Documentary filmmaker Mark Holmes said his latest project inspired him to want to take further action.
The Newmarket resident and his lifelong friend, Matt Cappuccitti, have been travelling the country for their film Beyond the March, highlighting the work of Black activists and educators after the murder of George Floyd by a white police officer in 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
They filmed the Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association as part of the work, Holmes said. It was talking with the organization's chair, Jerisha Grant-Hall, that made him want to run for office, he added.
“That kind of solidified things for me; I should take action. I thought to myself, ‘Look at this woman. She’s so engaged in the community, doing great things, trying to bring about change. Mark, you got to step up.’”
Holmes, who has a background in broadcasting and journalism, has entered the race to be the Ward 1 councillor, going up against incumbent Grace Simon.
He has lived in the area for about eight years and said he plans to listen well to constituents if elected. He said that although crime is not a huge issue, it is something he wants to pay close attention to, along with road safety and affordable housing.
“One of the important things I’m going to do is listen,” he said. “I plan on listening to people and really getting a temperature for what the concerns are here in Newmarket.”
Newmarket is working on an anti-Black racism plan following input from a task force that made 117 recommendations to address racism in town. Holmes said there is no one answer to address anti-Black racism, but educating ourselves is critical.
“The responsibilities actually lie with the white community,” he said. “We are setting the table, but it’s time for the white community to take action and get involved … If we just sit back, and don’t say anything and are silent, then that’s when we run into trouble.”
The campaign effort is ongoing, he said, but he added that he thinks he is in a tough race in the ward.
“Grace Simon … I think she’s done a good job. I just think that it doesn’t hurt to have a new perspective on things, and I think I can bring that to the town.”
Regardless, the campaign stands to be part of his upcoming film, he said. The filmmakers hope to have it complete next year.
“When you do something like this documentary, there’s a growth that happens, and we are not the same people we were when we started doing the documentary,” he said. “Part of the documentary is going to show me getting involved in running because it’s what happened in our lives."
He emphasized that he wants to hear out residents to get a strong knowledge of the concerns of the ward if elected.
“I’m hoping to listen to you. You’re going to have my ear,” he said. “I’m going to be approachable. I really enjoy living here, so to be a representative of this community would be an extreme honour.”
