LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT & CODE OF CONDUCT
Soul of the City is held in Tiohtià:ke / Montreal, which is situated on the unceded traditional territory of the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation. This land has long served as a meeting place for many First Nations, including the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Huron-Wendat peoples.
We acknowledge Indigenous peoples’ ongoing stewardship of this land, and the violence with which it has come to be known as Montreal, Quebec, and Canada. We recognize our responsibility to foster respectful, inclusive, and accountable spaces for community gathering.
We encourage all participants and attendees to read (from Indigenous sources) about the histories and contemporary issues that shape the society in the place where we gather, and seek ways they can directly support Indigenous liberation and sovereignty.
At Soul of the City, we prioritize hosting events that are welcoming to all. As such, racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, classism, and religious discrimination will not be tolerated. If you are experiencing harassment or violence during one of our events, please find a team member so we can support you.
We encourage all participants and attendees to read (from Indigenous sources) about the histories and contemporary issues that shape the society in the place where we gather, and seek ways they can directly support Indigenous liberation and sovereignty.
HISTORY
What we call “soul” has its roots in the blues and gospel music that spread across the southern US in the 18th and 19th centuries. These styles of song are the direct result of European merchants enslaving African people and bringing them over to Turtle Island, where they were forced under cruel conditions to build the “New World.” Though there have been major milestones in liberation and civil rights for Black Americans, the path in the music world has never been easy. Still, pockets formed around the country where some of the best musical talent on Earth came together and played. They were innovators: working class and jazz-trained, folk musicians and high concept artists. Through adversity, they wove the past with hope for the future.