Protecting the Legacy: The Fight for Little Jamaica’s Cultural Equity

Despite Toronto’s rich Roots Reggae legacy, pioneers like Dennis Reeves are facing urgent battles to protect the culture they helped build. Economic and social marginalization threaten the very artists who laid the foundation, as government policies, corporate agendas, and outside organizations increasingly control the narrative—often sidelining and excluding the very community that gave reggae its soul in the city.

Refusing to be excluded, Dennis and fellow Roots Reggae professionals are standing strong, demanding rightful recognition and fair governance over Little Jamaica. They insist that reggae pioneers remain the heartbeat of the district’s identity and are calling for policies that uphold cultural equity—ensuring that those who built the movement are not excluded from its future but instead honored and empowered to shape it.