The Town of Minto will celebrate Black Heritage Month with a special event next month featuring journalist and storyteller Garvia Bailey.
The event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on February 28, 2025 at the Harriston Train Station, where Bailey will present a multimedia talk titled "Black Women of Faith and Resilience: Finding Community in Southwestern Ontario."
According to a media release, Bailey will explore the lives of "two extraordinarily driven and courageous Black women with stories connected to Southwestern Ontario." The presentation will focus on Sylvia Young, described as "a freedom seeker whose remarkable story of attempted kidnapping during the early days of emancipation brought the newly formed community of Stratford, Ontario into the national spotlight."
The presentation will also share the story of Eva Bailey, Garvia Bailey’s mother, who "more than 120 years later brought her family to Stratford, settling into a place of acceptance and safety first carved out by Sylvia Young." Organizers say the stories together "invite reflection on who we were, who we are today, and who we continue to strive to be."
Following the presentation, attendees are invited to stay and connect with the guest speaker while enjoying snacks provided by May’s Café at the Old Post.
Tickets are $10, with organizers noting that "all proceeds go directly back into the Town of Minto DEI Committee to support future events and initiatives that foster inclusion, education, and community togetherness." Tickets must be purchased by noon on February 20, as space is limited.
