The Festival Management Committee remains dedicated to advocating for the Caribbean community

BY PAUL JUNOR

The Festival Management Committee (FMC) has been instrumental in running North America’s largest Caribbean festival since 2006. This was done at the request of the City of Toronto, which resulted in the renaming of the festival from “Caribana” to “Toronto Caribbean Festival.” The mandate of the FMC is to promote Caribbean arts and culture through various events and programs, while uplifting visible minority communities through education and business initiatives.

There have been other changes such as updating its bylaws in 2023 with an emphasis on professional management and financial accountability to include vital stakeholders on the Board of Directors. One of the initiatives that was announced was the launch of the Caribbean Community Advocacy Network (CCAN), which was mentioned in the June newsletter “Toronto Carnival Inside Volume 0524. ”

The CCAN will be primarily involved in advocacy. Jennifer Michelle Hirlehey, Executive Chair of the Board of Directors for the FMC writes, “While the FMC and the Carnival remain a non-political organization (not supporting any one political party), we are dedicated to promoting: socio-political, cultural, and economic advocacy for the Caribbean community at all levels of government. We aim to foster a deeper connection between our community and our political leaders, ensuring our interests are effectively represented at all levels of government.”

She did not describe the nature of the advocacy and what it would entail. She elaborates, “We are therefore encouraging all of us in the Caribbean community to take a more active role at all levels of government. Here at the FMC, we will continue to deepen our outreach programs and we will highlight how our government representatives support our community, showcasing both areas of support and gaps.

The FMC aims to position itself as the premier deliverer of cultural and educational programs outside of the running of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival. On Saturday, June 15^th, 2024, the FMC issued a press release sharing several initiatives that the FMC are currently involved with. They include:

• Diversity and Equity Training: To promote inclusivity and understanding
• The Building Black Entrepreneurs Program (BBEP): Designed to support the economic empowerment of racialized communities, and supported close to 400 racialized entrepreneurs
• Carnival Arts in Local Schools: Collaborating with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), Schulich Business Excellence Academy at York University
• The Young Learners Program: In partnership with Toronto Football Club
• Logistics Support to Belleville Caribbean Carnival: Assisting with event planning and execution

There are several important events that will be happening during the Toronto Carnival 2024. These include Junior King and Queen Showcase, Júnior Carnival Parade, King and Queen Showcase, Pan Alive, Calypso Showcase, Grand Parade, Toronto Rum Festival and Friday Night Mas.