Thousands of people are expected to attend the Salon international de la femme noire, in Montreal's Old Port this weekend. The event, which will focus on the environment and social justice, aims to put forward the voice of Black women and contribute to the economic prosperity of their businesses.

The sixth edition of the show will take place Saturday and Sunday, on two floors of the Port of Montreal's Grand Quai. Visitors will be treated to a variety of vendors, panels and conferences.

In addition to showcasing Black women entrepreneurs, the event "highlights Afro-descendant role models who shine in the shadows," explains Dorothy Rhau, executive director and founder of Audace au féminin, the organization behind the show.

"The show is an inclusive movement. It's true that it's aimed at Black women, and for us it's important that people discover the world of Black communities through the narrative of the Black woman, but it's not exclusively ours," says Rhau, who is also a former comedian.

Last year's event welcomed 4,000 visitors. This time around, Audace au féminin is hoping for 6,000 people to turn up.

"We sincerely believe that, by putting the spotlight on Black women, we are proposing sustainable solutions to a number of problems, whether economic or environmental. If we address the inequalities that affect the most oppressed people, the whole of society will benefit," continues Rhau.

The theme of the environment and social justice was chosen this year, as the voices of racialized people, particularly Black people, are sidelined at environmental summits and meetings, even though they are the people most affected by global warming, she believes.

"Whether we're talking about food deserts, whether we're talking about the lack of green spaces in certain neighborhoods occupied by Black people. We decided to give this platform, to give a voice to these environmental activists, but also to give a place to the agri-food sector, by showcasing Afro-descendant market gardeners," explains Rhau.

The event features a farmers' market, panels as well as workshops on the inclusive and sustainable economy, waste management and eco-responsible businesses.

Eco-responsible fashion will also be in the spotlight, as visitors will be able to buy clothes at a pop-up thrift store.

"When it comes to social justice, we can't ignore the fact that this year marks the tenth year of the Black Lives Matter movement. Is this movement running out of steam? Is this movement now taking a back seat, given the emphasis on the environment?" the director of the event adds.

Rhau points out that racism, "still very present" in both the workplace and education, will also be addressed.

A VARIED PROGRAM

This year's International Black Women's Fair will focus on a variety of topics, in addition to entrepreneurship, the environment and social justice.

Stands dealing with science, technology, engineering and mathematics are also part of the show's programming.

"We're going to have robotics workshops, ''coding,'' we're going to have panels on artificial intelligence, we talk so much about ChatGPT, so we're going to talk about that too," says Rhau.

A space called "bedroom" will also be devoted to questions concerning intimacy and sexuality. "We want to make these conversations less confusing for women," Rhau said.

The variety of themes at the show also aims to inspire Black women and men (they're welcome at the show, by the way), and to offer diverse representation to younger visitors.

"We're also seeing more and more Black women sitting on boards of directors, holding decision-making positions, and we want this to become normal. It shouldn't be extraordinary anymore," says Rhau. We want our generations, our youngest children, to see this, and to say to themselves: I want access too. And we want to do that in all spheres."

The show "really wants to make Black communities stronger economically" by providing a showcase for many female entrepreneurs.

"We had a delegation of female entrepreneurs from Senegal come last year. And this year, all their products arrived by boat. Their products are going to be at the show. So it's really all about raising the socio-economic status of women," says Rhau.

The Salon International de la Femme Noire will also present the Viola Desmond Award to Marjorie Villefranche, Executive Director of Maison d'Haïti.

This report was first published in French by The Canadian Press on Aug. 11, 2023.