Dearly beloved We are gathered here today To get through this thing called life. - Prince
To be the “Gatekeepers” of our own narratives that promotes a stronger self concept and self esteem. .
The Birth of BELOVED: EDUCATE, EMPOWER, UNITE has been the foundational slogan etched within the LIWI brand.
Men don’t cry! False! Men do feel a range of emotions; they just have difficulty showing it. For many of our young Black men, their conditioning states that you have two-faces: a private face outside of the public eye, and a public face that shows no weakness.
“This kind of mind-heart disconnect can begin when boys are in the early years of elementary school. The same disconnect does not exist for girls. Girls seem to have the license to express a full range of emotions.
The question that you have to ask yourself is, when did showing love become seen as a weakness, regardless of who the love is being shown too? This question is one that is tackled with the development of the BELOVED project.
The goal of the BELOVED MOVEMENT is to help people connect with themselves and each other. It was named after the Pulitzer Prize winning book by Toni Morrison Beloved, which combines the visionary power of legend with the undeniable truth of our history. It is one of the great and enduring works of African-American literature, and a constant reminder that slavery has had a lasting impact on us, even on how we treat each other.
The concept design behind BELOVED is unconditional love, perseverance, and strength. When we think of the word beloved, we often think of a person we adore: someone who we love unconditionally. BELOVED was created as a tribute to our beautiful diaspora community. 2020 will definitely go down as a year to remember. It was a year of tremendous loss and suffering, but this is the perfect time to circle back to an emotion that heals all wounds; love!
“I was moved by what I saw when I saw Busta Rhymes speaking to the young man. He kept using the word beloved. I thought to myself, why can’t we use this language more? My mind instantly ran on Nigel Birch, so I reached out to him. I asked him if we could write something around the theme of beloved. He put pen to paper, and the rest is history. The team has continued to evolve, and we know that the impact of this project is transcendental ”
The BELOVED PROJECT has the ability to celebrate our story by sharing the importance of love, and family through: art, music, poetry, and positive images of Black families.
BELOVED symbolism: “Faith is the anchor that holds the true bond of love between people.” Adinkra symbol – Nya Gyidie
Central to the Beloved movement is the Adinkra symbol – Nya Gyidie. The symbol is popular amongst the Akan people who live in the southern regions of Ghana and the Ivory Coast in West Africa. It is used as a constant reminder that you can still make it through turbulent times in your life, provided you hold onto hope and not lose sight of what is important.
Randell Adjei
Writer, Poet
is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, Art Educator and community Leader who uses the spoken word to empower and transform through edutainment Randell is also published his debut book called I am Not My Struggles
in 2018 the founder of RISE EDT has been award the Ontario’s 1st Poet Laureate and was recently featured on CBC , TVO , Global News and Breakfast Television for his amazing accomplishments
Mark Stoddart
Visual Communicator
Mark combines his passion for music and sports, with a consistent spirit of social activism and a life-long commitment to educate, empower, and unite.
Mark’s community advocacy has also included volunteer, speaking engagements, and other visual contributions to local schools and organizations and also a part-time Art professor at Sheridan College.
Jay Martin
Actor
Jay Martin's multi-faceted finesse is no exception. Some call him The Renaissance Man for his many talents in comedy, event production, community work, and more.
Some call him Canada's own Steve Harvey, because of his reputation for having audiences rolling in the aisles with a clean comedy act. There is no other comic in Canada capable of doing the same.Drawing from his own personal life experiences, whether it be from his stubborn Jamaican dad or one of his four children, Martin takes you on a comedic journey like none other.
General Steele
Artist
Representing Brownsville & Bed Stuy Brooklyn, rap duo Smif-N-Wessun, Tek and Steele, first appeared on Black Moon’s debut album Enta Da Stage in 1993. Adding relentless rhymes to tracks "U da Man" and "Black Smif N' Wessun," the pair paved the way for the Brooklyn Supergroup Boot Camp Clik.
Smif-N-Wessun released their classic debut Dah Shinin’ January 10, 1995 on Nervous Records. The album was noted for its hardcore lyrical content and gritty production, handled by Da Beatminerz production crew and was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums of all time.
DJ Mercilless
DJ/producer/engineer
Toronto's DJ Mercilless is a well-known DJ/producer/engineer who has worked with hip-hop royalty including Ghostface Killah of Wu-Tang, Benny The Butcher from Griselda, and Styles P of the LOX to name a few.
DJ Mercilless has deejayed for many heavy hitters and is currently working on several projects entirely produced by him. 2021 is shaping up to be a big year.
Rudy Ray
Trumpeter
Rudy Ray he is a prominent trumpeter based here in Toronto, an official trumpet player for the Hip Hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. Fun facts Rudy studies neurology with an active pursuit committed to engaging psychotherapy in the black community. Rudy explores his versatility and passion using his unique afro-rhythms to connect people, adding to this vibrant multicultural community we have in the city.
Shelley Challenger & Shari Yearwood
New Haven Funeral Centre
Historically funeral services have been a Caucasian male-dominated industry. New Haven Funeral Centre definitely stands out from the crowd, with a black female-led duo and open bright facility; executive management Shelley Challenger (VP) and Shari Yearwood (Managing Director) are breaking the mold of the traditional funeral professional and funeral practices.
‘We celebrate life by honoring those who are here with us and who have passed on.’
Nigel Birch
Writer, Poet
Nigel Birch Jr. is a writer, poet, host, and mental health advocate, with a new vision for love. He’s a melting pot of cultural experiences, which can be heard and seen through his artistry. His depth and introspection are felt on every stage and page he touches.
His mission is to use various artistic mediums such as poetry, books, theatre, film, and music to express, share, and empower others through creative expression to find their way back to love.