Humanities 101”—a Clemente Course in the Humanities, sponsored by six local universities, St. George’s Anglican Church, and the Halifax North Memorial Library, at that library, Halifax, NS. March 2, 2006.
Interviewed African-Canadian author Afua Cooper, on stage, at the Gladstone Hotel, Toronto, ON, February 15, 2006.
Wrote speech for Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor-General of Canada, February 8, 2006, for presentation on February 19, 2006.
Met with the Advisory Committee of the Lafontaine-Baldwin Lecture series, sponsored by The Dominion Institute, in Calgary, AB, along with Michael Robinson, director of the Glenbow Museum, the staff of Wordfest, representatives of the University of Calgary, and various social service agencies, January 19-21, 2006.
Addressed the Editorial Board of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, at CBC Broadcast Centre, Toronto, ON. December 2, 2005.
Speaker, Women’s [Book] Study Group, organized by Mindy Avrich-Skapinker. Subject: La Bâtarde by Violette Leduc. December 1, 2005.
Attended planning supper for LaFontaine-Baldwin speech. With John Ralston Saul, Scott Mullin (TD Bank), Rudyard Griffiths (Dominion Institute), Lachlin McKinnon (Calgary law student), and Alison Faulknor (Dominion Institute). Grano Restaurant, Toronto, ON. Monday, November 28, 2005.
Participant, Panel Discussion, on Dub Poetry. With Motion (Wendy Braithwaite) and Karen Richardson. International Dub Poetry Festival. Burke’s Books, Toronto, ON. November 26, 2005.
Attended soirée in support of the Fresh Ground Commissioning Project of the Harbourfront Centre of Toronto, at the home of Harbourfront Centre Board Director Julie DiLorenzo, Toronto, ON. Monday, November 7, 2005.
“What Are Your Loyalties?” CBC Radio. Ontario Today. October 19, 2005.
“Family Duality”—An Address to the White Family Reunion. National Arts Centre, Ottawa, ON. July 30, 2005.
A Rejection of Racial / Ethnic Slurs in Parliament and A Call for Real Debate on Race and Racism in Canada, CBC Television News Morning, May 9, 2005.
Read poetry at Fund Raising Drive for African-Canadian filmmaker, Mohammed El Kareem. Innis Town Hall, University of Toronto. July 18, 2004.
Attended conferral of degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Burnley A. “Rocky” Jones (1937-), B.A., M.A., LLB, at the University of Guelph, June 16, 2004.
Speaker, Women’s [Book] Study Group, organized by Mindy Avrich-Skapinker. Subject: Angélique by Lorena Gale. June 10, 2004.
Guest of Their Excellencies, The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul, and their Guest Speaker, at Lester B. Pearson Collegiate, Hilliard Senior Public School, Malvern Town Centre Shopping Mall, and Malvern Daycare Centre, all in Malvern, Scarbourough [Toronto], Ontario. April 2, 2004.
Speaker, Rally for Tolerance—Against Hate in Our City, Community Hebrew Academy Toronto, Earl Bales Park. With Hon. Monte Kwinter and Prof. Ed Morgan. Toronto, Ontario. March 25, 2004.
Poetry recital fundraiser, Nova Scotia New Democratic Party (Halifax-Needham Constituency). Halifax, Nova Scotia. February 27, 2004.
Auctioneer, with Judith Thompson and Thomas King, Sounds Provocative Jazz Auction, a fundraising event for the Guelph Jazz Festival, The Bookshelf, Guelph, ON, January 21, 2004.
Speaker, Rally for Awareness 2003, Black Students Association at the University of Toronto, September 24, 2003.
Dialogue with Oni Joseph, Ottawa-based Spoken Word Poet, CBC Radio—Ottawa, April 2003. Prod. Jane Anido.
Nominator of Burnley A. “Rocky” Jones (1937-), B.A., M.A., LLB, for the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from the Senate of the University of Guelph, January 12, 2003.
Author of letter supporting the successful nomination of Dr. Sylvia Hamilton (1950-) for the Portia White Prize, awarded by the Province of Nova Scotia. October 2002.
Participant, Canada: Model for a Multicultural State Conference, Edmonton, AB, September 2002.
Joint author of an open letter, with Alastair MacLeod and Gary Kennedy, opposing the abolition of the Nova Scotia Arts Council. April 2002.
Author of letter supporting the successful nomination of the late Dr. Carrie Best (1903-2001) as a candidate for induction into the Order of Nova Scotia. April 2002.
A Defence of Black-Sensitive Teaching, Interview, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Newsworld Morning, May 13, 2002.
A Defence of Black-Sensitive Teaching, Series of local station interviews, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Radio, May 7, 2002.
Visit to Union United Church, Montreal, Quebec, for Black History Month. February 2002.
Patron, Windsor Friends of the Library, Windsor, Nova Scotia, 2002-.
Speaker, Memorial Service for 1989 Montreal Massacre Victims, Hart House, University of Toronto, December 6, 2001.
Speaker, Central Technical School, Toronto, ON, September 12, 2001.
Visit to Union United Church, Montreal, Quebec, for Black History Month. February 2001.
A Defence of Multiculturalism, Interview, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, This Morning, November 1997.
Response to Orenthal James Simpson's Acquittal from Two Charges of Homicide, Interview, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Newsline, October 1995.
Initiator, first Africadian Folk Art show, "A Lifetime of Making: Ralph and Ada Cromwell," Art Gallery, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, August 20-September 27, 1992.
Visible Minorities's Representative, Federal New Democratic Party Constitutional Committee, December 1991-April 1992.
Presenter, Canadian Constitutional Conference, Toronto, February 1992.
Field Organizer, Howard McCurdy, MP, Federal New Democratic Party Leadership Campaign, 1989.
Canvass Organizer, Howard McCurdy, MP, Re-Election campaign, Windsor-St. Clair, Windsor, Ontario, October-November 1988.
Member, Board of Directors, Oxfam-Canada, Atlantic Region, 1987.
Organizer, Weymouth Falls Justice Committee (Nova Scotia), 1985.
Co-Founder, Black Youth Organization of Nova Scotia, 1978-1979.