MTL vs. Racisme – On September 15, a three-hour concert called MTL vs. Racisme will take place at NDG Park on Sherbrooke Street West corner of Girouard between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., as a means of expressing through music and performances that racism and discrimination has no place in NDG in particular, and today’s society in general.
The idea for the concert started when I saw a post on social media about groups from the extreme right organizing themselves in the borough of Cotes des Neiges/NDG, which was too close for comfort for me, because this borough is such a diverse one, said Paul Cargnello, a singer/songwriter who is also an NDG resident and organized the concert.
The concert will feature a roster of 18 local and diverse singers and performers such as Jah Cutta, The Stomp All-Stars, Osmosis Unlimited, Mehdi Cayenne, Ms. Holmes and host Geeta Nadkarni. This line-up ticks off a lot of boxes because they represent a great of communities and groups who reside in NDG, whether they be Haitian, Jamaican or LGBTQ, said Cargnello, who also has been organizing the NDG Arts Week festival over the past seven years. He also pointed out that there will be several community groups and organizations who will have information tables throughout the event, and an after party at the nearby Crawley Arts Centre.
I’m just a citizen who wants to see something cool happen, and have Montreal take a step forward to combat racism and discrimination, he said. As well, it will be a great way for families to have a joyous time and celebrate diversity.
For more information, check out the event’s Facebook page
