Saturday 9 September

 

Suzan Lavertu receives message of congratulations from Mayor Jim Watson, with Ewart Walters, Rev. Bailey and Councillor Egli
Suzan Lavertu, centre, receives message of congratulations from Mayor Jim Watson, with Ewart Walters, Rev. Bailey and Councillor Egli           Photo credit: Debbie Miller

 

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All roads in Ottawa appeared to lead to lead to 40 Colonnade Road last Saturday as just about everybody who was anybody headed for the grand opening of The Cultural Arts Studio of Afro-Caribbean Dance.  Community leader Sarah Onyango, summed up the event in her unique style on Facebook:

I will need another 48 hours to really digest and distill all the emotions I felt witnessing the grand opening of The Cultural Arts Studio of Afro-Caribbean Dance this morning & afternoon! The joy, the pride, the colours (yes, everyone wore their country/island colours and some came with flags and other patriotic accessories!), the vibes (big up Black on Black crew for keeping the vibes sweet as can be from start to finish for CHUO 89.1FM)….and most of all, the huge outpouring of community support! The Lavertu family and their fearless leader “Teacher” Suzan Richards Lavertu have created this community gem for us all, and so it behooves us all (Ottawa community) to do whatever we can to help build this precious legacy. Please patronize this space, take classes there, shop at the Cocoa Tea Boutique (lawd, how to resist all the beautiful products??!!), and contribute to the fundraising effort to purchase the building. Special shoutouts to all the vendors, dignitaries (Mayor Watson, MP Greg Fergus, Councillor Egli, Rev. Bailey) as well as the fabulous elders who attended the day’s festivities, especially my favourite “Birds of Paradise” class for young-at-heart seniors! Well done #TeamLavertu! Well done indeed!

Photo credit: Debbie Miller