AWE at Night - February 2025

Be sure to join us for this month’s AWE at Night on February 20th, presented in partnership with the Essex County Black Historical Research Society!

Enjoy an evening filled with art activities, community discussions, guided tours, and great vibes.

Art Activity: Fabric Portraits with Wanda Relf⎮  5pm – 8:30pm, 2nd floor, Education Studio 

Have fun with various fibres including fabric, felt and foam scraps to make something beautiful! Discover how shape, colour, pattern and texture can work together to create a portrait of yourself or of someone you love or admire.

Tour: North is Freedom: Descendants of Freedom-Seekers on the Underground Railroad with Dorothy Abbott⎮  5pm – 6pm, 3rd floor galleries 

Join us for a conversation and Q&A with Dorothy Abbott, curator and producer of North is Freedom: Descendants of Freedom-Seekers on the Underground Railroad. A passionate genealogist, Abbott has served as a director for multiple non-profits dedicated to preserving Black Canadian history. After a long career in finance, she became producer of North is Freedom in 2018, overseeing Yuri Dojc’s powerful photo exhibit featuring descendants of enslaved families who journeyed north via the Underground Railroad. Her deep interest in genealogy led her to explore Black Canadian history’s African roots, tracing connections across the U.S., Caribbean, and beyond.

The Seniors Council is supported by the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility through the Seniors Community Grant program. 

Beyond Performative: Unpacking Toxic Allyship in Marginalized Communities⎮  6:30pm – 7pm, 3rd floor galleries 

Allyship should be about solidarity, not optics. Too often, performative gestures replace meaningful action, leaving marginalized communities unsupported and unheard. This conversation will explore the harm caused by toxic allyship, how it manifests across different communities, and what real, accountable allyship looks like. Together, we’ll discuss ways to move beyond surface-level support and into genuine, long-term relationship-building.

With speakers Shane Lyon, Kat Pasquach, Anold Mulaisho. Moderated by Dan MacDonald. 

In Conversation with Susan Johnson-Washington⎮  7pm – 7:30pm, 3rd floor galleries 

Hear from the one of the subjects pictured in North is Freedom: Descendants of Freedom-Seekers on the Underground Railroad: Susan Washington. Hear her voice as she shares the stories and messages behind these photographs, revealing intimate glimpses into this experience.

Born in London, Ontario, Susan Johnson-Washington has resided in Windsor for over thirty years. Susan developed a love for painting nature scenes and portraits. Susan also paints many of her works in black and white, because it has given her a deeper appreciation of how the lack of colour, doesn’t depreciate but can appreciate her art. Susan has exhibited annually at the Grey Roots County Museum in Owen Sound, Ontario, which hosts a yearly African-Canadian Art Exhibit of the descendants of former slaves from the Grey County area. Susan has also enjoyed being a member of the Association of Representational Artists here in Windsor and has exhibited with the ARA in their annual exhibitions. Read more.

Talk: Wrestlers of African Descent in Windsor’s Wrestling History with Jamie Greer ⎮  7:30pm – 8pm, 3rd floor, Solcz Family Suite

Join writer and wrestling historian Jamie Greer for a deep dive into the untold stories of Wrestlers of African Descent in Windsor’s rich wrestling history! From hidden trailblazers to WWE Hall of Famers, Greer uncovers over a century of ring warriors who made their mark. Experience the history of Windsor’s wrestling scene—where legends were made and history was written!

Jamie Greer is a Windsor musician and writer, who for nearly 20 years was a music journalist/historian for multiple publications in the city. In 2016, he turned to writing about his childhood love, professional wrestling, writing for the likes Last Word on Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Illustrated. During the pandemic, he began researching Windsor’s connection to pro wrestling, including having two Windsorites in the WWE Hall of Fame, and uncovered over 100 years of history, including a nearly 60-year run of cards at Windsor Arena. This research will be utilized in an upcoming book, “KIllers, Butchers, Cry-Babys & Canadian Destroyers: The History of Pro Wrestling in Windsor, Ontario”.

Music, food, and drink ⎮ 7pm – 9pm, 3rd floor

Let’s celebrate! Head up to the third floor to join us for music, food and drinks by Windsor Eats, and good vibes.