The New Canadians' Centre of Excellence's Beats2Borders Block Party took over downtown Windsor's Capitol Theatre.
More than 200 youth from different cultural backgrounds were treated to interactive hip hop dance and musical performances Saturday with the help of Meridian International Centre and Toronto's U.S. Consulate General.
Lots going on at the Beats2Borders Block Party. Youth from many different cultural backgrounds getting involved. @AM800News #cklw pic.twitter.com/FxI4EhgiHu
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) February 2, 2019
Youth Programs and Services Manager Jillian Toman says hip hop shows many perspectives.
"The element that's trying to be conveyed is the components of leadership entrepreneurship and the idea of conflict transformation," she says.
Toman says music and dance break through language barriers.
"When they get together it's just magic and there is that sense that it doesn't matter where you're from, you're able to connect and you're able to share your story regardless," she added.
U.S. Consulate General Greg Stanford made his way down from Toronto to officially donate equipment and instruments for the event.
Interactive hip hop dance, music and values and perspective workshops underway at the Beats2Borders Block Party in downtown Windsor’s Captital Theatre. @AM800News #cklw pic.twitter.com/PrIom0Og1u
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) February 2, 2019
Toman hopes everyone learned something new.
"When you talk about what their passions are from back home and what they're doing here, it's a way to carry on, a way to explore their interests by just bringing everyone together," she says, "I think they'll walk away with something they never knew they had in them before."