Land Acknowledgement

Spirit of Caribbean Arts (S.O.C.A.) recognizes that our work across Toronto, the GTA, and Ontario takes place on the traditional territories of the Huron-Wendat, the Anishnabek, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and the Haudenosaunee, on whose land we gather, create and celebrate culture. As an organization dedicated to preserving and sharing Caribbean heritage, we honour the deep histories of displacement, resistance, and survival that connect Indigenous and Afro-Caribbean peoples. We commit to fostering meaningful relationships to actively support Indigenous sovereignty and the wellbeing of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people.

Ancestral Lineage & Solidarity

We further acknowledge that many members of our community are descendants of those brought to these lands unwillingly as a result of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. We pay profound tribute to our ancestors of African origin and descent, whose labour, resistance, and vibrant cultural legacies continue to sustain us. S.O.C.A. stands in unwavering solidarity with Black communities locally and globally. We hold ourselves and our allies accountable to dismantling anti-Black racism and systemic oppression in all its forms. We believe that art is a powerful tool for liberation, but true justice requires an active, daily commitment to the safety, success, and lives of Black people.

“In the spirit of our ancestors, we celebrate our legacy and build our future.”