Akilah Newton has a dream to have all kids have access to the arts, at least in Montreal, and she is making it happen through her organization Overture with the Arts (OWTA). OWTA offers inexpensive or free education in music, dance, drama and vocal training to children. In addition to this, Akilah has released an inspiring book series “Big Dreamers”, which helps to educate Canadians about their own Black history. With most education systems in Canada focusing a heavy emphasis on American Black History rather than Canadian, Akilah has been inspired to help highlight notable Black Canadians to help educate the youth about their own history. Again, Akilah is stepping up to the plate to help! To learn more about this incredible woman and her many endeavors, please read our exclusive interview below.

Where are you based?
Montréal, Québec, Canada.

You founded the non-profit organization the Overture with the Arts (OWTA). What inspired you to establish this organization?
I started my entrepreneurial journey after graduating from University. I had been searching for the right type of opportunity where I could make a difference in my work. As a Black female, there often wasn’t a seat at the table. I quickly realized that if I was to succeed in the way I wanted to, I had to create my own opportunities by going in the side or back door. I have a deep passion for helping people and the arts, so I merged the two together! Thirteen years ago, I created Overture with the Arts (OWTA), a non-profit based in Montreal. OWTA offers education in music, dance, drama and vocal training. We specialize in creating free and low-cost programs enabling young people to pursue their passion in the performing arts when they wouldn’t otherwise have the finances to afford classes.

One of OWTA’s most popular programs is their annual Black History Month school tour. Can you tell us more about this?
In 2011, I created a Black History Month School Tour, where I teamed up with a local musician to create an interactive presentation about Black History. We visited schools nationwide to discuss and highlight the importance of Canadian Black History. It was during this time that I discovered that there were little to no resources available about Canadian Black History and culture. Since there was a huge gap in the market, I decided to create educational resources that showcased and highlighted the brilliance and resilience of Black Canadians. For the past six years, my twin brother and I, Omari Newton, have delivered an engaging and informational presentation to students across Canada throughout the month of February.

You co-wrote Big Dreamers: The Canadian Black History Activity Book for Kids. Could you tell us more about these books? And why did you decide to write these?
Sure. The majority of Black History being taught in Canadian schools, is American Black History. Due to the lack of resources available about Canadian Black History, I decided to take all the information I had gathered from our Canadian Black History Month presentations, and co-write and self published my very first book — Big Dreamers: The Canadian Black History Activity Book for Kids Volume 1. It is an overview of people, places, and events that paved the way for future generations of Canadians. The book profiles individual “Big Dreamers” from A-Z, provides a historical timeline, examines Black History in each province and territory, and keeps readers engaged with a variety of activities.

You have several books, and the proceeds from each activity book sold will be donated to Overture with the Arts (OWTA). Why was this important to you?
OWTA has opened so many doors for me, and since it’s my baby, I want to see the organization continue to flourish in grow. It’s so important for me to find new and creative ways to fundraise for OWTA, so donating proceeds from the sales of my activity books was a no brainer.

Why do you feel it is so important for children of all backgrounds to have access to the arts?
I think it’s imperative for children to be able to express themselves freely. The arts are one of the best ways for children to explore expression and harness their creativity. The arts aren’t always readily accessible to all, so this is another reason why I created my nonprofit. I love to see children have the opportunity and access to every facet of the arts. I believe that engaging with art is essential to the human experience.

Do you have any favorite stories that you like to tell about your time with Overture with the Arts?
We launched a musical theatre summer camp in 2018. On the first day of camp (a Monday) we had a shy young boy who sat in the back corner of the room and read a book all day. His siblings were really into the activities, but he didn’t want to have anything to do with the camp. Over the course of the first week, we noticed him peeking up from his book, then putting his book down to observe what everyone was doing. Then by Friday, he joined the group and took part in the activities. By the end of the summer he was eager to take part in all of the workshops, and he even earned a lead role in the camp production. It was so beautiful to see him come out of his shell and become so confident. This is a prime example of the power of the arts!

You have a song writing competition coming up. Can you tell us a bit about that and how it works?
This was 2020. We’re bring back our songwriting competition in 2023.

Some of your programs do cost money. How do you make your organization available to children who can’t afford it?
90% of our programs are free. If any of the programs require a fee, we put sponsorship or grant money towards these additional costs in order to lower the costs as much as we can. OWTA just opened our brand new arts and culture centre. This will help to provide even more arts programs to children at zero cost and we can offer children even more creative outlets to express themselves.

How has the pandemic affected your organization?
The majority of my job within my organization was customer facing — for example in-store events, Sing-A-Longs, book reading, presentations, school tours, networking, etc. The pandemic obviously greatly affected this. However, the pandemic allowed my business to pivot in a way where we created a stronger social media presence. I began my YouTube channel which documents my journey as a Black entrepreneur, and I focused more an Instagram and Facebook pages so I can communicate with my customers freely. These changes, along with the introduction of some new products, helped the business to grow tremendously.

What is your motto in life?
Slow and steady wins the race.

To learn more about Akilah Newton and Overture with the Arts please check out the links below:
BigDreamers.ca
Instagram - bigdreamersca
Facebook - BigDreamersca

Images "Courtesy of Big Dreamers".

Akilah Newton Is A Big Dreamer