White, Chris

Chris White, along with Canadian Poet Laureate George Elliott Clarke and Shelley Hamilton, is delving into his Black, Native and Nova Scotian roots to create songs and poems that address and celebrate this largely unacknowledged aspect of Canadian history and culture. Together, they have performed and recorded this material in Halifax and Toronto, and have released an album entitled “The Afrometis Constitution”.  Chris White was born into a musical family that included his aunt Portia White, who was a classical singer of “national historic significance”.  Chris co-founded the Ottawa Folk Festival in 1993 and he now produces and hosts two weekly music programs on CKCU FM: “Canadian Spaces” and “Special Blend”.  In November 2019 Chris and Shelley visited with students at Crestwood, taking part in our Towards reconciliation Human Rights Symposium.