Jully Black gives lessons on love to sold-out Collingwood crowd

“If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change.” 

The words of a Michael Jackson song, performed by Jully Black in Collingwood for International Women’s Day were part of many notes of encouragement delivered to a sold-out crowd at Simcoe Street Theatre. 

Black was the keynote speaker for the women’s day Spectacular Social Soiree event, which included performances by circus artists and dancers, a poem by Jillian Morris, and inspirational messages from LGBTQ, deaf, and hard of hearing advocates, and professional women hockey players working toward equality in sport. 

A familiar face in national headlines recently, Black addressed the lyric change of “our home on native land” she made while singing O Canada during the NBA all-star game in Utah last month.

“I made a decision about three weeks ago to be an accomplice for my Indigenous friends,” she said while speaking in Collingwood. “It’s interesting shifting from being an ally to an accomplice. There comes a time when you decide to be OK with doing time … I’m doing time for the right reasons.” 

Her message to the women listening was to make changes in themselves and love themselves more by loving their neighbours and those around them. 

“I’d much rather know that I stood in the gap and I made a sacrifice for somebody else so that generationally, there’s going to be success and growth and a future that is bright and equal than to have things that truly aren’t serving me,” said Black. “We have a world to change and I’m smiling because I know that in this room there are game changers, history makers … families raising the future.” 

She performed songs during her keynote speech and gave her love to the crowd. 

To watch the full soiree event and performances, visit the town’s YouTube channel here.