Member Trina
MemberForum Replies Created
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I believe that healthy Black representation at every level including research teams and governance boards is essential to truly experience change. This has the power to inform and engage useful dialog and also explores what meaningful steps forward can look like. We know that exploring the impacts of anti black racism is incredibly important and must continue. I believe that in addition to this, the continued exploration of meaningful and tangible next steps is essential. We as Black individuals are more than a statistic.
The more we appropriately validate ones lived experiences and resilience, is the more we create space for healing and the recognition that we do not need permission to know that we have a strong lineage, a sure hope, and a bright future.
Love well.
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I truly value and love all the previous responses in this thread! I believe anti-black racism (ABR) still exists in Canada for multiple reasons, however one of the most impactful reasons that strikes me is that there is a lack of willingness to acknowledge the ways ABR is systemic in it’s roots and the ways it is continually perpetuated. As we learned and should now know, ABR is so deeply embedded into almost every facet of our institutions starting from the top down. I truly believe that in order to combat ABR we have to look at it from a system focus, and doing that would require us to dismantle and rebuild a lot of these systems which are meant to elevate whiteness thus degrading blackness. Education is important, shifting thinking and mindsets are important and are amazing steps in terms of building awareness and recognition, but the hard truth is that these things alone will never eliminate ABR from our society when there are literal societal structures that through there inherent operation will continue to perpetuate anti-blackness. Our justice / youth justice systems, social assistance systems, educational systems, health systems, and more are anti-black at their core- they are not made to advance and/or be in the best interest of blackness. And so while we can do things like shift organizational/systemic thinking and promote education, at the end of the day as long as these systems continue to operate with the same goals and intended purposes, ABR will continue to be perpetuated. It’s time for a wake up call that truly we have to dismantle our systems piece by piece in order to rebuild. Instead of “fighting the power” maybe it’s time to “recircuit the power” instead?
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I agree that engagement of Black youth and their families is crucial to moving toward building informed and relevant pathways and services to meet their needs, however, when seeking to engage it is important to meet them where they are. In an effort to engage and gain perspectives, we (agencies/organizations) invite youth and families to take part in a predetermined focus group, or feedback session, often at our own sites. My suggestion would be to ask Black youth and their families to inform the how/where/when; so that they may feel heard and show us what feels safe for them. Once the information has been gathered; invite the youth and families in on the process of creating and establishing those processes. I believe it is also important to have Black youth and their families as part of the oversight body which follows the planned strategies and services through implementation, evaluation and check/adjust phases. This would help ensure agency/organization/community partner follow through and accountability.
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Student engagement from Black youth is crucial in working towards identifying the services needs and gaps Black youth face. Engagement with Black youth, families, and workers in community mental health and beyond are important. If the pathways, services, and gaps are not culturally responsive, they will not meet the needs of Black youth, and therefore addressing the gaps and needs will be ineffective if Black youth are not actively participating in the programs that were designed. Community/student engagement also strengthens and builds more connections and relationships, trust, and inclusivity. Having Black youth and/or workers lead the development of of program design and implementation also provides a space for empowerment.
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I think part of it has to do with the people of Ontario’s (and probably a majority of Canada) lack of knowledge in Canada’s history regarding black lives. The lecture on Canada’s history when it comes to slavery, racism, etc., was very informative and a lot of the information was new to me! I think this type of history (along with our history regarding Indigenous peoples), goes against what Canada now ‘stands for’ and to look back at the not so nice parts of our history would contradict today’s image that we portray. This area of Canada’s history should be taught in schools, people should be aware of what we were complicit in and what we did. It’s important for people to see the growth from how dishonorable people were to black people to where we are now (which is better, but still nowhere near perfect in terms of racism, discrimination, etc.). Alongside, I think that those who are privileged and in power assume that their allyship through a screen is enough. I by no means am saying that retweets, likes, shares, posts, etc., are not important and do not work (they do), but for those in positions of power, they need to do more. They need to actively advocate and not be passive.
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I think part of it has to do with the people of Ontario’s (and probably a majority of Canada) lack of knowledge in Canada’s history regarding black lives. The lecture on Canada’s history when it comes to slavery, racism, etc., was very informative and a lot of the information was new to me! I think this type of history (along with our history regarding Indigenous peoples), goes against what Canada now ‘stands for’ and to look back at the not so nice parts of our history would contradict today’s image that we portray. This area of Canada’s history should be taught in schools, people should be aware of what we were complicit in and what we did. It’s important for people to see the growth from how dishonorable people were to black people to where we are now (which is better, but still nowhere near perfect in terms of racism, discrimination, etc.). Alongside, I think that those who are privileged and in power assume that their allyship through a screen is enough. I by no means am saying that retweets, likes, shares, posts, etc., are not important and do not work (they do), but for those in positions of power, they need to do more. They need to actively advocate and not be passive.
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A key part of the persistence of Anti-Black Racism in Ontario is as discussed within the lectures; passive quietness disguised by politeness. Voices in the United States are active, loud, and seen; though, voices in Canada tend to keep issues quiet and silenced, band-aided by promises of change and false directive. Furthermore, I fear too many in positions of privilege believe that ally-ship follows the same path of passivity and silent soldiering rather than active advocacy. Strength in voices seeks representation, requires education, perpetuates change rather than seeking it through hashtags, likes, retweets and online stories; while we are encouraging story-sharing, we are not fighting for it, we are hiding behind screens and unwilling to stand.
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The most simple and forward looking thing that we can do as an organization is continue to educate ourselves on the experiences of Black youth and consult our youth on the most effective and culturally considerate approaches to our facilitation, programming, and work. It is most important to me to consider the lived experiences of the youth we interact with when conducting programming to ensure that they are heard, understood, and redirected to resources that will assist them in avoiding future criminal activity. It is difficult to meet youth who’s actions are a result of systemic barriers, racism, discrimination, and other intersections of marginalization or vulnerability; responses of fear and to the actions of their peers who are not being penalized for their racist remarks or blatant threats of violence given their privilege. The simplest thing I can provide my youth is a willingness to learn, see, hear, and advocate.
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In an effort to move beyond identifying the service needs and gaps Black youth face, it is crucial to seek out and listen to the voices of black children, youth and families, and ensure practitioners are educated in fostering pathways to inclusion in youth services. It is important to ensure that services are culturally responsive and designed to meet the mental health needs of Black youth. Practitioners learning should begin at the onset of the academic pursuits and continue throughout their career in order to effectively respond to the mental health needs of Black youth, and to actively participate in identifying and addressing needs and gaps.
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I have been to art galleries and other Arts-related events around the globe and have learned that the Arts can be more than pretty pictures and songs. Many times, the Arts communicate mental healing and political events. Therefore, I think that using the Arts is a great way to engage Black youth. Providing opportunities (as done throughout the YouthRex course that I just took) for youth to speak through the Visual Arts, literature, plays, and music. We could provide topics such as current events, famous leaders, historical events, or grief to help guide the discussion around the Art event. However, an even better idea would be for the youth to come up with a topic and let them create to communicate.
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By the way, if anyone needs someone to participate as a professional in a research study, feel free to contact me.
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Based on my professional experience, I think that providing definitions and education regarding any professional and agency-related terms used in an Evaluation process is important. Sometimes, we use terms that are jargon that are not known by the general public. The other thing is that there are a lot of terms misused by the public. I also think that defining terms used with youth helps to educate the youth. The latter also may allow for buy-in to the process.
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By drawing on research finding through case studies, qualitative studies and literature reviews, we can effectively learn from the perspectives of black youth as learn more about how harmful anti-black racism is. This also continues the focus on advocating for systemic change and culturally informed supports to address the challenges these youth face.
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I think community engagement is a key aspect of designing pathways to inclusion. Directly engaging with youth and their communities, to continue to build last connections and relationships. Additionally, providing the space to empower youth to actively participate in leadership roles, and program design/implementation.
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One simple thing I could do is actively listen to the stories, experiences and perspectives of black youth I support. It is crucial that their voices are included in decision making processes to ensure the their needs are being met, and are reflected in the services I provide.
Similarly, my organization can continue to amply the voices of black youth, and include them the decision making process they have as an organization, when it comes to providing supports and services.
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This module has perhaps been the most intriguing of them all. I have been spending most of my time in this certificate sitting in discomfort thinking, “I can acknowledge my privilege and my biases, I can acknowledge that racism very much exists in Canada still, but what can I, as one person, tangibly do?” It is true that my privilege, as a white person, is what allows me to even be able to ask that question. To have the possibility of saying “there is nothing I can do.” The most eye-opening theme of this module was that it is not enough to be aware. You need to take action. As a teacher in Ontario’s education system, here is what I can do.
1) The most simple thing that I can do is to perform some critical self-reflection before and after my interactions with Black youth in my classroom and their families. What biases or assumptions am I making? Am I considering the perspective of the people I am serving? Am I considering what privileges I have in this conversation and how they might be harmful? Am I willing to admit when and if I am/was wrong?
2) When Black youth comes to be as a trusted adult and tells me about any form of micro-aggression or otherwise that they have experienced at school I need to take it very seriously. I need to show this student that I truly am an ally, that it will not be tolerated, and that they are believed.
3) I can advocate in my organization to do the one simple thing that I think they can do. Make this certification mandatory. I came across this certificate in a singular email sent out by my school board. It was optional. It could have easily been hidden amongst the hundreds of others that we receive in a week. There were no reminders that it existed. There are no barriers to enrolling in this certification and learning, it was free. I am so glad that I decided to learn, because I have learned a LOT. However, I do think that the people who might decide that this certification is not for them, are the ones that may need it the most. Our privilege as a mostly white staff allows us the choice whether or not we want to engage in this work or learn from this course. We should be checking that privilege at the door. I wish that everyone would choose to enroll, but the reality is that they won’t. We should not have a choice.
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One simple thing that my organization can do to center Black youth well being in our work is to sit with them and discuss what their needs actually are, in a way that is action-focused and allows them to collaborate in the process of the organization becoming more inclusive. I work in education, and some students founded a collective for racialized students, and I have always been curious about the kind of funding they need. For example, do they want a paid coordinator whose job is to advise and advocate for them with administration, separate from the equity officer, who is somewhat in charge of everyone on campus. I want students to feel safe and like they will be heard if they bring their concerns and experiences to the administration and find a way for these to be communicated to us so that we can act on them.
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As mentioned in another post, I think the best way to ensure we are moving past identifying gaps and actively designing programs that centre and celebrate Black youth, we must ensure Black youth are integral in designing the programs. At the organization I work for, this would look like hiring Black youth to design and implement the programs we run. We can also uplift Black culture throughout the programs by supporting Black owned businesses for gifts, etc.
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One simple things I can do to centre Black youth wellbeing in my work is to continue to educate myself on anti-Black racism and Black experiences, and listen deeply to Black colleagues, staff, partners, and youth participants.
One simple thing my organization can do to better centre Black youth wellbeing is to ensure there are Black staff, facilitators and youth workers for our youth programs. I would also love to see the inclusion of anti-Black racism specific policies included in our accessibility and safety policies.
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I think the best way to go about designing pathways to inclusion in the youth sector for Black youth is to actively include Black youth and their families in the designing process of these programs, and not just in a superficial way that checks off a box. Black youth and their families need to be surveyed and consulted every step of the way. Truly, I think it would be best for people to leverage their own access to the system in order to ally with Black youth and their families and help them to design the pathways that they need. I think this because the only people that can truly understand the gaps and services Black youth and their families require, as well as how best to address those needs ARE Black youth and their families. So often, I feel like the system and organizations and their programs are “done to” so many minorities who need to conform to them in order to access services or benefits. They should be built and created for all people. This being said, I know that this is an ideal that I don’t know is possible, given how deeply rooted white supremacy is. I think there is room for hope, though. As long as we keep learning, growing, listening to Black voices and believing them.
Clearly, I am struggling to put thoughts together cohesively in this reflection. I think the biggest thing that this course has done for me this far is truly open my eyes and make me uncomfortable with what I thought I knew. As a white person, there are a lot of ways of life and perspectives that I either never thought of or didn’t think to question, and so I am in a phase of instability (the best way to describe it) right now. Processing, learning and growing.
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One simple thing that I could do in my personal practice to centre black youth is ensure that their needs are met and are being heard. I am committed to paying extra attention to how their needs may differ from those of their white counterparts. In addition, I will advocate for more workshops and educational training around centering black youth.
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I work in the healthcare system and much of my work involves supporting people in connecting to resources within the community. One thing I can do to improve the care I provide to black patients and families is work to identify and develop partnerships with black community agencies, educational programs, and mental health services centered on black youth wellness.
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In a world where Black youth are not experiencing anti-Black racism, I think that organizations would seek out to collaborate with Black youth in developing programs and services that match their interests and allow them the pathways and opportunities to develop and nurture them. As I was thinking of an answer to this question, it struck me that a lot of the ideas I was having, such as programs that are geared towards engaging Black youth in community and leadership opportunities that interest them, is that a lot of these ideas and opportunities are not broadly practiced because there is a limited conception of what Black youth need, and this failure to imagine that they could want or need something beyond the gaps and inequities created by anti-Black racism means that Black youth are denied opportunities and pathways that go beyond addressing ABR. To be clear, I don’t think the solution is to stop identifying service needs and gaps, however, I do think that in order to serve Black youth, we need to be thinking beyond serving immediate needs and providing services and opportunities that are more holistic in approach.
Out of all questions I’ve had to answer so far, this to me has the most emotional impact. On one hand, this question is about imagining a better future, but to me, it also comes with this devastating conclusion that the services that many (though not all) organizations are developing for Black youth address needs and gaps, perhaps at the expense of developing programs that would go beyond ensuring the basics to participate. It reminded me of the lecture “Strengthening Engagement with Families and Black Youth,” because I think a lot of organizations underestimate Black youth and all the intellectual and creative talents they possess. So, there is now a sadness and devastation inside of me that I now have to sit with and work through, which I think is what I needed.
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Anti-black racism persists in Canada for many different reasons, which are rooted in the history of slavery, discrimination and colonization, and continue to this day. Many Canadians are not even aware of these historical roots in racism, as it was not included (or minimized) in the school education system and largely ignored or erased in other aspects of society. I see this daily in my work within the healthcare system where black folks continue to have limited access to quality care and experience microaggressions from care staff. These are not just facts, they have real outcomes that impact peoples health and ultimately their lives. This issue is seen at a systemic / organizational level, as well as interpersonal interactions within the care system. Although some organizations are starting to implement anti-racism and anti-black racism policies, these are yet to be seen as anything other than performative or “checking the box” as other people have mentioned in this thread. More work needs to be done to address this in a meaningful way.
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There was truly so much research that was shared in the module, and in the additional resources! Thank you!
I think it’s important to stay up to date with research, and amplify research as it is relevant to your field. For instance, reading about and amplifying research on environmental racism, such as Dr. Ingrid Waldron’s research, is an important part of my work practice. Not everyone stays up to date with research and/or best practices, so the more we can share up to date best practices and research that are created by Black folks, for Black folks with our colleagues and community, the more people will be able to integrate it into their work.
Additionally, so much research already exists that contains recommendations for implementation that have yet to be actualized. Using these recommendations as the root of advocacy work within our organizations and institutions is an important, necessary way to ensure the research is applied and integrated.
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There have been are so many recommendations and proven strategies that exist to dismantle anti-Black racism, including specifically in Canada, many of which are mentioned in this course!
A huge area of opportunity for making systemic change is ensuring that Black history and Black realities are integrated into school curricula and that teachers are educated on anti-racism so that educational gaps are addressed at a societal level. It is challenging to change curriculums, but if you assess curriculum objectives and outcomes there is always a way to integrate Black experiences into achieving the outlines goals of the existing curriculums – often no matter the subject!
Additionally, as I work in a non-profit, I think a huge area for improvement is addressing white supremacy in our work cultures, such as ensuring companies and organizations have anti-racism policies that specifically address anti-Black racism.
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This is a GREAT point! I was thinking the same thing (within a different context) earlier in my lecture actually. At school, earlier this year, one of my students experienced a racist comment from another student. I called their parents and explained how seriously we took it and how it would not be tolerated and how we would like to deal with the issue. I was essentially informing this Black youth’s parents. What I didn’t take into account is their lived experience with racism, nor how they would have liked the situation handled. Obviously, they can’t ultimately decide the final consequence that the other student faced (neither can I, for what it’s worth – that’s an administration thing), but I could have asked for their thoughts or opinions and their feelings around the issue and then advocated for them/presented them to my superior. This is what I will do when and if there is another incident of this nature.
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These are great points, and I do think in a way, returning to a time before Western white supremacy took root and applying what was done then to a modern context would be an interesting thought.
I think that Christianity in particular does have quite a bad track record when it comes to spreading hatred. But I do think that it is harmful to over-generalize all of Christianity or Christians as exhibiting hatred toward others.
I don’t know enough on this topic to truly form an educated opinion either way, but I think that what the original poster is questioning is how to marry the fact that Christianity does have such a bad track record with the fact that there are many Black youth and their families that are in fact Christian without dismissing their religious beliefs or affiliations. I do think that people do have a fair bit of agency in which religion (if any) they choose to follow, though I agree that environment and society certainly factors into this decision.
I almost wonder if the best thing to do (like the lectures said in Module 3), would be to just broach the subject with those Black youth and their families. Have a conversation with them. How do they feel about it? What are their thoughts and experiences?
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Hi Abinna!
I think you make a very good point in saying that before we do anything we need to take stock of where our own biases and social location lies. In my response, I shared a lot about how I believe that we need to empower Black youth and their families to take the lead on designing these new inclusive pathways. I also added that in being an ally, the role I envision for myself is taking an active role as well by assisting in any way that I can. I can’t authentically do this, though, if I have not first stopped to do self-reflection on where I stand. What a great point!
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I’m curious – it’s been a few years since this comment, and I wonder if there is any change in the experience of the brick and mortar cannabis shops. Have they continued to integrate into the community fabric? Do they persist with stigma? Have they contributed in any way to their communities?