On The Island is a lively and informative blend of news, reviews and interviews, designed to keep Victorians informed about the issues that matter to them.
More on On The Island
Visit us for articles and more from On The Island with Gregor Craigie
As part of our coverage of Black history month, we’ll hear from a panel of folks today about their experiences being Black on Vancouver Island
21:16
The roots of Black history on Vancouver Island run deep, but representation by the numbers still remains small.
According to the last census in 2016, there were just over eleven hundred people who identified as Black in Victoria.
While it’s true more people have moved here since then, that’s still a relatively small number.
As part of Black history month, we're looking into what it means to be Black on Vancouver Island.
We’ve connected with three people on the Island to tell us about their experiences.
Dionte Jelks is the principal of Ladysmith Intermediate School.
Pam Buisa is a Rugby Sevens player with Team Canada and lives in Greater Victoria, though she prefers to refer to the land as Lekwungen Territories.
And Moussa Magassa is a professor in the Social Justice department of the University of Victoria.