Author: Syriah Bailey
At The ArQuives, a vertical file for Lesbians of Colour (Toronto) contains flyers, newspaper clippings, and resources. These materials illustrate the growing importance of grassroots organizations in uniting the diverse threads of queer and Black communities, and how their work laid the foundation for future movements like Black CAP.
“[Black CAP] existed because ZAMI existed, Lesbians of Colour existed, Black Women’s Collective existed,” McFarlane reflects.
In Junior’s 2017 interview with Family Camera Network he shares what brought him to Black CAP, “I had this yearning… to find other people living with HIV to see what they were doing, how they were doing, maybe learn,” Harrison said.
“I was determined to find other people, because I felt like it was a part of my survival.”
Harrison
Black CAPs logo, designed by McFarlane, features Adinkra symbols used by the Ashanti people in Ghana. Each of the symbols represent some kind of proverb or saying – he chose “hope,” “strength,” and “we are connected.”
Harrison shares, “Every year, [Black CAP] still participates in the Caribana parade, wearing bright-colored T-shirts that say, ‘Ask me about rubber wear!’ [was] such an incredible experience… we would walk the route, handing out bags filled with condoms, lube, and informational materials.”
The interviews at The ArQuives also shed light on the early days of Blackness Yes! and Blockorama, an annual celebration of Black queer culture during Toronto’s Pride celebrations. McFarlane can recall the challenges Black queer organizers faced in securing space and visibility, long before the Black Lives Matter movement brought attention to systemic exclusion in 2016.
In McFarlane’s interview, we are reminded of how the neglect of Blockorama by Pride organizers led to a town hall where queer organizers confronted officials. McFarlane emphasizes its political origins and its significance within the larger queer movement.
“The activist origins of the event and the political spirit of our event, our presence, visibility, organizing, marching was completely lost to folks who see it as a big party.”
McFarlane
Beyond the collections at The ArQuives, there are other sites of memory pending formal recognition. One such place is Dewson House, a home for Toronto’s queer people of color, where many community members found solidarity and strength during a time of great struggle.
Makeda Silvera, a renowned Jamaican-born writer, was a founding member of the 101 Dewson Street collective house. Along with her partner Stephanie Martin, she co-founded Sister Vision Press, a publishing collective dedicated to amplifying the voices of queer women of color—especially Black women. Through writing, publishing, and organizing, Silvera helped carve out space for stories that mainstream publishers often ignored.
Dede Akolo wrote about Dewson House, Silvera shared an overview of Dewson House for CBC, and Emma Awe (previous recipient of The Brian King Fabulous Researcher Fund) produced a zine about Dewson House. Martin later created a mixed-media portrait of Makeda for The ArQuives National Portrait Collection, which also features Stewart’s portrait.
The Black queer history preserved at The ArQuives extends far beyond these interviews, portraits and flyers. The ArQuives continues to thrive as a living archive, its ever-expanding collection documenting the stories of Black queer activism and its profound influence on the broader narrative of Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ history. These materials are indispensable for research and education, and more than ever, to show that Black queer people have and continue to exist.
Author: Syriah Bailey is an interdisciplinary creative thinker focused on inclusive data practices and storytelling. Their portfolio includes curating film festival programs, providing consulting and evaluation to predominantly queer and trans-serving organizations, and leading communications at The ArQuives. Bailey holds a Masters in Postcolonial Culture and Global Policy.
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