04 Oct 2024

Submit an article to Black Ottawa Scene

We welcome feature articles, short stories, book reviews, movie and entertainment reviews, human interest stories, as well as reports on cultural and social events with pics (weddings, anniversaries, graduations, etc.). All guest articles and photos must be original and showcase people of African descent, or speak directly to the lived Black experience. We do not publish guest articles that are are linked to another publication. Also, we do not accept sponsored articles on this platform.

Please note that Black Ottawa Scene is entirely volunteer-driven and volunteer-managed, and  contributors do so in a volunteer capacity.  We therefore, do not pay any financial remuneration to reporters, photographers, feature writers, or guest columnists. Contributors should also note that articles or reports should not be used to directly or indirectly, promote, endorse or advertise commercial businesses, goods or services. 

We request that you include a photo of yourself plus a short bio to go with your submission. We also recommend a max of 800 words per article; our experience is that readers tend to be turned off by lengthy postings.

We appreciate all submissions of reports, photographs, articles, and letters to the Editor, but do not guarantee that they will be posted on Black Ottawa Scene. The Editor makes the final decision on the material to be published.

By submitting your material to Black Ottawa Scene, you give Black Ottawa Scene permission to publish it in any medium in which Black Ottawa Scene may be published and at no cost to Black Ottawa Scene. This permission shall continue until you ask us in writing to take the submission off the website.

All submissions must conform with accepted social norms such as  respect for everyone; we do not accept illegal, defamatory, offensive, hate-based, or obscene materials. 

If you submit photographs, please make sure that you have permission for publication in Black Ottawa Scene of all identifiable individuals in each picture. All submissions must be original and must not infringe the copyright of any third party. The copyright in all submissions to Black Ottawa Scene remains with the author. 

Black Ottawa Scene reserves the right to verify the identity of any person submitting photographs, articles, or letters to the Editor. All contributions must be accompanied by the full name, telephone number, street address, and e-mail address of the contributor. Only the name of the contributor will be published. Other personal information will be retained by Black Ottawa Scene in order to communicate with the contributor and will be deleted within two years of the last contribution.

All articles for publication should be sent to: [email protected].

Paid advertisements

Black Ottawa Scene appreciates and welcomes paid advertisements from individuals, government, private commercial companies, public community organizations, non-government organizations, political parties, and religious and social organizations. Paid adverts help to offset the overhead costs of production and publication of  Black Ottawa Scene, including web-hosting, domain name, photographic and other electronic equipment and supplies, travel and transportation, etc. The rates have been kept to a minimum to make this medium accessible and affordable to not-for-profit community organizations.  Black Ottawa Scene is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit community-oriented publication, with a mission to showcase people and events in the Black community in Canada’s national capital region.

To obtain a copy of our advertising rates, please contact [email protected].

 

 

 

 

3 Comments

  1. Alan Webb

    Hello,
    I am a Black Iqaluit, Nunavut based citizen of Ottawa. I recently published my debut novel titled “Once Upon A Time In Zimbabwe: A Story Of Race And Inheritance”. Would your publication be interested in doing a book review and possibly an interview of the author?

    I look forward to your response.

    Regards,

    Alan Webb

    1. blackottawa

      Hello Alan
      Thank you for your mail. Re your inquiry, you may be aware that Black Ottawa Scene is entirely volunteer-driven and volunteer-run. As such we have limited capacity to do book reviews and interviews of news-making individuals. That said, I would ask for the following information from you:
      Your bio (education, career, lived Black experience)
      Name of the publisher of your book
      Book’s release date
      A summary description (synopsis) of the book
      Send the above to my editorial email address: [email protected]

      With that, I will review our resources to see if any of our volunteers would be available to review the book. At this time, our priority is a project to conduct video interviews of Ottawa’s earliest Black migrants, i.e. those who came from Africa and the Caribbean in the sixties and early seventies. They would all now be in their eighties and nineties, so it is a race against time. With that in mind, I cannot give you any assurance about the timing of a review of your book, or an interview with you.
      Wishing you all the very best.
      Godwin Ifedi
      Editor

  2. Iris Maria Bautista

    Hello! I’m a volunteer for TEMBO, a Canadian charity (founded and based in Ottawa) that empowers young girls and women in Tanzania’s Longido District, to progress their education and micro-business opportunities.

    Next month we’re celebrating our 20th anniversary (exciting!) and we’re hosting a special event (Feb 27) with renowned photographer Michelle Valberg at Carleton University. Proceeds will go towards TEMBO’s mission.

    Would Black Ottawa Scene be willing to help promote TEMBO and the event? Here are links, if it helps!

    https://www.projectembo.org/
    https://www.projectembo.org/how-you-can-help/valberg/
    https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/an-evening-with-michelle-valberg-tickets-772206730117?aff=oddtdtcreator

    I’m part of their communications committee, so very happy to answer any questions. Hopefully we can work together!

    Thank you!

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