While we all continue to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, recent events, such as the killing of George Floyd in the USA and the attack on a 15-year-old Asian-Canadian boy right here in Saskatchewan, have reminded us that racism and associated injustices continue to infect and weaken our society. This isn’t just a problem in the USA, racism and social injustice impact many within our own country – within our own province.
Now is not the time for communities to be divided, it is the time that we should be working together – learning more about how we can understand our neighbors, respecting differences and recognizing the benefits of diversity. Stand up and speak against racism, but also take the opportunity to learn more. This is the time for the cultural network to share positive messages with others. However, don’t stop at repeating statements and sharing social media posts – read the articles and explore resources that share how we all can really make real change – make a difference.
To better understand the issue, here are few of the many links and resources available from Canada and beyond that have come into SaskCulture inboxes:
- Let’s Fight Racism, United Nations
- Actions to take in the face of a racist attack, CBC, May 2020
- Canada’s Race Problem? It’s worse than America’s, by Scott Gilmore, MacLean’s, 2015
- Regina professor says Canada fails to recognize its own racism when looking at the US
- Everyone has a story as protests rage Saskatoon man asks for meaningful change
- For our White Friends Wishing to Be Allies, by Courtney Ariel, Sojourner
- Guidelines for being Strong White Allies by Paul Kivel
- Anti-Racism 101
- Respond to Racism
- Ten Lessons for Talking about Race, Racism and Racial Justice, by the Opportunity Agenda
- Unlearning Racism against Indigenous peoples in one generation, by KAIROS, March 2016
- Asian-Canadian boy attacked, blamed for spreading Coronavirus
- Coronavirus: What attacks on Asians reveal about American identity, by Helier Chung, Zaolyn Feng, Boer Dang, BBC News, May 2020
- A lot of fear: Asian community a target of racism amid Coronavirus fear, by Arti Patel and Olivia Bowden, Global News, January 2020
- Racism a dangerous pre-existing condition
- The privilege of color blindness, Ottawa Citizen, March 2014
- Race Relations in Canada 2019 survey