ABOUT US
Why We Exist
The African Descent Society BC is a non-profit organization registered under the British Columbia Societies Act, that exists to foster, empower and increase education, economic development and tolerance for the preservation and promotion of Black Canadian Heritage Culture conservation, customs, values, history, arts, heritage and a way of life in Vancouver and BC. It was founded in 2014.
ADSBC organizes live music events with local partners (theatres, pubs and halls and schools), Kwanza Live Music series, music workshops, and weekly shows for emerging artists for African Descent Youth.
ADSBC is a leading organizer of Black History Month programs and cultural activities in BC communities in collaboration with variety of schools, community organizations and colleges, UN Office of Public Affairs and Historical Canada.
In 2014, the ADSBC established our popular Heritage and Black Strathcona walking tours in the Hogan’s Alley area — Vancouver’s original Black community settlement, designed to educate the local community about the heritage of people of African descent. We also created the only Heritage Traveling Exhibition that is regularly shown at various community events.
ADSBC was responsible for the restoration and re-opening of Vancouver’s Fountain Chapel, a former African Descent Church located Jackson and Prior St, founded in 1918. From this location, we organize and offer our Youth Engagement program, bringing together youth immigrants and refugees, to engage in public and cultural social policies as well as poetry, storytelling and dance presentations.
We also offer an African food community engagement program, in collaboration with the Vancouver Parks Board and Vancouver sustainable food movement.
ADSBC is also active in the promotion of the UN’s “International Decade for People of African Descent” program, by distributing special promotional/educational materials and hosting speakers. And we have, in recent years, advocated for acquiring an arts and cultural space in Vancouver that will serve as a legacy for people of African Descent. Our long term goal is to acquire a state-of-the-art cultural heritage centre that will meet the needs of people of African Descent in BC.
The purposes of the Society are to:
- Promote a spirit of unity and cordial relations among the Canadians of African Descent;
- Promote and facilitate the participation of Canadians of African Descent in Canadian society;
- Produce and present cultural, heritage, education and social events that profile and celebrate Canadians of African Descent;
- Research, educate and provide information and consultation to the community as a whole with respect to people of African Descent heritage, culture and immigration;
- Cooperate with government agencies and departments to provide cultural, heritage and education services which support the quality of life of Canadians of African Descent;
- Facilitate communication and cooperation with organizations and communities whose purposes are similar to the purposes of the Society;
- Acquire all real and personal property which the Society shall deem necessary or convenient to carry out its purposes;
- Procure or acquire such funds as may b necessary for the fulfillment of said purposes through voluntary contributions, grants, bequests, provision of services, entertainment and other means;
- Provide similar and related services as determined by the membership.
The African Descent Society BC Board of Directors is made up of a group of talented and passionate individuals, dedicated to spreading African Descent awareness in BC:
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President: Brian Broda
Vice-President: Allan Cobbs
Secretary: Fatimah Diriye
Treasurer: Adewale Johnson Alao
Historian & Member-at-Large: Dr. Larry Davis
Member-at-Large: Sara Brule
Member-at-Large: Irene Mlambo
Executive Director and Founder: Yasin Kiraga Misago
Mission/Vision
To promote arts and culture for people of African Descent through live music, festivals and public dialogue for General History of Africa and
International Decade for people of African Descent.
Part of our mission is to tell who we were, who we are and who we can become, through an active exploration of our heritage. The history of people of African Descent in Canada has the history of a heart-wrenching struggle for survival, but also the history of hope and promise. This history has been marginalized at the best or treated as footnotes to Canadian history. The ADSBC aims to turn adversity to opportunity by bringing all diverse communities together to learn and celebrate our history. Through the ADSBC, our goal is the continual African Descent collective improvement and demonstration of educational pursuits, a stronger nuclear family, the creation of strategic African Descent cultural centre and demonstrated leadership that leads to improved economic development that collectively works to strengthen all African Descent Canadians.
It is our vision to have an African Descent community and cultural space where we can concurrently practice conservation of our heritage; we will be able to connect and better serve all People of African Descent and the general public through this dream.
ADSBC Programs: In service to our community
Geographically, the ADSBC is rooted in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, but our mandate and programs extend to the whole of British Columbia and even Canada. ADSBC works to create a wide variety of community, arts and heritage community building initiatives, events, and other intercultural activities. The goal is to form strong cultural and societal bonds between people of African descent, and Canadians.
The Society’s primary programming is the African Descent Festival (ADF). The ADF is an annual event (entering its seventh year in 2021) which focuses on promoting the culture and heritage of those of African Descent in Vancouver through the showcasing of local artists, fashion and cultural activities.
ADSBC is a leading organizer of African Descent History Month programs and cultural activities in BC communities in collaboration with variety of schools, community organizations and colleges, UN Office of Public Affairs and Historica Canada.
In 2014, the ADSBC established our popular Heritage and Black Strathcona walking tours in the Hogan’s Alley area — Vancouver’s original African Descent community settlement, designed to educate the local community about the heritage of people of African Descent. We also created the only Heritage Traveling Exhibition that is regularly shown at various community events.
ADSBC was responsible for the restoration and re-opening of Vancouver’s African Methodist Episcopal Fountain Chapel, a former African Descent Church located Jackson and Prior St, founded in 1918. From this location, we organize and offer our Youth Engagement program.
ADSBC is also active in the promotion of the UN’s “International Decade for People of African Descent” program, by distributing special promotional/educational materials and hosting speakers.
We have also created a number of other programs and initiatives that either run under the main programs mentioned above or on their own. Some of these programs are:
- Trans-Atlantic Slave Voyages
- General History of Africa
- Youth Engagement
- Kwanza
- Live Music Tours
- Drum Circles
