CALL Café Online: Living a Spectrum of the Black Experience

A tap dance artist/advocate, educator and mother, Lisa La Touche grew up in Alberta as a bi-racial woman of color without any awareness of local Black cultural history. At a young age, she found her passion and sense of belonging in dance and her focus became the African American art form, tap dance. Committed to learning her craft, she quickly found a connection to Black history in America. This led her to living and thriving in Harlem as well as the chance to dance on Broadway. When she returned in 2020 to her hometown of Calgary, she was unprepared for the Black cultural isolation she witnessed and the reverse culture shock she experienced. This sent her on a mission to meet local Black elders and unearth histories that unlocked a much-needed sense of purpose and belonging. In her presentation, Lisa will share stories of her ongoing journey of discovering the history she did not know. She will also present her short film about local Black heroes in the arts. Her journey and the film speak to the hopes she has of living in a truly inclusive world filled with its authentic beauty.

For more information visit CALL Café