Trevor Bazilio not one to shy away from his Blackness

‘Reflecting’ from Page 18 to a little Janet Jackson’,” he admitted with a mischievous laugh and later added, “’You wanna go to the Boyz to Men concert? I’ll buy you tickets.’” the month of February at The Pilot in Yorkville.

Trevor has never shied away from his Blackness. He is the proud father of a biracial daughter whom as she grew up, he encouraged to engage in Black culture through his own embracing of it.

“She was influenced because everything around her was Black. Everything that I did, the music was Black, the books were Black, but nothing was (specifically) said,” he shared.

“She came home one day and was saying, ‘Shania Twain’s so good’. And evil dad was saying, ‘OK…listen

For far too long, Black people have not been made to feel proud of their Blackness. Every so often a Black person becomes famous or successful and white society opens up to accept them.

It’s like being approved to be part of an exclusive club, but the truth is concessions should not have to be made in order for our existence to be accepted.

Rich, poor, athletic or not, we should be celebrated and elevated in all the same ways as white people without having to go above and beyond societal norms in order to be recognized as human.

So, it’s a shame that Black History Month seems to have fallen a bit flat this year because there is so much more we need to learn and celebrate about the Black experience in order to move towards to true equality.

Trevor himself said it best: “We all want the same thing. Success, job, whatever. What you want in your life, I want too, without hindrances. And to do that you must know me and understand me.”

Community Centre 55 to host annual Soup Tasting Competition on March 2

COMMUNITY CENTRE 55 will host its annual Soup Tasting Competition on Thursday, March 2.

Local residents are invited to register to take part in the soup tasting sessions that will run from 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. that day.

Cost to attend is $5 per person, with proceeds going to Community Centre 55.

Up for grabs for the restaurants who will be making the soup is the prestigious Silver Ladle Award.

Those attending will be asked to vote on which local eatery makes what they considered to be the best soup in the March 2 competition.

Sittings for the soup tasting sessions are 5 to 5:45 p.m.; and 6 to 6:45 p.m. Community Centre 55 is located at 97 Main St., south of Gerrard Street East and north of Kingston Road.

For more information and to register to at- tend one of the tasting sessions, please contact Jade at jade@centre55.com or call 416691-1113, ext. 224.

The Marigolds perform at Acoustic Harvest on Feb. 25

THE MARIGOLDS (Suzie Vinnick, Caitlin Hanford and Gwen Swick) will be performing at the next Acoustic Harvest concert set for Saturday, Feb. 25.

The Marigolds are “part bluesy, part jazzy, and part traditional country and bluegrass.”

Acoustic Harvest concerts take place at St. Paul’s United Church, 200 McIntosh St. in southwest Scarborough. Concerts begin at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door.

Please go to www.acousticharvest.ca to order tickets and for more information on the performers taking part in the 2023 concert season.

Beach Metro Community News Lucky Volunteer for Feb. 21

Lynn has been our carrier on the northernmost section of Wheeler Avenue since 2011 but has recently decided to step down.

A Lucky Volunteer cheque for $50 goes out to Lynn along with our thanks for all her help over the years.

If you would like to pick up the Wheeler Avenue route, or find out what other routes are available, please email our Distribution Manager, Melinda Drake melinda@beachmetro.com for all the info.