A London-area children’s entertainer and speaker is not letting COVID-19 get in her way of finding interactive ways to teach youth about the importance of Black History Month.
Saidat has partnered with the Thames Valley District School Board along with several other school boards across the province.
“In Canada, I notice that we fail to talk about the systemic racism that operated in our history and still operates today,” Saidat said while speaking with 980 CFPL’s Devon Peacock on The Morning Show.
“When students see we’re making (changes), and it’s with excitement and urgency, then they will echo that as well.”
In pre-pandemic days, Saidat would visit schools in person, but due to COVID-19, the children’s entertainer switched to virtual videos.
“I’m not there to look into their eyes, but I try to bring that energy and that love (in the videos) because (the students) need it at this time,” she said.
“They need someone to continue to encourage them (so) I put music and movement into my videos so they can have that same kind of excitement in the classroom.”
Saidat says she had to dive deep and spent a lot of time finding unique stories “that people haven’t heard of or students couldn’t recall right away.”
“It was such a beautiful journey for me.”
“People like Jean Augustine (who is) the reason why we have Black History Month in Canada. Elijah McCoy who created the automatic (oil-drip) cup that transformed the railway industry, and there’s many, many more … I get excited even mentioning their names,” she said.
Students in kindergarten to Grade 3 are learning stories about Black heroes through music and movement.
Students in Grades 4 to 8 are participating in a 20-day video series curriculum where they learn how to combat anti-Black racism and embrace allyship and diversity.
Saidat’s videos are available on her YouTube channel.