Ajax unveils artwork in recognition of Decade for People of African Descent

Ajax’s Anti-Black Racism Taskforce and town council unveiled artwork to honour the International Decade for People of African Descent.

Robert Small is the local Black artist behind the piece, titled Decades To Come.

His artwork now sits in Ajax’s town hall and will remain there for the next few months.

“I wanted the objects to represent the potential of African people, whereas the actual people that I portrayed in it represent the beauty and the aspirations of African people around the world. The image of the bird coming to grab the key symbolizes the key to our liberation as well as our upliftment,” explained Small.

The International Decade for People of African Descent is a United Nations declaration that recognizes the achievements of those who are part of the African diaspora, and the protection of their human rights.

Small says showcasing his Black art in town hall is important.

“Specifically in Ajax in the Durham area, has the highest per cent of Black people who went to post-secondary education, so consequentially, it’s really crucial to have it here because the town of Ajax basically symbolizes the aspirations of African people.”

The chair of Ajax’s Anti-Black Racism Task Force says recognizing the International Decade for People of African Descent is one of the 10 recommendations brought forward to council when the task force was formed in September of 2020.

“We would like to work collaboratively towards combating system racism in the town of Ajax. that would apply to the black community and other racialized groups, so we can have a vibrant, prosperous community,” said Mariska Thomas, the chair of the council.

Other recommendations include introducing paid internship programs for Black youth to support their career development and collecting anti-Black racism data in the town.