Black Lives Matter - Toronto Freedom School Children Demonstrate at U.S. Consulate to Declare: All Black Lives Matter!

TORONTO, July 30, 2016 /CNW/ - Black Lives Matter – Toronto (BLM – TO) Freedom School students are demonstrating in front of the U.S. Consulate today, declaring, "All Black Lives Matter!" The students, aged four to ten, have recently graduated from the Freedom School program, and are celebrating by calling for social justice for all Black people. The children have created materials that call attention to issues of migration, incarceration and policing.

"This summer, I have been learning about how to love and support my Black family all around the world," said Emelie Ruel, a Freedom School graduate, aged 8. "I am so proud to be Black, and I want justice for all Black people, so that's why I'm here."

During Freedom School, the children were particularly moved by the injustice of incarceration, and wanted to fight for Black freedom fighters they had learned about, including Mutulu Shakur and Jasmine Abdullah. The children are also joining the call of hunger strikers in Lindsay, Ontario, who are demonstrating against indefinite detention without trial or charges in maximum security prisons.

"I want all of my Black family to get free," said Zayin Knight, a Freedom School graduate, aged 9. "It's not fair to keep Black people away like this. We want to be free.

Freedom School graduates have also created artwork which will be on display at BAND Gallery (1 Lansdowne Avenue) until August 5, 2016.

About Black Lives Matter – Toronto

Black Lives Matter – Toronto is the Toronto chapter of the ‪#‎BlackLivesMatter network, an international organization and movement fighting anti-Black racism and state-sanctioned violence.

About BLM – TO Freedom School

BLM – TO Freedom School is a three week program for children aged four to ten. The project responds to a lack of humanizing, self-affirming, queer positive educational opportunities for Black children in the GTA. The program is designed to teach children about Black Canadian and diasporic history, to engage children in political resistance to anti-Black racism and state violence through a trans-feminist lens, and to offer children an entry point into the #BlackLivesMatter movement. The project will conclude its first run on Friday, July 29, 2016.

SOURCE Black Lives Matter - Toronto

Sandy Hudson at [email protected] or 416-722-8842; Rodney Diverlus at [email protected] or 647-456-8476; #BlackCity