Reena Rampersad stepped outside her Hamilton home the morning after Canada Day and spotted something scribbled across her front door.
At first, she thought it was just another tag, as graffiti is common on Barton Street. But as she got closer, she froze. The words were a racial slur. Her storefront window had also been defaced — with numerals that represent white supremacist sentiments — sprayed over a poster for an upcoming Caribbean cultural event.
Rampersad, a caterer and community advocate who works from home, said the vandalism was a targeted act of hate meant to intimidate her. Hamilton police are investigating those actions as a hate-motivated crime.
“I’ve dealt with racism my whole life,” Rampersad said in an interview. “But this was different. This was calculated.”
Rampersad owns the High Society Supper Club, a cannabis-infused catering business that’s been featured in local and national media. She’s also an active member of Hamilton’s Black and Caribbean communities.
She said the hate-filled graffiti is part of a broader shift she’s noticed in recent years — one that feels more deliberate and more dangerous.
“The bigots our parents faced were ignorant,” she said. “The ones today are educated, organized and intentional.”
One scribble on her home said, “GO HOME” and included the N-word.
She then noticed additional markings on her front window. A poster for her July 26 cultural event — which will feature Caribbean food, music and plant-based wellness — had been sprayed over, with numerals that refer to a white nationalist slogan and code that glorifies the late Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
Rampersad contacted the Hamilton Police Service.
In a news release Thursday, police confirmed they’re investigating. The police website showed an image, taken from surveillance footage, of someone who appears to be masked and dressed in white.
“We recognize that hate has no place in our city, and we are committed to ensuring all residents feel safe and respected in their homes and places of business,” the release said.
Rampersad said officers from the Hate Crime Unit visited her home and victim services followed up with her.
She said the police response was swift and thorough — a notable shift from previous experiences.
“When I’ve been robbed in the past, it was always a slower process,” she said. “But this time, they were on it. They canvassed neighbouring businesses and got video footage right away.”
Rampersad said the graffiti brought back childhood memories.
“I grew up watching my dad repaint our garage after people would spray racist messages on it.”
She believes her visibility as a Black woman and public-facing entrepreneur contributed to her being targeted.
“I speak about equity. I host events that centre Black and brown communities. That threatens people. Some people think giving equity to others takes something away from them, but it doesn’t.”
The Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre (HARRC) issued a statement calling on police to hold those responsible for the racist graffiti accountable, and saying hate incidents against the Black community remain “overwhelmingly” high in the city.
Mayor Andrea Horwath called the graffiti a disturbing act of anti-Black racism.
Ward 3 Coun. Nrinder Nann said the attack must be thoroughly investigated and urged residents to remain vigilant.
“In #OurWard3 we belong to each other,” Nann wrote in a post on Instagram. “When incidents like this occur, it’s imperative that we show up in allyship and solidarity.”
Despite the emotional toll, Rampersad said, the incident has only strengthened her resolve to speak out.
“Everything I do is built around awareness,” she said. “The cannabis industry was built on the backs of racialized people, many of whom are still behind bars.
“This will show up in my events. I’m not going to be silent about it.”
Rampersad said what worries her most is the potential for escalation. She’s concerned about her safety.
“This is how it starts — a window, a slur,” she said. “But we’ve seen where that can lead.”
Still, she said, she draws strength from her parents, community and plant-based practice.
“My first instinct was to confront them,” she said, referring to those responsible for the racist graffiti. “But then I sat with it, smoked a little, thought about my ancestors, and realized, ‘No — I’ll do this the right way.'”
