Urgent Call to Action: Demand Unwavering Support for Anti-Racism Work in Ontario

Black communities in Ontario are deeply concerned about the recent attacks on anti-racist work in our province. We demand that this essential work must not be allowed to be halted or stalled under any circumstances. Our communities have suffered for far too long, and we will not stand idly by while the progress we have made is jeopardized.

We demand that politicians take immediate and concrete steps to address our concerns and demonstrate their unwavering commitment to anti-racism work in Ontario.

Black communities in Ontario are deeply concerned about the recent attacks on anti-racist work in our province. We demand that this essential work must not be allowed to be halted or stalled under any circumstances. Our communities have suffered for far too long, and we will not stand idly by while the progress we have made is jeopardized.

We demand that politicians take immediate and concrete steps to address our concerns and demonstrate their unwavering commitment to anti-racism work in Ontario.

Email Ontario politicians to voice your support

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I am writing to you on behalf of the Black communities of Ontario, allies, supporters, organizations and all of us who care about anti-racism education to express our deep concern and sadness at the recent attack on anti-racist work in our province. We demand that this essential work must not be allowed to be halted or stalled under any circumstances. Our communities have suffered for far too long, and we will not stand idly by while the progress we have made is jeopardized.

The loss of a principal with mental health issues is tragic, but we must be clear that it is in no way connected to the ongoing and critical anti-racism efforts that are taking place in the province.  To make this link is misguided and ill-informed about mental health.

This devastating event should not be used as an excuse to undermine or weaken the anti-racism work that is essential to dismantling systemic racism in our society.

Racial disparities continue to persist in our education and other systems, and these inequalities have been acknowledged by the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) and various other reputable organizations.  Black children, Black educators, and Black workers across the province continue to suffer through the impacts of anti-Black racism daily on their mental health, socioeconomic status, and their overall well-being. Anti-Black Racism (ABR) work is crucial in safeguarding our children's future and ensuring they have equal access to opportunities and education. Disrupting this work is also dismantling much needed work centred around antisemitism, Islamaphobia, anti-Asian hate, and other anti-oppression and equity initiatives.  We stand firmly against this.

We want to make it explicitly clear that we are closely watching how politicians respond to this situation. Our voices will not be silenced, and we demand that you take immediate and decisive action to rectify this issue. Our call to action is direct, and we expect you to act in the best interests of the people you represent.

The actions we demand are as follows:

1. Publicly reaffirm your commitment to anti-racist work in Ontario,  denounce any attempts to undermine or halt these efforts and work to hold school boards accountable for enacting the government's own legislation within the Education Act and the Better Schools and Outcomes Act that expects competency from principles and educators in equity and Human Rights.

2. Meet with representatives from Black communities and anti-racist organizations to discuss strategies for enhancing and strengthening the fight against systemic racism and oppression.
 
3. Develop and implement a comprehensive plan to address the root causes of disparities in education and other systems and launch an OHRC inquiry into anti-Black racism within the education system.

4. Release a public statement reaffirming a commitment to anti-racism work, to ensure that organizations like the Ontario Principals Council, Ontario Public School Boards' Association, Ontario Teachers Federation, all Catholic counterparts, and Ontario school boards understand that advocacy and anti-racism work are critical mandates within the education system.

5. Provide transparency on the scope and purpose of the review on the TDSB's 2021 training, and expand this to an equity review of all school boards with proven track record of equity, anti-oppression, and anti-racism work.

6. Pass Bill 16, the Racial Equity in the Education System Act, 2022

7. Allocate increased resources to support the implementation of anti-racism initiatives and programs in educational institutions and other sectors.

8. Publicly denounce the scapegoating of the Kojo Institute.

We demand that you take immediate and concrete steps to address our concerns and demonstrate your unwavering commitment to anti-racism work in Ontario. We will continue to raise our voices, mobilize our communities, and hold officials accountable for their action or inaction.

This is a critical moment in our province's history, and we expect you to be on the right side of it. The world is watching, and history will judge those who stand in the way of progress and justice.

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