Lessons I: Anti-Racism and Community Members

lessons i: More than 500 people gathered in downtown Toronto to discuss systemic racism, according to Rabble. The event marked the first of nine public meeting across the province aimed at engaging the public as part of the Ontario Government Anti-Racism Directorate. Chip in to keep stories like these coming. The Anti-Racism Directorate is a collection of governmental experts with a mandate to "apply an anti-racism lens in developing, implementing and evaluating government policies, programs and services." Below you'll find some lessons I took from the first meeting as well as a few powerful soundbytes from community members. 1. This pain compelled some to wait in line for more than two hours to have their story heard. "Your people brought slavery here.... When I hear 'shut up,' that comes from the residential school era and I will not 'shut up.'" 2. Trauma abounds From victims of health care providers that dehumanize patients and constrain medical benefits to survivors of residential schools, members of the community shared heartbreaking stories of trauma and violence. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.