Multiculturalism in the city

Crescent Park

Across Canada’s diverse cities, the country is preparing to celebrate Multiculturalism Day on Saturday, June 27. Winnipeg is no different.

Groups interpret and acknowledge the day in unique ways, reflecting the variety of cultures and their distinctive features found across neighbourhoods in the city.

“Multiculturalism day is a day that we bring all the community together to celebrate the beautiful mosaic of our beautiful city,” said Zita Somakoko, founder of the Black-Manitobans Chamber of Commerce (BMCC), doctor, business owner, immigrant from Guinea, and community advocate.

BMCC is hosting a barbecue community day to acknowledge the federal holiday. This is the fourth year BMCC has held the event.

Somakoko said attendees can expect to see “beautiful people with the beautiful attire from their country of origin, music, and vendors.”

She started BMCC in 2014 after experiencing first-hand a need for one.

“I always remember my first networking event at the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce, I was the only Black person in the room, that was shocking to me,” she said.

“I found a group of people that are falling in a crack,” she explained. “These chambers were established to cater to a very specific need of the population at a time, but that population need, it’s dramatically changed now.”

Somakoko described a couple from Southern France, one of her first clients, who moved here to open a bakery and start a business. She said banks wouldn’t give the couple money, and they were told they’d have to work another job.

“Trade is who they are, not what they do. It’s generation to generation,” Somakoko said. “That for me was the breaking point.”

The couple told Somakoko that they would rather die than work in a business that wasn’t their own. From that experience, she was inspired to create BMCC.

She said multiculturalism is crucial to the chamber and their acronym ACEE, meaning ‘advocate, connect, elevate, and empower.’

“Multiculturalism, in today’s world, remains essential because it helped us build a stronger community. It helped us foster innovation, and it helped us promote social cohesion,” she said.

“It’s not simply about celebrating food or music or festival, it’s also about creating a society where everyone feels they belong and where opportunity is successful regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or country of origin. Especially in this day that we live in today.”

A variety of other events will also take place across the city to commemorate multiculturalism in Canada.

“It’s like a celebration of the people, culture, language, tradition, and stories that have helped build Canada,” Somakoko said.

The BMCC multiculturalism event runs from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Crescent Drive Park (781 Crescent Dr.) on June 27.