When my family came to visit this spring, bringing together four generations of Black women under one roof, I did what any good host would: I hunted for events and activities to showcase the best of the city. But what struck me, for the first time, was how little colour I found.

I’ve done a lot in this city. I’ve ushered toddlers through concert series and butterfly exhibits, and wandered through our best parks and playgrounds. Having lived in the Old Port, Griffintown and the Plateau, I’ve crawled through bars, sipped wine on terrasses, and window shopped at boutiques on St-Laurent Blvd. and art galleries on St-Paul St.

Museums, libraries, amusement parks — I’ve been to many. And while the city offers plenty to discover, in the spaces that define what Montreal wants to show off to the world, what seemed to be missing was culture that felt familiar.

The shift in perspective came after attending BLAXPO, which was held in Montreal for the first time this year since its creation. Rooted in Black culture,........

© Montreal Gazette