Since the first pickup in October 2012, the Leftovers Foundation’s volunteer crew has grown the organization, redirecting over-produced goods from bakeries, restaurants, and grocery stores to local nonprofits and charities that provide emergency food services.

At Afros In Tha City, we want to see Black folks thriving all year round, and our way of contributing to this mission is by amplifying voices and fostering a sense of community and belonging. So as Black History Month is behind us, we wanted to check in on folks to see how optimistic they are about their future here in Calgary.

We do not owe the continual educating of our historic pain if that process of education causes exhaustion. Pain is not the sole proprietor for Blackness.

D’orjay The Singing Shaman is an emerging country singer with a whimsical and powerful voice that could thaw ice.

Weaving together soundscapes with vocal layers and loops; rap, spoken word and dreamy harmonies over hip-hop; jazz and soul-inspired beats, it is impossible to box her sound into one descriptor.

Cadence Weapon is the project alias of Canadian rapper Rollie Pemberton, who is soon to be a published author with his new book, a memoir, titled ‘Bedroom Rapper.’

There is something completely indescribable about the sound of Super Duty Tough Work, an element that makes the sound of this band all their own. With smooth jazz licks and ear-grabbing sound design laid over expertly arranged beats, each song incorporates classic raw drums and unique percussion with soul-hitting bass lines that perfectly cradle the vocals.

Now Listen: A Black Poet’s Message promises a wide range of narratives and storytelling styles which will highlight the depth and breadth of Black existence, reminding all who will listen that the ‘Black experience’ is anything but monolithic.

It’s not individuals sitting in an office, it's not professionals somewhere who are gonna come in and dictate what the community needs. Community, itself, knows what’s best for them.