The Black & Here Community Centre opened its doors last month, but new amenities and features are still being added.
Photo by Luisa Dela Cruz.
The Black & Here Community Centre opened its doors on Aug. 1, replacing the 7-Eleven on 1327 Douglas St., and Engagement Leader Kemi Craig is feeling hopeful that the new space can empower and connect Black folks in Greater Victoria.
Craig “dreamed about having a space like this” since moving to Victoria 24 years ago.
“It was one of the first things I looked for,” she said.
Partnership between local non-profits, the BC Black History Awareness Society and REP Here in Canada, made the Community Centre possible. The opening featured live performances, music, dance workshops, and a ribbon cutting ceremony performed by elders and board members. A little over a month since its opening, Craig noted that community members have expressed curiosity into what the space offers and offered insight on what they would like to see in the space.
The space itself is quite open, dotted with couches and high-rise chairs, and features open desk areas where the Centre’s team performs their administrative tasks. The floor plan was made with accessibility in mind, Craig said, to suit the community’s diverse needs.
The Centre is still in the process of adding more amenities to make the space more interactive for community members, especially those wanting to book the space for things like workshops, exhibitions, and projects.
According to the 2021 Census population profile, 16.7 per cent of the Greater Victoria population are visible minorities, and the city is less ethnically diverse than other areas of the province.
The self-report questionnaire run by UVic’s Better Data Project showed only 325 out of 12 760 UVic respondents identified as a “person of African ancestry (Black).”
UVic student clubs like the African-Caribbean Student’s Association (ACSA) work as the “first bridge” to connect international African and Caribbean students when they arrive to Victoria, said Oluwadamilola Ojo, a recent UVic alumnus and former vice president of ACSA.
“ACSA worked to connect African and Caribbean Students in a low down, chill way,” said Ojo in a statement. “A way that isn’t like a formal event all the time, where people can come as they are, how they’re comfortable and can come and make friends from familiar or different backgrounds.”
Now, the Black & Here Community Centre offers an opportunity for off-campus events and community as well.
Craig herself is a UVic alumni, and previously worked with the Students of Colour Collective (SOCC) during her time as a student.
“I remember when I started at UVic … I was like ‘is there a Black community centre? Is there a place where I can go and meet other people of the African diaspora?’” said Craig.
“I was definitely looking for a place in the community where I could just hang out — like a third space — where I could just be, and meet other people that were sharing similar experiences.”
Not only does the Black and Here Community Centre aim to connect and uplift Black folks in Greater Victoria, but they encourage people to use the Centre as a third space to utilize for themselves, shaping the space as they see fit.
Those interested in volunteering with the Black and Here Community Centre can sign up here.
