[Tobin]

One simple thing I can do in my personal practice to support Black young people and their families, is to be open and responsive to their needs. Also, I think it’s important for me to harness and use my feelings of frustration and pain as a Black man, to fight harder, speak louder, and work smarter.

[Alysha]

My organizations currently has some supports for Black wellbeing like short-term counselling, care sessions, and social programming. One thing that I could do to center and support this work is reach out to the organizers and see what I can help them with in the background, for example creating event logistics and promotional materials, so that they have more energy to participate fully in giving support and being part of community.

[Alysha]

Anti-Black racism training for educators and guidance counselors, and increased hiring of Black folks in these positions as well as leadership positions in schools which can create campaigns promoting Black excellence and encourage youth to strive for challenging course loads. Following interests of Black youth and providing them with the resources to create and lead communities like clubs.

[Theresa]

One of the ways to center Black youth is to listen. Listening is the most critical way to amplify the voices of Black youth. As educators, service providers, and community/social workers we need to ensure that we are approaching our work in an inclusive and anti-oppressive way. This approach will allow us to effectively engage with Black youth, rather than exclude them from these conversations. While making improvements to the system is a process it is one that is important to continue to support Black youth.

[Toni]

This question has bothered me from the beginning of this course. Mostly because I did not understand how to answer from my perspective. Each time I finished a module I would come back and read some of the responses and still not quite feel that it had been answered for me. However, this final module has brought some clarity. Two pieces. The first being self-reflection as an ongoing piece of what we do because, as it was stated, it’s not enough to be Black. It takes more than that to deal with and combat ABR. The second is for me the most important and that is the use of research and data collection to bring about lasting change. How many times have we heard about this research and that research on this topic or another that went nowhere after it was published? No action items. This was powerful to me. And I think will help me evaluate the questions I ask when working with Black youth. Why am I asking this question. Is it my own curiosity, or does it have relevance to how I will understand, support and resource this young person? So much food for thought.

[Jessica]

ABR is still an issue in Ontario because people who are in positions of authority and power are not committed to change. It is also an issue because nowadays we have a lot of initiatives that are put in place under the guise of anti-oppression, anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion but in reality, nothing is actually being done. These initiatives are merely about ticking off a checkbox.

[Kat]

I agree. There are systems that were designed to oppress that continue today, including justice and education systems. Like you said, there is performative action so it looks like there is change but there isn’t. I also think there’s a lot of silence. Where action could be real and make changes, there is silence instead.

[Deborah]

Until we have legislated accountability, it will continue to be a problem. Things are indeed changing, but much too slowly for me!

[derrick]

I agree Deborah. We definitely need legislation in place to help eliminate the anti-Black racism! I think to that, in a similar way to the liberation of 2S-LGBTQ+ folks, it will require a collective and personal confrontation with ideologies that are prejudiced and devalue particular human life and experiences. There is a cultural and ideological shift, a real healing one, to uproot discriminatory thinking and ways of organizing society.

[Sarah Durand –]

One simple thing that I will continue to do in my work is to challenge the language used to describe students. Aggressive, violent, defiant- question we were taught to always ask is, “According to who?” I am going to push all educators I work with to use asset based language when discussing students and observations rather than judgements when focusing on behaviours teachers find difficult.

[Sarah Durand –]

I feel that mental health can be seen as a privilege when we consider the barriers black individuals face in our society. They are constantly having to be on high alert unlike those of us who are white. This constant state of alert leads to mental health issues due to the connections built in the brain. Not to mention the impact of generational trauma on mental health. If all of that energy did not have to be focused on protection and instead blacks were treated equal many of these mental health issues would not develop. Also getting support for their struggles is made increasingly difficult by systemic racism in the our health system.

Mental health is something we all work on but those of us with privilege have the community support, time, money and resource access to do so.

[Sarah Durand –]

A friend of mine asked me a very interesting question the other day when discussing why after so long we still have such racism in our education systems. His question to me was, Who does anti-racist education benefit? He is a very vocal and active anti-racist educator within his school setting who since finding his voice has lost connections with most co-workers and many friends. He believes that until our upper management staff benefit from anti-racism there will be little change. Within the current system they hold the privilege and opportunities. This leaves them with little motivation to change.

[Sarah Durand –]

Ivan and Toni I have watched the same impacts on black people I care about growing up. The constant messages they receive are they are not enough. I find this course has been very helpful in providing the language necessary when addressing the issues that permeate our society. As an educator I feel better equipped to address issues that arise with staff. I also now have resources to share.

[Toni]

Growing up I did not listen to “Black Music.” There were the occasional classics that I heard on the radio, but in the house we played Jesus music. Which was fine by me. But there was always something in me that felt at home when I was at my grandparents restaurant listening to the music. Something that centers me in a way that I can’t really explain. Even now, as an adult, I have no idea who is who, and what is “hot.” When I hear a song I shazam it. So I cannot tell you how amazing it was to have this amazing music opening and closing each module. I shazammed the heck out of them! It’s weird that a course that it supposed to be about helping others has affirmed and empowered me. And part of it – is the amazing music. Thank you so much for making this a part of this program.

[Rashyka]

It’s important to listen to Black youth. When we are creating/supporting youth programs, we have to make sure that they are the center of the lesson plans. We have to create programs that actually engage/interest Black youth. My organization runs a Black mentorship program, and they are having trouble signing up Black youth. From what I’ve heard, many of the youth don’t think it’s beneficial to them because a lot of the lessons that are being taught are outdated. If we are making Black youth programs, it’s crucial that Black youth have to be the center of the program, not an after thought.

[Jessica]

One simple thing I can do is to share my learnings from this certificate with my coworkers and/or encourage them to complete this certificate themselves so we can work collectively to assess and address what our organization can do to better center Black youth wellbeing.

[Camilla Persaud –]

One thing I can do is simply do the work – apply what I have learned to create positive spaces and honor and allow my students to thrive. Hold others accountable and call out the racism I either witness or experience. Hold my organization accountable when they do wrong and make sure I speak up for students when conversations are about them – find a way to bring them to these conversations as well. Do it authentically – heart work!

[Shadeen]

Debra, I agree with your comment one hundred percent. Even though cannabis is legal black youth, who use cannabis face stigmatization within society.

[Shadeen]

I agree with your statement one hundred percent. This guide can be beneficial for youth workers and caregivers.

[Arun]

Black people deserve the same rights, opportunities and quality of life as everyone else! Racism still exists here in Ontario and everywhere else in the world. We aren’t born to hate and should all receive the proper education to make Ontario and the entire world better! This program is a step in the right direction.

[Abdulai]

What a wonderful commitment to get our people out to vote and their voices heard, loudly! Part of the process of dismantling systemic racism is when we vote to effect those positive changes, especially when we no longer in the “minority”.

[Ivan]

Toni – I hear you, and I’m sorry to hear that. May you continue to be resilient. Something in my heart is pulling also. I am a person of colour, and belong to the latinx community. As such, I had some similar experiences to our Black youth while growing up here in Toronto, and it’s hard. In a lot of ways, I am lucky to be an adult now, and to be a teacher. My life could have easily have turned out very differently. So because I have indeed experienced racism in the flesh, and I understand the pain and suffering, I do take this anti-racist work seriously. I also understand my male privilege, and I challenge and try to educate sexist men. And I often find myself alone, getting into conflict with people that are threatened by this work. It is very draining, and isolating, and I have probably lost opportunities to do better in life, but I’m okay with that, because I wouldn’t want to be in those places, keeping silence. My parents taught me always to speak up and do what’s right, and I try my best to honour that wish every time. I am learning however to take more care of myself, and to find my people. One of the lectures here, stressed that. That taking care of ourselves is not indulgence, it is self preservation. And that is my wish for everyone here, that you be authentic with this work, but also, do take care of yourselves. Can’t pour from an empty cup. I wish you all the best.

In solidarity always.

[Ivan]

Thanks for sharing this list with us! I was definitely motivated and deeply engaged, with such powerful music! All these songs are great, many I didn’t know, but I did know 2pac’s ‘Changes’. Which is still one of my all time favorites.

[Monique]

One simple thing I plan to do is talk about this course with my colleagues and management. We talk about health equity, and the social determinants of health, but it was only recently that we talked about racism as a determinant of health. I feel like the self-reflection and re-education that occurs through taking this course is essential to moving forward to working with Black youth and families, and I want to encourage others to get more comfortable having these conversations.

[Monique]

The thing that most stuck out to me was how important it is to be in partnership with Black families and communities from the beginning, when an organization is laying out plans for collecting data for the purposes of change. If an organization has not committed to anti-racism, and the work involved with it, they will continue to perpetuate the same cycles of harm because they are not looking at the context, the gaps, or what would be meaningful change within the Black community. It will be “doing for” instead of “doing with” and will likely be laden with racist biases if the reflection work is not happening. Or, as was mentioned in the 4.3, they will collect data about disparities but will not have put in place accountability measures to follow through on those findings, or, because they haven’t established relationships the Black community, will continue to work with the same agencies they have existing relationships with, and be missing vital insights into what would most helpful to lead to systemic change.

[Alysha]

Some ways to have long-term action in our lives is to participate in groups like Standing Up for Racial Justice throughout the year(s), as well as create monthly giving plans to donate to ongoing work. In Module 3, long-term accountability strategies are shared which can be used by organizations or individuals, which consists of setting goals, and having someone or a community or people to hold each other accountable and check in on how those goals have progressed.

[Jessica]

I completely agree! Having local Youth Advisory Councils or Committees benefits both the organization and the youth involved. Not only does this include youth voices and perspectives in the organization’s work, but this also equips youth with skills, experiences and support to succeed moving forward.

[Jessica]

I agree with you as well, Victoria, about the need for unlearning to take place. I believe that research plays an important role in challenging misconceptions and inaccurate beliefs which can help facilitate that process of unlearning and re-learning.

[Cyril]

For sure, the value of lived experience is terribly underrated and under valued in many instances in the sector. Various perspectives and experiences are needed! Moreover, your point about anti-Black racism operating within workplace cultures (even work places that serve predominantly Black youth/communities) is important to unpack.

I’m sure we have seen enough tokenized gestures of “inclusion” in lieu of structural and cultural reform. Where are the forums to ethically amplify the voice of community members and staff who are being held back by anti-Black racism? I believe that implementing their suggestions is a priority, but in this sector the “work” often begins and ends with consultations and recommendations. More capacity needs to be obtained for sustained, coordinated and cooperative actions which are tied to reciprocal methods of communal accountability.

[Abdulai]

Definitely, and some of those realities do trigger trauma of generational racism with the horrendous journeys our ancestors faced when they were forcefully uprooted and carted away to the “new world” with all the abhorrent and inhumane treatment meted on them during the middle passages. And coming to Canada, the story is no different. Racism manifesting itself itself in different with the rather puerile excuse that “it is not as bad as in the states” . This is just yet another way how racism is reproduced! But, hey, the modules inevitably complemented my understanding of racism in the broader sense and provided that additional impetus to spring to action to kill it. One should never give up in this struggle.