I was going to write something "lighter" this week, but then I saw the video on Instagram of a white woman in a store, crying and screaming and saying she was being threatened by a Black woman who was videotaping her. The video opens with what looks like the white woman coming to hit the Black …
systemic racism
Heartbreak, Acknowledgement …and Action
The discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children at a former Residential school on the Tk’emlups te Secwépemc First Nation in Kamloops, B.C., Canada is horrific and heartbreaking. My heart goes out to our Indigenous communities and families in Kamloops and across Canada. As I struggle …
The Pervasiveness of Racism – Musings about Meghan & Harry’s Interview with Oprah (Part 1)
There are so many things I want to write about, with regard to the interview Meghan and Harry gave with Oprah which aired on Sunday. You’ll see these musings over the next few weeks. Today, I’m focusing on the big picture – the pervasiveness of racism. Racism is Pervasive Let’s take in the …
BlackNorth Initiative – is your company up for the challenge?
BlackNorth Initiative was formed last month. As many of these, it was in response to the killing of George Floyd. But anti-Black racism is (sadly) not a new issue. Their goal? To increase the representation of people who are Black around Canada’s Boardroom tables and among executive suites. They …
[Continue reading] BlackNorth Initiative – is your company up for the challenge?
“Remembering Colonization” Day
If you’re in Canada, today is a holiday. It’s “Canada Day” – the day we celebrate the official creation of our country. It’s a day that many Canadians celebrate for many reasons: from being thankful to have a day off work to being thankful for arriving and living in a country where there is no …
Anti-Black Racism is Real
I’m feeling hopeful this week as our federal political leaders have publicly stated that anti-Black racism is real in Canada. Because it is. Because we need to talk about it. Because allies help in our struggles for justice of all kinds. (You can read about the statements made here and …
Racism, Pain and Loss
Last week was challenging, to say the least. And sadly, not new... We had two publicly shared incidents of racism. One in Central Park and one in Minneapolis. One involving police and one involving a civilian. One involving men and one involving a woman. Both targeting Black men. You can read …
Food for Thought for Black History Month
Every year I cringe when February arrives. And every year I try to think of new ways to raise awareness that can bring us closer to understanding and bridging the racial divide. This year I encourage you to pay attention to what you see and hear during Black History Month specifically related to …
Who Gets to be the Hero?
In the past two weeks I have watched two thought-provoking movies: Green Book and Same Kind of Different as Me. The former (as you may know) won Best Picture for last year. I watched it on the plane. The latter was from 2017, and I found it on Netflix. I love them both for the lessons they …
The Double Standard of Racism and Sexism …ah, Serena Williams
I’m not a tennis fan. I have an idea of how to play, even owned a racket once, but I don’t watch it. Until maybe now. Maybe now I need to start watching. Serena Williams has been in the news twice in the last weeks for issues that point out (glaringly, to me) the way racism and sexism play …
[Continue reading] The Double Standard of Racism and Sexism …ah, Serena Williams