Montreal’s West Islanders came together on Saturday, 31 January, at the Pierrefonds Cultural Centre for the Overture with the Arts (OWTA) annual luncheon. This kicked off the annual Black History Month.
Commenting at the annual luncheon that kicked off Black History Month in Montreal, OWTA’s founder & executive director, Akilah Newton, shared that OWTA is proud and honoured to be able to return its generosity to the community in the West Island.
Authentic Caribbean cuisine, the rhythms of live steelpan music, a high-energy circus performance, and opera were events leading up to the 16th edition of the luncheon. It served insights into Canadian Black culture, history, and various forms of artistic expression.
OWTA, a non-profit organization, organised this event with the goal of providing accessible arts education to young people. Many of the performers at this luncheon event were beneficiaries of OWTA’s programs.
Opera singer Malaika Urbani was on stage at the OWTA luncheon. She showcased her striking vocals and classical artistry with the performance of an opera song.
Commenting on this event, founder and executive director Akilah Newton said that they were celebrating the amazing Black trailblazers who came before them.
Newton went on to add that they were proud and honoured to have given back to the community on the West Island through that luncheon event. She added that the luncheon was one of the few events for the Black community of West Island that moved without a trek downtown.
President of the West Island Black Community Association, Joan Lee, echoed Newton.
Lee further added that they also had to honour the people who had contributed to bringing OWTA to this point. That includes recognizing the famous personality names of Dr. Jean Augustine and Gloria Baylis. It’s to remember them, besides highlighting and spotlighting the youth who were representing them at that moment, referring to Black Canadian women leaders.
