Historically, events such as the 1992 LA riots and recent debates on affirmative action have often pitted Black and Asian communities against each other in North America. However, there exists a profound legacy of Afro-Asian solidarity, from 19th-century coalitions between Asian indentured workers and (formerly) enslaved Black Americans to joint efforts during the civil rights movement and contemporary movements like #blacklivesmatter (Lee, 2015; Ho, & Mullen, 2008; Hope, 2019). Despite this history, documentation of Black-Asian relations in Canada, especially in Toronto, remains sparse. This gap is notable given the influential roles of immigrant communities in shaping modern Canada. Despite Toronto's celebrated diversity, studies reveal persistent racial and class-based residential segregation (Myles & Hou, 2003; Hackworth, 2023), challenging harmful and superficial notions of diversity (Almeida, 2022).
Our project responds to this need for new iterations of Afro-Asian solidarity by empowering Black and Asian communities in the GTA (and beyond) affected by colonial racism and displacement. Our aim is to intervene in a time of global crises and fragmentation, combating Anti-Black and Anti-Asian racism locally and globally. This work is grounded in the principles of arts-based practices for transforming society (Milbrandt, 2010; Kee, 2023), offering a creative framework for collective action applicable across disciplines from education and community development to social economy and urban design.
