By Neil Armstrong

Blackhurst Cultural Centre will present the 2024 My People Award to illustrator and artist, Ken Daley, at its four-day Black and Caribbean Book Affair, October 16-19.

The award will is presented to an African, Black or Caribbean writer or illustrator in Canada who is excelling at their craft and telling the stories of our heritage in their work.

Daley is an award-winning children’s book illustrator and artist, and is known for his use of bold, bright colours, and authentic details to depict Black Life, in all its iterations.
His passion lies with stories that reflect his heritage as the child of immigrants, his connection to the Caribbean, and the richness and expanse of the African Diaspora.

Daley believes that diverse stories are essential to creating a more just, and equitable world, and this is something he is deeply committed to manifesting through his art. He has illustrated numerous children’s books and received an Américas Award Honor Book and a Kirkus Best Picture Book for Auntie Luce’s Talking Paintings.

Daley was born in Cambridge, Ontario to parents who emigrated from Dominica. He is an honours graduate from the Art Centre of Central Technical School as well as an architectural technology graduate from Humber College in Toronto.

The artist and illustrator has exhibited his artwork within Canada, the United States and the Caribbean, and his work can be found in numerous private collections. His work has also been featured in print publications as well as on television. The award will be presented to him on October 19.

Organized by Blackhurst Cultural Centre in collaboration with A Different Booklist, the annual Black and Caribbean Book Affair will be held at 177 Bathurst Street in Toronto under the theme “Authors Writing into the AI Future.”

The four-day festival starts October 16 with Chido Muchemwa’s debut collection “Who Will Bury You? And Other Stories.” On October 17, a workshop with Gayle Gonsalves will feature aspiring writers. October 18 includes sessions for students led by Ken Daley and Bushra Junaid, concluding with a discussion between Itah Sadu and Myriam J.A. Chancy on Village Weavers.

Chancy’s 2021 novel, What Storm, What Thunder, was named a best book of the year by several local and international prestigious journals.

The last day of the Book Affair showcases authors of children’s literature, book launches, poetry, and a panel on artificial intelligence.

On October 19, the festival features “Storytelling for the Kids” with Njacko Backo from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Yolanda Marshall will launch My Kwanzaa Wish from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The day continues with Making the Moment by Diva and LeRoi Newbold, and Morgan Christie presents I, Too, Am Here from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

A “Conversation on AI and Authorship,” a book launch, and a book signing ends the day. It will feature Lorna E. Green, ICT Entrepreneur, CEO and Chairman, Digital Transtec Ltd (DTL), and author of the series “Beng and Friends”, which addresses STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and choosing a career. This will be followed by a chat with Prof. Jude Kong, Director of the Artificial Intelligence and Mathematical Modeling lab (AIMMlab), University of Toronto.

The host will be Silja Mitange, who is pursuing a master’s degree in communications and culture at Toronto Metropolitan University and York University, where her research focuses on the intersection of politics and technology.