Module 4

Discussion

What was your first experience confronting/experiencing/challenging/understanding

anti-Black racism?

@Sep 22, 2020 12:44 PM

One of my closest friends is of African descent, Ethiopian to be precise. We met in the first grade and pretty much grew up together. We graduated elementary school together, then middle school, and then high school. I was there when she got her wisdom teeth taken out, she was there when I learned how to ride a bike, I was there when someone called her the n-word for the first time.

It was the 4th grade; and I didn't believe there was anything wrong with that language. Actually, I remember thinking that the word was an appropriate way to label my friend. Similar to how I would use words like ‘kind, smart, funny’ to describe her, or similar to how I would describe myself with words like ‘chink, pancake face or chingchong’

I don’t remember when it happened, but eventually, we were taught in school not to say certain words because they were bad. However, we were never educated on why those words were harmful, we were only given a slap on the wrist if we were caught. While this knowledge discouraged some of my peers to stop using derogatory language, it also encouraged many others to use it more

It happened to my friend again in the 7th grade. We were at the age where we knew that the use of such language was forbidden (again, we still didn’t know why), so my friend reported it to the teacher.

Neither I nor my friend remembers what the teacher said exactly, but essentially, nothing was done. And, we remember the conversation we had afterwards:

“It sucks that Ms. Ahmed isn't going to do anything," I'd said. "What are you going to do now?”

“Nothing,” my friend had told me. “I don’t want to be the angry Black girl”

“You're right,” I’d agreed. “Besides, I'm sure he didn’t mean to call you that anyways. It was only a joke.”

It was only half a decade later, when we became more educated, when the BLM was more widespread, when we heard talk of ‘representation’ and ‘diversity’ and ‘anti-racism’ did I realize how the actions, words and beliefs of school children enforced and reflected the discrimination and prejudice in our society. Anti-Black racism and anti-minority racism were so normalized in our institutions that us kids took it as a fact, perpetuating the use of harmful stereotypes and derogatory language.

Thinking back on this always makes me sad, and I find myself wishing that I could travel back in time and tell my friend that no she was not being an ‘angry Black girl’ for calling out blatant racism. The ‘angry Black girl’ is an example of the many anti-Black stereotypes rooted in enslavement and colonization; and it’s commonly used to silence Black women who dare to challenge social inequalities. Unfortunately, the 'angry Black women' stereotype made my friend feel guilty, even though she was victim of outright discrimination and institutionalized racism.

But alas, all of this happened in the past and I cannot change what happened. All I can do is educate, learn and unlearn about these issues as much as possible, and hope that the next generation will be different

@September 29 at 11:35 PM

Thank you for opening up your story ___! I do find that even myself there has been countless of times where I've witness racist acts to my friends and at the time I wasn't educated enough to fight back. However I think while we may not be able to change the past, I think that it's crucial for us to be aware of our actions as that's the first step of getting rid of it. To never stop learning and educating yourself. Now that all the news and heat are over, we must make sure that we continue to be anti-racist. Now that you have diversified your feed on instagram , think about diversifying your social circles. Make spaces for black voices in your life and check in with them because in its core anti-black racism is not just a moment, but it is a movement.

@October 7 at 12:16 PM

Hey ___! Sorry for the late response but thank you so much for reading my post!

Yes, I agree with your point. As much as it sucks, we really can't change the past, we can only reflect, learn and grow from it. Even though I know these things logically, I admit that when it comes to racist events or comments from the past, I sometimes have a pattern of rumination, where I wonder what if or could we have done something more?

But I know that won't do any good and as you said, the key is to educate yourself and continue to encourage anti-racism. I especially loved your last point 'in its core anti-black racism is not just a moment, but it is a movement.' It gave me the chills!

Thank you again for taking the time to read my post, and for your insightful message :D

@October 9 at 10:15 PM

Hey ___! Thanks so much for sharing your perspective. I can understand where yore coming from, more often than not I've heard my close friends foolishly spawn out racial remarks or even have had it been said to them. It reached a point where we become desensitized to the meanings behind the slurs. I'm proud of you for realizing you mistake and owning up to it, admitting it is half the battle. I do believe you've succeeded in educating yourself so far. Great job.

@Sep 29, 2020 7:31 PM

In July, a close friend had texted me a comparison between life and pool, and how you want to end it as soon as possible. I'm a little sensitive to stuff like that, so I was a little worried. It just set off alarm bells. I was asking if he was okay, just talking when he told me how he was with some guys and the cops showed up. They had been sitting in a parking lot, he was the oldest at 17 the others were 15-17. He was cracking self-depreciative jokes while telling me, you know, and I was trying to be comforting when he said one of the kids had a gun on them and then changed the subject.

Everyone ended up okay physically but I don't know. I can't ever speak to the hurt or feelings he went through. I worry so much. It's always been something I've worried about, but since then it became so much more real. It's what I was thinking about when I signed up for this class. It's something I have to learn about. I don't think we talk enough about self image and the psychological aspects of racism, especially on youth. I know this post isn't very cohesive, which I apologize for. Writing about this was hard, but I know it should be and pales in the comparison of what BIPOC individuals go through.

@October 4 at 10:58 AM

Hi ___,

I really appreciate the fact that you mentioned the psychological effects that racism can have on POC. I too think that this is something that needs to be spoken more openly about and also needs to be addressed more. In making this a more normal discussion to talk about would hopefully make people more comfortable in talking about it, leaving less individuals in fear of sharing their feelings so people don't have to keep their very real feelings hidden.

@October 4 at 12:57 PM

Hello ___,

I agree whole heartedly that this is a discussion that needs to be more normalized. I think this responsibility for a large part should fall onto schools. I cannot speak to Ontario, but rural schools in Alberta are so so behind. My high school, for example, said and did nothing throughout the BLM movement. When students spoke out, demanding support for our Black student body, the superintendent released a statement that can be summed up using one quote, "Our job is to educate, not to advocate." I think this is abhorrent. If you are an educator who does not value and respect your students, you have no place in a school.

I feel it is overlooked how much influence your elementary/high school experiences can have on your character, and your views. The increase of poor mental health throughout the years, especially of marginalized youth, is not given enough attention. Schools should be a safe place -one that fosters inclusiveness and advocates for its students, because kids need a voice, and they need to know that they have worth.

@October 4 at 3:21 PM

This is very well said. My experience in the school system in Ontario is very similar to yours, especially in elementary school. I was taught nothing in regards to Black history and racism which I think is apart of the problem of anti-Black racism in our country because no one is getting the proper education. Schools like you said, need to be there to support their students and advocate for them, so many people need to be given more support by their communities.

@Sep 29, 2020 11:25 PM

"Is racism just a White American's problem?" "The US is too far from us", "We can't do anything". That is what most of my relatives and friends say to me. However what they don't realise is that while the Blacks are fighting for their lives over the Northern Americas, we too Asians and as non-Blacks indeed do face anti-blackness and colourism in our own country.

One of my first's experiences was when I was told that I was "too white-washed" for an Indian. It was during family event where I was meeting my dad's relatives over dinner. We had a lovely spread of South Indian dishes like Idli (savoury rice cake) and chicken tikka masala ; I was salivating. As my eyes gazed at the food, I was ready to dig in. Everyone got their plates and started piling up food. While everyone got to their seats, they dug in with their hands as normally said "the food would taste better". I however grabbed a pair of cutleries and began to enjoy my meal. While I thought everything was fine, eyes stared back to me. The statement "why aren't you using your hands?" and "wow you aren't cultured" was thrown to me. And that's where I saw my first sense of discrimination. Living in a multiracial country, I thought that such differences were accepted and that people respected that. However I realised that it wasn't the case and that casual instances like this is what separates us even more.

While I had a good upbringing in education and awareness given by my parents, I still always had my roots completely grounded. Throughout my life, I had figures like my late grandmother who carried out traditional Indian customs like oil baths when I was baby, abstaining from meat on Fridays and watching weekly Nāṭakams (dramas). On the other hand, I had my parents who always emphasised that you should always stay true to your roots and your home. This is evident when we respected pubic holidays like Deepavali where we visited my relatives and ate Murukku (traditional Indian snacks) and decorated our houses with kolams (rice decorated folk art). Through these customs and experiences I had, it made me realise that I too was proud of being an Indian living in a multiracial country.

So if I could travel back in time to where I met my relatives I would say this to them : "Although I decided to not use my hands to eat, I still respect your traditions and beliefs. I could have said that the food was too spicy or that the flavours were unfamiliar to me, but as an Indian I too learnt the beauty within my culture and I've grown to love it in my own way. I'm sorry that I'm not using my hands but you should be sorry for being culturally appropriative."

@October 7 at 4:00 PM

Hi ___!

Thank you for sharing. I definitely think there are many more people like you and I that are able to reflect on these experiences that we may have not understood in the past. I wish I knew sooner the reality of these situations and I can't help but think if the education system introduced anti-Black racism to us (for me at least I wasn't taught about racism until high school) that I would have had a much greater understanding. What do you think?

@October 5 at 12:57 PM

Powerful statement, ___- "I took learnt the beauty within my culture and I've grown to love it in my own way."

That is something worth celebrating, that you have found the confidence within you to love your culture and the influences around you in your own positive way.

@October 5 at 8:28 PM

Thank you ___ for your response. I really appreciate it and will take to heart. I do hope that I got to somewhat help you to find your own beauty within your own culture as well!

@October 5 at 5:16 PM

Hey ___,

I really liked your post about Racism in Indian communities. It was quite relatable. Your story of how you were called out for being too "White-washed", reminded of something so very familiar. For as long as I can remember till maybe a few years ago, I was teased for being "too white". Literally too white. I use to get really annoyed about this and think that "okay, these people have a problem with Black people and White people, what do they want from me?". I know my example isn't one of Anti-Black racism, but feel that it is emblematic of Internalized Racism that is so prevalent, and the racist idea that a person skin color has anything to do with their personality (If you are Black or Brown, you are unclean and not worthy of respect, and if you are too White you are probably an elitist snob). Do you think that's accurate?

@October 5 at 8:36 PM

Hey ___, Thank you for sharing your story with me. I thought that for many years that I was the only one facing this but indeed individuals like yourself have also voiced out their experiences too. I do see how whitewashing and colourism is prevalent in many Asian communities especially. Whether that is saying that Black people and Brown people are associated with being dirty, uneducated and slums or that Chinese and White people are prestigious and clean. However I do think that your point on how many of us are trying to find that in-between of being "too white" is really real and relatable.

@October 5 at 11:59 PM

Hi ___,

I think this post is very important as almost all of the media I consume talks about anti-Black racism and colorism in North America. I never hear about what POC face in countries outside of the US and Canada.

I love your statement "I too learnt the beauty within my culture and I've grown to love it in my own way." I think its important to remember that everyone will love something in their own way. And as long as they are respectful, kind and not hurting others, it does not matter how they love whatever that thing may be.

@October 6 at 12:38 AM

Hey ___! thank you for your comments. Im glad that I was able to share my experience living out of North America and how colorism can even occur in a multi-racial country like mine!

@Oct 4, 2020 10:47 AM

My first time understanding anti-Black racism was when I was having a conversation with one of my close friends. He was telling me about how on many different occasions when either playing outside, biking or just doing everyday activities he has been stopped by police. This was shocking to me because of how young he was during some of these situations. They would ask him where he was going or where he came from, this occurred just because they thought he looked “suspicious”. He also told me that in his neighborhood if he was just walking on the sidewalk and other people were walking towards him, there were times where those people would either walk to the opposite side of the street or noticeably walk far around him without making any sort of eye contact. Hearing these stories opened my eyes to how much this is truly occurring everywhere and also makes me reflect on the situations I don’t have to worry about because of the privilege I have. Also, after reflecting on this a long time ago, it made me recall other situations in which I saw anti-Black racism occuring. For example, a friend and I went to the mall right after school to do some shopping so we had our backpacks and as did many other people because schools had just ended for the day. We went into a store and when purchasing something I noticed two women of colour probably a bit older than me at the time putting their backpacks behind the front counter. My friend and I never had to do that when entering the store which showed how the acts of these retail workers was anti-Black racism.

@October 4 at 4:27 PM

I can also say that I have witnessed or heard similar stories from my Black friends. It is important to acknowledge how they worry about things that we would never have to. There was a time where I needed to grab an emergency item from Shoppers Drugmart and I asked my roommate to go with me and he said that he knows that the police patrols at this time so it's better if I ask someone else to go with me. It's unjust things like that which really make me mad because the police should be protecting, not instilling fear in innocent people. Another conversation I had was that I was talking about how my sister got into a minor car crash and he immediately replied that even if he was not in the wrong, the police would first suspect him of the crime. It's unfortunate that even before anything happens, Black people have a target on their back. Almost like people are waiting for Black people to commit a crime.

@October 5 at 7:42 AM

Thank you for sharing,

It is unfortunate and wrong that something I wouldn't have to think twice about someone else does. Like you said police shouldn't be causing this fear in individuals, they are supposed to be here to protect us not discriminate.

@October 5 at 5:36 PM

Hey ___,

Thanks for sharing. I wrote something similar on my thread as well, as I also learned and understood what anti-Black racism was through a conversation with a friend recounting her personal experiences.

I like how you pointed your privilege out, as I can relate to that as well. I don't have to worry about looking "suspicious" and being stopped by the police just because of my skin colour. It is important that we recognize our privilege and use it to confront and challenge anti-Black racism.

___

@October 5 at 6:40 PM

Hi ___,

Thank you for the comment, glad you feel the same way!

@October 7 at 11:48 AM

Hey ___!

I really enjoyed reading your post, and it made me think of when I first became aware of anti-Black racism growing up.

Five minutes away from my middle school, there was a convenience store that many of us kids would visit during our lunch break. The store owners were really nice, sweet people. They always asked me about how my day was, whether or not I was enjoying school, and if I wanted the student discount for my purchases.

But when I visited the store with my best friend (who is Ethiopian), things would change. The store owners would eye us suspiciously, subtly following us throughout the store. They made us put our backpacks outside, so we wouldn't shoplift any candies or snacks. Once, they even demanded that we show them the amount of money we had before entering--they wanted to make sure we were actually looking to buy things and not just loitering around.

But whenever I visited alone, the store owners treated me 'normally'

This is something that would commonly happen to the kids who looked 'sketchy' or 'ghetto'. Or rather, this is something that would happen to kids who were darkener skinned (because in the eyes of many authority figures, dark skin=trouble maker. This was something established as 'fact' in our minds from a young age).

Thinking back to instances like this, it blows my mind that so many of us have witnessed or experienced subtle anti-Black racism from such a young age, especially from authority figures.

@October 8 at 9:49 AM

Yes, I totally agree with you. For me, even when the education system introduced anti-Black racism, they never really explained why it was bad, we were just told 'don't use racial slurs. don't discriminate against minorities'. I feel like more kids would've had a better experience if we were told about the history of anti-minority racism and why it's hurtful. But since that wasn't introduced to us, many kids didn't take any of this seriously and made hurtful comments without realizing their weight.

@October 8 at 12:44 AM

Hi ___,

I know what you are saying about people not wanting to listen, especially through the computer. When people are set in their ways it can be hard to get through to them. When people get behind their keyboard they feel as though they have this power and can say whatever they want not thinking about who they are hurting on the other side of a screen. I think that ___ makes some really good about maybe not going directly to the person, but post more on social media that might get their attention. This could be a way of educating others, which might get you feeling more hopeful!

@Oct 4, 2020 4:21 PM

I attended a high school where only 10-15% of the population was Black and therefore were treated as a minority. Black students were never given a voice when it came to issues that directly affected them because they knew if they found for what they felt was right, they would be given the reputation of being the ‘Black kids’ - a stereotype that describes Black students that are rebellious. An alarming event that I experienced was in my final year of high school when one of my friends that were on the basketball team braided his hair. He did this to preserve his hair texture, curls and to maintain healthy hair in spite of doing sports. He was later called into the Head of School’s office as his hairstyle was against the policy because it was unruly and looked rowdy. It was shocking to hear this story the next day when I asked why he took out his freshly done hair. For him it was easier to accept it than be outraged by it, but many of us had the same raging feeling when the story was told. It was important in this instance to get everyone involved because only having Black people to fight for this was like preaching to the choir. We held a mini information session where we educated interested students on the history of braids and the significance of them. After this, people of all colours got on board and we all decided to hold an assembly where we did not fight but we educated staff members. At the end of the day, all members of staff removed the statements from the policy and allowed the Black children to have braids. Although it should have never been a topic of discussion to allow or to not allow this, at least now everyone is aware of it.

@October 5 at 8:55 AM

Wow, thank you for sharing this story! I went to a high school where you could count the black students on your hands. There were many times where I was the only black student in my class but I never got stopped from switching up my hairstyles from braids to twist. So it is shocking and almost unbelievable that they would try to stop this especially because other races braided their hair. I played rugby in high school and I was the only black girl on the team. Every girl got their hair braided. Getting your hair braided in sports is important because you can get that yanked out your head if you don't! It is also important for protecting your hair as you said. I am happy you created a movement in highschool that was educational for those who don't understand this concept of protecting curls and keeping with protective hairstyles!

@October 5 at 12:05 PM

Thank you so much! Some schools just have unbelievably biased rules and think it is okay. I am glad to be part of making a change that will benefit the people after me in the school. I am so happy that you also made the point that other races were allowed to braid their hair! I am Indian and I used to have two French braids in my hair a couple of times a week and no one ever said it looked unruly, so it is definitely easy to see the racism there.

@October 5 at 12:22 PM

Wow ___ I know we talked a bit about this for our podcast but I didn't realise to the extent this story goes this is amazing. I can totally relate to seeing a small black population in your school be treated unfairly. I have a friend that I met on my schools dance team and she always had her braids done after the holidays which always lined up with the dance competition season. Our director used to tell her what she had to do with her braids and that she should just take them out or try this style instead and always made my friend very uncormfortable by touching and pulling her hair around. I think that is so cool how you organized the assembly to educate because I think this teacher definetely could have used that. More schools should rethink their policies and behaviours because there are so many racist connotations and stereotypes within them. This is a really well-written response and very cool story ___, it's a 10/10 from me!

@Oct 5, 2020 8:45 AM

Everyone already thinks I am upset or "scary" because I am a Black Women. This stereotype as followed me all my life. I noticed a coworker would always flirt with me but say you're so scary. So I asked him why do you think I am scary then he said just because. So I pressed harder on it and said there has to be a reason why you keep saying it. He said it was because I am strong and then touched my arms. I know I am strong when it comes to my legs but my arms are weak. I just got annoyed and called him out for it because there is no sense in flirting and at the same time saying you are scared of me. If my confidence in myself makes you afraid then that is more of a personal problem you have to work out. I named this the ABW because another co-worker thinks I am always upset when really his energy just drains me because he is high strung. It's like I always have to be smiling to make others around me feel comfortable. I am not a doll so I will not have a permeant smile on my face and I don't do the fake smile. When I laugh and smile you will genuinely tell that I am happy or think you are funny. Life is better when you are not pretending to be happy and you just are and at my workplace, I have to choose to be happy every day. If I get upset or annoyed I know that is normal because no one is happy 24/7 but there are people who do fake it till they make it, in a 9 to 5 job.

@October 5 at 12:53 PM

Thanks for sharing your experience, ___.

Do you feel if there was a white coworker who didn't often smile or show emotion, would they be "labelled" the same way you have been in your workplace?

I love how you stated "if my confidence in myself makes you afraid then that is more of a personal problem" because you are absolutely right, I wish there were more opportunities where we could turn the mirror and have the person judging take a real hard look at themselves and ask the question "why does this bother you?"

@October 5 at 6:17 PM

I do think if there is a white co-worker they would be labelled the same way but they would be treated differently. There is a lot of media out there that make Black women look over sexualize or angry all the time. I would recommend this Forbes write up on the matter https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2019/05/31/overcoming-the-angry-black-woman-stereotype/#22c60c521fce

Here you will see that is stereotype is common for black women and not as much for white women.

@October 9 at 12:58 PM

I also want to note and thank you for sharing your experience because this is something I have gone through as a Black women and many other Black women continually go through.

@October 9 at 12:56 PM

Black women are sexualized a lot especially In the media, I think Black women are either sexualized or made to be made out really angry and there is never an in between. An example is in the music industry when artist are trying to sell, it is really hard to sell a dark women that does not want to show skin because as we all know "sex sells". As a Black women it is hard to overcome this stigma of always being mad. Even when you point out one thing people from then on label you as the "ABW" as Tianna pointed out.

On TV shows you never grew up with the sensitive Black character, the smart Black character or the quirky Black character that two guys fight over (which is seen a lot in storylines of white females that have no personality getting fought over by to guys because they are interested in her when there is nothing interesting about her) . It is always this evil, angry , stupid, or loud black character that gets introduced for 5 whole minutes of the story and then abandoned soon after. These stereotypes seep into reality and make it hard for Black women on an everyday basis.

I would like to point out that in media especially as we are adding more minorities on screen. It is hard to find minorities that are not mixed with white which I find yes mixed race people should be represented no doubt however there are times when there is a need to show dark people or people that are not just mixed race but showing actual diversity not this easily attempt in diversity we see platforms like Netflix attempt when they put one mixed race minority as a side character that has no back story. In general the media does not understand that putting one Black person or one asian person or one minority is enough, reflecting every race as authentically as possible is true diversity. In 2020 is the time where it is important to finally show real diversity and change the narrative from the ABW into something that positively represents Black women in the media. I think this ties into what I said about not seeing dark women in media and when and only when you see them they are either sexualized or made out to be this angry character.

@Oct 5, 2020 12:13 PM

My first real experience with Anti-Black racism happened a few years ago. I am very privileged to say I’ve never been a target of racism but I have definitely seen my fair share of racial stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination in my predominatly white high school. The instance that sticks out the most for me happened when I was on the phone with a long distance friend of mine. We had met at a christian summer camp and she always had questionable things to say but never really just said her full opinions, you could always tell she was scared to admit how she felt. She made vague and random comments that were borderline homophobic, transphobic, sexist, racist, you name it.

One day we were on the phone and she was telling me about a girl who had messaged her older brother. It seemed like there was something she wanted to say but wasn’t and then she finally said “and she’s Black and like not to be racist but… he would never date a Black girl.” We all know the sentences that start with “not to be *blank* but…” always end up being exactly what they said they wouldn’t be so I thought I would be prepared for what she was going to say. She went on to say how “nothing against Black people” but that her and her brother just aren’t attracted to Black people. Then not only that but she went on to say they are both only attracted to white people because they “want their children to look like them, blonde hair blue eyes.” This was very shocking to hear for me because I knew that some people felt that way, but I couldn’t understand why she was so nonchalant about it and why she acted like there was nothing wrong with what she was saying. This instance actually connects really well with Kendi’s quote from last week, “white people are fighting against their own genetic annihilation.”

After she went on and on, tripping over her words and stumbling to get through her racists points while I stayed silent I finally jumped in and said what I had to say. I tried to explain to her that choosing one race as the only race you would date is extremely racist. I explained how saying you are not attracted to all Black people is impossible because you’ve never seen every Black person, so you’re deciding based on the race not their actual attractiveness. She went on to insist she just wants her children to look like her and she really didn’t see where I was coming from, at all. After that day I tried other times to explain why it was wrong and then she started sending me instagram and pinterest posts of mixed race children with captions like “look at her *heart eyes emoji*” or “her eyes are gorgeous wow.” I found this extremely creepy as it turned on it’s head of now fetishing mixed-race children as well as dark-skinned children with certain coloured eyes or hair.

I have since distanced myself from this friend because I obviously couldn’t get through to her and I didn’t want to hear the things she had to say any longer but that was the first real time I had to try to challenge Anti-Black racism, unfortunately I would say I failed. I know more now than I did then, but that’s one of the reasons I am taking this course. I want to know how today anti-Black racism is being challenged and how I can be a part of that.

P.S. If any of you have any tips or specific things I could use to help this ex-friend understand where I’m coming from please let me know. I would like to reach out and help her but I’m still not sure she’ll grasp it.

@Oct 5, 2020 12:49 PM

I grew up in a very small farming community where there was very little cultural diversity. I would say the most impactful experience I've had to date with anti-Black racism was during my second year of my Social Service Worker diploma at Georgian College. We had two Black students who spoke very eloquently and emotionally about their personal experiences with racism. They both spoke about their experiences of being followed around a store while shopping, the way they've been spoke to by men, and the challenges that they faced when it came to job interviews.

Although I will never be able to relate to someone's experience, and more specifically when it comes to anti-Black racism, I was grateful to these students for sharing their experiences because I feel it opened up a safer place for discussion and support, but also validated that racism is still very prevalent in our every day society. I believe the experiences shared by my classmates were a big reason I decided to take this course and make a commitment to myself personally and professionally that I will educate myself in order to become an advocate for change, while getting a better understanding of the history of oppression that has been experienced and where we are at currently.

@October 5 at 5:35 PM

___, it's heart-warming to hear that this experience was influential in your decision to take this course. I'm glad that the students felt comfortable enough to share their experiences and even better that the class was supportive of them.

It's great that you made this commitment to educate yourself for both personal and professional reasons - that's the same reason I'm here too!

@October 5 at 8:45 PM

Hi ___,

I definitely can relate to your experience. I too took the SSW program (at a different college), and found some of the most impactful learning experiences to be from Black folk in the program. Anti-oppressive practice was such an important topic, and from listening to the experiences of peers who had experienced and witnessed acts of anti-Black racism definitely opened my eyes to how prevalent it is, especially within the social services system. Hearing these experiences also made me, want to do better, and be better.

@Oct 5, 2020 2:28 PM

I will be sharing the first time I ever experienced anti-Black racism.

When I was in Senior Kindergarten, 2005, I had this dress that I loved to wear. One day, another little girl came up to me and told me that she had the same dress. As a little girl, I was excited because, at that age, I thought we were going to be twins! My excitement was quickly disrupted by her next comment which was, "The dress looks better on me because of your skin, you're black." As a four-year-old little girl, who had never even thought about race or what it meant at all, I was hurt but didn't know how to act on it. Yes, I noticed people looked different and that no one was the same. Yes, I noticed that my father and my mother did not have the same skin colour and even my older siblings had a different skin colour. Yet none of that ever registered in my mind that, that was the first thing most people would notice about me, my skin colour. I didn't know what that girl said was offensive and that in the years to come it was something I was going to hear, "you're black" and not always in a positive way. Older me wishes there was someone there to help little 4-year-old Braxton, or that she knew she should have said something back to that little girl to make sure she knew she was being rude. Sadly that wasn't the turning point for me, it wasn't at that moment where I learnt that stuff like that was going to happen to me. I didn't tell anyone, I didn't know that I needed to. It wasn't until around Grade 4 when I finally started to realize that the things people said to me throughout Senior Kindergarten to Grade 4 weren't okay and needed to be addressed.

@October 5 at 5:30 PM

Hi ___,

Thanks for sharing your early experience. I feel like that child who wore that same dress as you learned that mindset and behaviour from her older peers, like her parents. I believe that that is why it's crucial to teach younger generations how to confront anti-Black racism and to know that it is wrong to say things like that. Also, to treat each other with kindness and respect, no matter who you are or what you look like.

PS. I know you looked wonderful in that dress! :)

___

@October 6 at 12:17 PM

Hey ___,

I agree, introducing younger children to racism is a great idea. Racism isn't born it's taught.

And thank you so much, that made my day:)

___

@October 7 at 12:13 AM

Wow. I think it's unsettling to read through these threads and notice how most white students don't talk about addressing, noticing, or confronting anti-Black racism until adolescence or even until just this year, but most BIPOC students talk about noticing and experiencing it immediately in childhood.

This definitely shows how desperately children need to be taught about racism and how absorbent they to their environment. To the point where a four year old kid feels confident in her racist insult to another kid.

This really puts another layer of awareness on my own privilege and ignorance. Thank you for sharing.

@October 7 at 11:19 AM

Hey ___,

Thank you for making the connection. This is the stuff that most, almost all, BIPOC have to deal with at young ages. Sadly depending on how young, they have no idea how to face it and learn from it to make sure it doesn't happen again or that they are prepared for it. I agree, young children need to be taught about racism, they need to be taught the basics of human rights and how to treat everyone fairly. Due to their young age, I think it should be the basics of racism, nothing too violent and harsh for the young learners but enough so that hurtful comments like those aren't said to anymore 4-year-olds.

Once again thank you.

@October 8 at 4:54 PM

Hi ___,

Thank you for sharing. Your story made me think about youth, and how we often don't look at racism among youth, even though children say racist things all the time. And at times, yes, it may be a mistake or a kid just being a kid, but we can't let it go. Children only learn from what they see and what they're directly taught. If these ideas carry on, people can raise racists and I think we often forget that. I remember once when I was in elementary school, there was a girl who wore a hijab and multiple children, mostly boys, tried to take it off her head to expose her hair. Or they would ask why she wears it, or make fun of it. It's serious!

@Oct 5, 2020 4:12 PM

Being from Pakistan, my first experience that made me aware of what anti-Black racism is, happened back home. Anti-Black racism is very common in the south Asian communities. The Indian Subcontinent was also a British colony and the that is where the racist ideas such as, being White makes them superior become prevalent. That’s not to ignore the fact that there already was plenty of anti-Black and brown discrimination (mostly internalized racism) before the British, but the British Raj was when these become truly entrenched in the institutions and the mindsets of people in the form that we see today.

When I was in the seventh grade, my friend got called ‘Makrani’ by another student. My friend looked visibly upset but, what I find surprizing is that no one said anything. The teacher just smirked and continued with the class. This led me to do some research. Makrani’s (also known as Sheedi’s) are a people who live in pockets near the coast of Sindh and Balochistan, in Pakistan. Members of the Sheedi community are descended from the Bantu peoples of the East African region. Some were merchants, sailors, indentured servants, slaves (Primarily brought to the Subcontinent to Portuguese in the fifteenth century) and mercenaries (Wikipedia, Siddi, 2020)

After becoming aware of anti-Black racism, I started noticing it every where. People making casual comments about someone with dark-skinned. Elderly people still often think of and teach younger kids to think of being black as being ‘disgusting’ or ‘unclean’. Kids mocking dark-skinned kids as ‘Kallu’, which means Black in Urdu, but it has a negative connotation. I think Hassan Minhaj explains quite clearly the state of anti-Black racism in Asian communities in the clip: (https://youtu.be/i_FE78X-qdY)

I, however, am guilty of not having done enough about these instances that were happening right in front of me and to my friends. Consoling people who face racism just is not enough. Being ‘not racist’ is not enough. The closest I have ever come to challenging anti-Black racism is asking the teacher to stop making racist comments about Black people in America being criminals. That is not enough. Unfortunately, that is the mindset of most people in Pakistan. This needs to change. But this line from Dr. Kendi’s book gave me hope that people can change. “THE GOOD NEWS is that racist and antiracist are not fixed identities.”

@October 7 at 9:53 AM

Hey ___!

As someone from the East Asian community, I've had similar experiences with colorism and anti-Black racism. It seems to be very normalized in my culture, to a point where most people in my Chinese community (i.e., relatives, family friends) don't question the use of derogatory language and stereotypes when referring to Black individuals. I felt the same way you did as well: I didn't notice anti-Black racism until I was aware of it and then, I was noticing it everywhere: from our beauty standards, entertainment and conditioned prejudices.

I also liked how you went into the history and origin of Makrani, I thought it was very interesting and insightful. The fact that no one (including the teacher) called out the use of such language speaks wonders about how things like this is normalized.

I really enjoyed reading your post! I hope you enjoy the rest of your week :)

___

@October 7 at 11:50 AM

Hi ___and ___,

I have also noticed how the Asian community has had a horrible anti-Black pattern. It seems to be a universal trend. The colourism in Asian culture seems to be an extension of anti-Black racism. Illegal and harmful products made to "lighten skin" to become "more beautiful" are all over South-East Asia. As Cindy said, I like how you looked at the meanings of the words used against Black people. Looking into the roots and connotations of a word tells us the impact that that word has.

@Oct 5, 2020 5:14 PM

My first time understanding what anti-Black racism was, was in a conversation between with one of my best friends Habiba in grade 11 (I know, that is really, really late).

Since I had moved from Toronto to Kitchener in the summer of grade 10, the lack of diversity was immediately noticeable. When I met Habiba, it felt good to feel left out anymore. She was a Black student who understood me all too well.

The first lunch we had together, I complained to her how uncomfortable I felt being the only Asian student in my mixed math class. It only got worse when a random girl I didn’t know had “jokingly” told me she was surprised to see me in this class because “Aren’t Asians supposed to be good at math?”

When Habiba started to share her own experiences from this school, I realized how much harsher they were from mine. She told me about how she could feel that some of the teachers (who I thought were funny and easygoing) treated her with less respect compared to the other students. She told me about the White girls who disgustingly chanted the N word without knowing Habiba was right behind them after school. She told me about how her relatives and friends were often pulled over for no reason, and that they feared that they would get hurt even when they knew they were innocent. She told me about the other kids snickering about her when it was clear she could hear them.

To say that I was shocked and angry would be an understatement. I had never experienced anything near what she told me, and I felt ashamed that I didn’t know about anti-Black racism sooner. Sure, I knew what racism was as I had experienced it all my life. But I never knew, thought about, or educated myself on anti-Black racism specifically. I really am thankful for Habiba. She helped me see a new perspective and issue that needs to be talked about, recognized, and confronted.

@October 6 at 3:26 PM

Hey ___, thanks for sharing! I can relate to this as I was the only Indian person in my school. The stereotypes that are not true about Indians would often reflect on me in school. If the teacher was to mention India or something like "curry" the whole class would stop and stare acting as if I had something to say. Stereotypes are a big factor in how racism is today.

@October 7 at 10:48 AM

Hey ___,

thanks for commenting. I agree and I understand where you are coming from. You are so right, stereotypes and micro-aggression are factors of racism, yet they're so overlooked and dismissed quite easily.

___

@Oct 5, 2020 5:30 PM

My first experience understanding anti-Black racism is unfortunately not limited to just one incident. A close friend of mine who I've known since my early adolescence has been subjected to racism multiple times, still to this day. I began noticing it significantly when we were around 14-15, in high-school. I would notice that people would treat her differently than me, and the "people" I'm referring to include students as well as teachers. The treatment or feedback from teachers tended to be unfair towards my friend, but not so much towards others that were not Black, including myself. Regarding the students, they would make assumptions or speak on stigmas/stereotypes associated with Black people. I remember they would question why her hair was curly and thick and why she wouldn't just use a flat-iron to make it more straight. I remember another student making a comment about how she stole his pen because "she's Black" - that comment still infuriates me.

Aside from my experiences with my friend, I've also experienced it throughout having a romantic partners that are Black. I notice an overwhelmingly amount of disapproving or confused stares, especially from those of an older generation. I've also had "friends" and family members make judgements towards the dynamics of the relationship and share their relative opinions on certain assumptions or stereotypes.

Rest assured, every time I've experienced any time of anti-Black racism, I use my privilege to the best of my ability to confront, defend and hopefully educate those taking part in the racist acts.

@October 6 at 12:15 AM

Hi ___!

You closing remark is awesome, "I use my privilege to the best of my ability to confront, defend and hopefully educate those taking part in the racist acts."
A lot of times when people confront those who make racist comments we simply get angry at them(very justly I might add). But, we forget that just getting angry at the person won't solve anything. In fact it might make their hatred stronger. Education is the only real way forward, for if you give someone the information and allow them to come to their own conclusion. Then that information will hit much closer to home for that person, and be much more effective than if you just yelled at them for what they did.

@October 8 at 11:24 AM

Hi ___, I just wanted to tell you how comforting it is to read your last remarks. I think it is so important to note how the idea that interracial couples are still seen as unusual still stands today. As a mixed person, I personally experience people's confusion. People still believe that dating outside your own race is bad and you can connect this to the prompt from last week about White people protecting their own generic annihilation.

@October 8 at 1:40 PM

___, this was a post I really enjoyed, I feel like I can resonate a lot with your experiences.

When I was in high school, I also witnessed the way my friends of colour were treating differently by white teachers and staff members. One of my most heartbreaking experiences was when a Black friend of mine did not understand a topic we were learning in class, so she asked me to talk to the teacher and pretend as if her questions were my own. When I asked her why she couldn't do it herself, she told me that the teacher always told her that she was too busy and to "figure it out herself". Sure enough, when I asked the teacher for clarification, she took the time to explain it to me thoroughly. This was one of the first few times that I understood my white privilege can be used to help others.

Furthermore, I completely understand your frustration when it comes to people's opinions about Black romantic partners. I have also experienced the disapproving stares, the racist remarks, and the questions like "are you sure he's good enough for you?". This kind of stuff really opened my eyes to the terrors of our society.

Finally, your closing line- I agree with you completely. While I am actually Middle Eastern, I am very white passing, and so I use my privilege at any given moment to educate and defend against racist people.

@Oct 5, 2020 8:25 PM

I think started to understand anti-Black racism in high school. As a white person, I was privileged in the sense that I have never experienced any form of racism, and was ignorant in the sense that I had not yet educated myself. It should not have took me becoming friends with, and hearing the stories of young Black folk to understand or think critically about anti-Black racism, however this was how it happened. I remember how often the N word was thrown around in high school, and how Black students were told to “Lighten up” or, “It’s just a joke”. I think the first time I confronted anti-Black racism, and in fact labelled the behaviour of peers as blatantly racist, was in high school, where racism was so prevalent, and so excused by teachers and faculty. Reflecting on the text when Kendi questions his teacher by asking “Why are you the only Black teacher?”, and how this is a question that students are still asking themselves to this day, makes it apparent for me the prevalence of lack of representation in schools to this day. Why had my high school not hired one Black teacher in the 4 years that I had went to school there? Why is this not something I immediately recognized?

@October 7 at 12:09 PM

I totally relate to the way you describe the attitudes others have about anti-Black or anti-minority racism. Growing up, whenever I confronted anyone for subtle to blatant racism, I was told that I was being 'dramatic' or 'too sensitive' or that I 'needed to lighten up'. It's the disappointing reality many of us faced, and it's especially hurtful for Black individuals who are still oppressed and discriminated against on so many levels. From the way that their experiences are invalidated with jokes and microaggressions, to the way that they're marginalized by authorities, institutions and media, resulting in disproportionate representation in certain careers (in teachers, as you mentioned). Your point made me think back to my own school and reflect on the fact that we must have only had 1 or 2 Black teachers, despite the fact that our school community, student body and the employed staff were incredibly diverse. Pretty much every minority in our community was reflected in our teachers, expect we barely had any Black teachers (despite the fact that we did have a fair bit of Black students)

Thank you for your post! It made me reflect on my own experiences of anti-Black racism and notice things that I otherwise would've missed. I hope you enjoy the rest of your week :)

___

@Oct 5, 2020 9:52 PM

I have always had Black friends, so I have never personally experienced anti-Black racism, and having these friends has always been normal to me. I want to believe I was raised not to be an anti-Black racist; this was just not in my upbringing. I think my first experience really understanding anti-black racism was when I watched the movie 12 Years a Slave. After watching this movie, I was in complete shock at what I had seen. Black people being sold to White people as if they were property to buy, they were abused and treated like they were nothing but soulless beings, and they were taken away from their families without any choice or say. This was the first time I really realized racism even existed (like WTF). It educated me on the importance of equality and how we, as a human race need to be excepting of one another. After watching 12 years a Slave, I was also disgusted of how White people treated Black people just to make money. I was also ashamed that I was white. I could not believe that these White people thought they were superior, that they thought they could treat other human being as their property. (like WTF)

One thing that I was reminded of while reading this question, was that in elementary school, in history, I was not taught much about anti-Black racism. Yes, it was spoken about as 'bad' and 'not okay', but it was never a topic of discussion. Aside from Black History Month, very little was spoken or taught about anti-Black racism. Looking at the world today, and knowing what I know, I wish that anti-Black racism was taught at an early age.

I remember when I was a little girl, my dad took both me and my brother aside and showed us two pictures. One was a black cartoon smiling face and the other one was white. He asked us which one was the bad one. He first showed the pictures to my brother and he was confused. After a while, my dad said to just answer the question. My brother said they both looked the same and did not know how to answer. I however, hesitated, thought about it for a while, and finally said the black one. My dad explained to me that we do not know which one is bad because they were just pictures. This was one of his attempts to teach us at an early age that everyone, regardless of skin colour, should be treated the same. I would like to think that I do treat people the same.

Another example, when I was younger, my family and I would watch American Idol. A show we all loved to watch together. In one episode, I asked my dad which one he thought was going to win, and he said, "the girl in the red dress" and then my mom said "yeah, the Black girl". My dad got upset and reiterated “no, the girl in the red dress”. My mom immediately realized that she should not have made that comment.

I really want to think that I was taught at an early age about treating everyone equal. I have a passion in helping people no matter of race, creed, or sexual orientation. I want to understand diversity, and how to ensure everyone is treated equally. This is the major reason I am majoring in sociology. I am white; I will never understand what Black people go through with respect to racism, but I hope to be a positive influencer and contributor in ending racism.

@Oct 5, 2020 10:42 PM

My first experiences of anti-Black racism occurred at home. Some background to myself, I was raised in Brampton and come from a family of South Pacific Islanders with South Asian ancestry. I grew up around a rhetoric that’s been displayed time and time again: Black people are violent and that’s why there’s a lot of crime in neighbourhoods with predominantly Black residents. It took a lot perhaps too long to learn about the history behind the stereotypes, and there is still so much to learn and unlearn. Now that I’m at home with my family, I’m able to interrupt them and engage with them in conversation to make sure that they understand the depth and the hurt behind some of their statements that they have been taught. Seeing them become more cognisant about the impact of their words overtime is a positive first step, yet there's still much to be done within myself and for those around me.

One thing I’ve noticed from the discussions so far, many firsts experiences have happened in school. So my question to you all: are there any conversations that need to happen in the school community that raises awareness and actively works towards breaking down stereotypes as a collective?

@October 6 at 4:40 PM

Hello ___,

I am happy that you are able to teach your family about the impact their words have on Black individuals. Yes, there conversations that need to be brought up in school communities to ensure that kids grow up none racist. As I've said and heard before, racism isn't born, its taught. Thank you fo bringing up that question, great discussion post.

___

@Oct 5, 2020 11:45 PM

In all honesty my first experience challenging anti-Black racism happened just in the last few months.

I grew up in a town that was predominantly white, in fact it was a running joke at my high school that my town was called "whiterdown" as you rarely saw anyone of colour living there. This has changed in the last few years as more and more subdivisions are being added to the town. But the neighborhoods where my childhood home resides still has a very low Black population. Even though I went to high school in Hamilton, I never truly encountered anti-Black racism while I went there. I was sheltered, and I freely admit that. I took the school bus from my town into Hamilton, hung out with my friends while at school and then took the bus back home. While I was friendly with many of the Black students at my school, but we were never close and so I wasn't told of the struggles they faced.

It wasn't until this year, when the BLM protests really gained momentum in the USA, that I began to hear the stories from some of the Black kids at my school. They began speaking out about racism they faced from certain teachers, from certain students. I was shocked. I had never realized that they had been going through all of this, while I sat at my desk completely unaware. I realized that I need to do better.

I was sparked into action by a BLM rally that was taking place in my town. The town came out in masse, with almost 1000 people attending the rally. It was by far one of the most incredible things I had ever seen, I remember looking around as we marched through the streets and realizing that I couldn't see either end of the sea of ralliers. To some 1000 people might not seem like a lot, but for my town it was massive. Afterwards I spoke with a couple of the organizers and they said that they had been expecting at most 150 people, so the response of the town completely blew them away.

Since then I have tried to find ways that I can help. I've signed countless petitions, begun educating myself by reading news articles and books. And now I'm here, learning other ways that I can help challenge the anti-Black racism that plagues our world.

@Oct 6, 2020 10:24 AM

My first experience with anti-Black racism was when I went to the protest at downtown Toronto after the shooting of George Floyd. I saw many Black individuals and other ethnicity protesting and showing their anger. I was angry as well because it's upsetting that an innocent Black man was killed for no reason. It shows how police abuse their power of authority. I learned about anti-Black racism in school majority of the time but I haven't actually experience face to face before. When I went to the protest, I was overwhelm with emotions because I saw many Black individual shedding tears from the bottom of their heart. As well as yelling from pain either by personal experiences or for their loss brother. They came a long way to feel safe, have rights, freedoms, but not for this to happen again. I empathize with them even though we may have different experiences, I still put myself in their shoes. If I have a child and they were to be brutally killed by a police officer, I would be furious and broken in tiny pieces. The loss of my child will make me be in extreme grieve and I would want everyone to be aware of my injustice and pain.

@October 6 at 7:15 PM

Hey ___,

I also went to the downtown protest for George Floyd and felt the exact same way. It was completely heartbreaking to see so many people there breaking down in tears because of these reoccurring incidents of innocent Black lives being taken away at the hands of those who are meant to protect us. I also had the chance to talk to fellow protesters about the situation and it gave me new insights on how we can come together to spark change.

@October 6 at 9:29 PM

Same I so happy i experienced that

@Oct 6, 2020 1:57 PM

For me, I can't quite remember the first time that I've challenged or experienced this, but I do remember this one distinct time that was a changing/realizing point for me. Some co-workers and I were planning to meet up after work for some drinks one night. My one co-worker, who is from Jamaica asked if someone could wait for him, so he didn’t have to go walk there after alone. He mentioned that as a Black man walking the streets at night, he feels very unsafe. He then went on to explain that the cops are always looking for a reason to stop him. He can’t even count how many times he has been pulled over for no reason or been stopped for J walking. This was a huge conversation to have as it was turning point for many of us that night. White privilege is real, and we need to use our voices and recognize this. He now tries to avoid any situations that would give them the opportunity, like for example walking downtown at night by himself. It was then in this conversation that made me feel angry and sad. Sad that he has to always be thinking about this and has to live his life in this fear. I also felt embarrassed at how naïve I was. I never would have thought that even in a small town in Ontario that he would have these worries. Since then, which was a few years ago I have educated myself and have learned so much. I have never had to think about or worry about the same things he or any Black person has to. From this experience I started to understand what it meant to be an anti-racist. It’s not just enough to not be racist. You must take action and take responsibility to educate yourself as well as others.

@October 7 at 5:27 PM

You're right, it is not enough to just not be racist. From How to Be an Anti-Racist, it states that the problem with being not racist is that it brings up the idea of neutrality. However, neutrality does not exist when fighting against racism because the opposite of a racist is an anti-racist (Kendi, 2019). Being an anti-racist means fighting against racist policies which are the causes of inequality.

@Oct 6, 2020 3:22 PM

My first experience challenging and confronting anti-Black racism was in my workplace 2 years ago. My friend was raised in Trinidad and Tobago and came to Canada in 2016, he often experienced people looking at him differently when in public. I soon got him a job at the Subway that I worked at and we would work together on weekends to get some money in high school. The days I did not work with him he would be ridiculed and made fun of for the colour of his skin and the way he was raised. He never told me that this would happen and it really made me upset because nobody should be subjected to this behaviour. After 6 months he finally confessed that he felt vulnerable and had to quit due to the circumstances he was put in. I then confronted the workers and stated why it is wrong to personally convict someone over the colour of their skin and dissent. I put myself in the shoes of my friend and it is important to see the emotion and understand how it can affect someone. Both of us quit and I started to realize how racism can truly affect the people you ride for, to this day my friend and I always attend protests and we educate ourselves on how to tackle anti-Black racism.

@Oct 6, 2020 3:30 PM

It's honestly really hard to think of the first time I've had to deal with or confront anti-Black racism. At some point, I had to accept that this is something that I will most likely experience for the rest of my life because this isn't just an isolated issue, it's part of the system we live in. Thankfully now, I am able to confront it and make a change in a way I was not able to when I first experienced anti-Black racism.

I think that the very first instance I had an anti-Black comment made directly to me was in junior kindergarten, in 2006, Mississauga, Ontario. Since school was my first sense of socialization aside from my family, not only did I form new friendships with my peers and go along on the idea of having crushes, but it was when I first started to realize I was actually Black and what being Black in this society meant. This was especially clear because I grew up in a home filled with my mother's Filipino side of the family, and no trace of my Black heritage. So one day at school, probably during a recess, I was telling one of my friends that I had a crush on this White boy who she said she had also liked. Instead of celebrating that we had something in common, she said to me "It's okay that we both like him, but he'll never like you too, cause you're Black." All I can remember after that was crying and being in a state of shock. At the age of 4, I didn't have the tools or knowledge to confront this and the idea that my Blackness was viewed as bad or undesirable was a new concept to me.

Looking back on this, I wish I knew what I do now. I wish that I knew that the colour of my skin did not determine my worth, which would eliminate the many years after where I questioned my worth as a human, not just from this single incident but the others to follow. I wish I had the words to tell her that she was wrong and that these ideas she had were invalid, actually being able to confront her anti-Black remarks. More importantly, I wish I had the capacity to understand that while this sort of thing would continue to happen to me and make me feel uncomfortable it is a greater reflection on the world we live in and our history than it did on me as a single individual.

@October 6 at 4:25 PM

Wow, It never ceases to shock me when I hear about these stories happening to kids! Obviously, they must have heard that at home and then acted it out in school. I'm happy to see that you gained the tools and knowledge you need to not question your self-worth anymore. Many of us have gone through that at one point in our lives.

@October 6 at 7:12 PM

After reading "they said this would be fun" I realize that mixed children, especially one's who interact with their non-Black family more, must have a very unique experience when it comes to understanding their Blackness. I'm sure it was very jarring to begin to acknowledge it in such a distressing way.

We ask Black children to be aware of racism, while we fail to teach non-Black children of how to be anti-racist. I believe that anti-racism should most definitely be a part of the curriculum in elementary school for this reason!

@Oct 6, 2020 4:05 PM

My first job in Kuwait 3 years ago was in customer service. I was trained to work in multiple 'projects' or companies, one of which was a company that brought personal maids and drivers to work from Ethiopia and the surrounding African countries. Those people would come on the basis of a contract, with a salary, vacation time, a day off, and certain hours to work in. But some callers did not like that, and they opposed the idea of a day off where the person can go out and have some alone time. They also wanted them to work all the time without stop. Some people used the words: "how much is a maid?" or "how much is the driver for?". And we were trained to answer by referring to the service as admission fees of those workers.

I should mention that most people were extremely polite and far from racist, but some were absolutely horrible that it would make you disgusted to talk on the phone with them -respectfully-. Some would hide the worker's passport so they wouldn't run away back to their country, because they knew how bad they were treating them. Its heartbreaking to think that this person is withstanding all this horrible treatment to support their families back in their home country. Some cases are a step away from slavery.

@Oct 6, 2020 6:49 PM

My first encounter with anti-Black racism that I understood occurred when I was a child.

My parents had chosen to live in our neighborhood because the community seemed relatively mundane. Our neighbour was an older Jamaican gentleman, who was friendly, and quite fond of my siblings and I. I understood him to be a “good guy” in that child-like black-and-white judgment of character. My parents liked him, yet they were incredibly quick to explain to me that his shortcomings had to do with his Blackness. They told me that because he was Black, he didn’t have a good family life. They said that his daughters, who often visited, had an attitude because they were Black. My parents had adopted these anti-Black ideas from the other neighbours, who had less of a positive attitude towards him.

I learned what racism was from my unmonitored Internet usage, which many Gen Z kids had. Knowing I was queer from a young age automatically put me into online social justice circles where anti-Black racism was the topic of discussion. I knew that being abusive and hateful towards Black people was wrong, but I also knew that I would not be listened to if I said so. This is the first time that I understood that my parents were not being fair towards our neighbour, who rarely did anything to justify a negative response. I often wish that I had more confidence as a child, and that I was loudly anti-racist, but I would not start unlearning anti-Black and racist ideas until later on. It is still a process, and I assume it will continue for the rest of my life.

@October 8 at 12:53 AM

It can be confusing as a child when we learn lots from our parents. We hear these stories when we are young, and hear the way they talk about people. I can see how this could have led you to believe these things. I'm glad that you can look back and realize these behaviours, and want to learn and grow from this.

@October 8 at 9:55 AM

Hello ___,

I appreciate you sharing this very personal story. I believe that too often we justify individual's actions as being: a product of their parents. While I recognize that we learn much of our ideologies from the social institution of our families, there is a point in every person's life when it becomes their responsibility to accept or reject this belief system. I respect that you were able to differentiate your beliefs from what was being modelling in the home. I too regret not doing more until recently in order to, using my privilege, actively challenge anti-Black racism. I believe that when we recognize this need we must all feel, as you have, we can take the steps towards meaningful change.

@October 8 at 2:54 PM

I feel the same. I too wish I had the courage to speak up when I was younger. It is challenging when it is your own family perpetuating these false ideas and beliefs. But that's where it starts. At an individual level we must be willing to confront our own selves and circles. Most people don't start the process of unlearning until much later. I'm glad you recognize that and that you are committed to it.

@October 8 at 9:53 PM

Hi ___,

I also have heard my family being racist, not so much as a child, but as an adult. I lived a pretty sheltered life and I lived in an interracial home. It wasn't until much later that I learned of my family's racism and I have to challenge it. It makes me thankful that I grew up in the household I did because I had an amazing teacher growing up. Do you find that it's easier as an adult to challenge family members? I was taught to "respect my elders", so I find it challenging sometimes depending on the family member.

@October 9 at 9:47 AM

Hi ___,

Thanks for the response!

I have no trouble with it these days. I'm argumentative, and although my culture emphasizes respecting elders, I don't enable an anti-Black rhetoric in my home. It definitely does make my family upset with me at times, but I'm not familistic in the slightest, so it doesn't bother me.

I'm thrilled you had good role models! Challenging one's own family is uncomfortable, and often upsetting, so I'm glad you still attempt to engage with them!

@Oct 6, 2020 7:07 PM

I am not Black, therefore I can not fully experience anti-Black racism and understand the true effects it has on someone. But there are events that have happened to my Black peers while I was there that forced me to try my best to understand. There is one event in particular that stands out. My friend and I were driving around a city we weren't too familiar with in broad daylight, he was following the rules, not speeding, signaling when he needed to, and stopping when asked. Even though we were driving completely safe and obeying the law, he gets pulled over. Right away I see him panic, both of his hands exposed on stirring wheel and he tells me to do the same. The police officer asking him question after question, about his car, his license, his sobriety, and even asked us to step out of the car. I repeatedly ask the officer what the issue was and why were we were being pulled over and interrogated when we were doing nothing wrong and everything with his car was fine. The officer had a hostile attitude towards us, never answered my question, and allowed us to go about our day. Once we got into the car, my friend starts ranting about the situation, telling me how he constantly has to go through these types of situations because of his skin colour, because he's "driving while Black" and "fits the description". I never fully witnessed anti-Black racism to that extent before, talking to him about this incident and his experiences growing up made me realize that he and I were scared at that moment for different reasons. I was scared that I was going to get in trouble with my parents while he feared for his life. This event only pushed me to want to understand better about anti-Black racism and confront it whenever possible.

@October 7 at 3:25 PM

Hi ___,

I'm so sorry you and your friend had to go through that. I am not Black, so while we will never be able to fully know what it's like to experience anti-Black racism we are only witnesses who see these things happening and are unable to fully understand why it's happening. All we can do is fight for change and educate others so that the negative mindset other people like that officer had will slowly disappear until we can say we have a racial equity society.

@October 9 at 9:46 AM

Hello ___,

I initially appreciated your recognition that we can never truly understand anti-Black racism as we will never experience it. I believe this awareness is the first step towards challenging others towards introspection. This experience really put into perspective for me the simplicity of my worries. I too would have, in that moment, been concerned for the adverse consequences with my parents. It is unthinkable to me to have to fear for my life when I have done nothing but follow the rules. I respect that you were able to question the actions of the officer and highlight the accountability and power dynamics of the situation. The personal discrimination demonstrated by the officer is one component of a much larger systemic problem. I believe it is these specific instances that represent the greater need for awareness, education, and reform.

@Oct 6, 2020 11:56 PM

My first more significant time challenging anti-Black racism was at my summer job lifeguarding. During a maintenance shift my co-worker started complaining about BLM protests and called the demonstrations dramatic and unnecessary. I calmly explained that the protests are far less violent than the actions being protested and tried to explain white privilege. He said it still wasn’t okay for the protesters to break the law, I explained that police are constantly breaking the law by killing Black people and there’s massive discrimination that is technically illegal but is still constantly taking place. I tried to get across that the BLM movement is about more than George Floyd, that it’s about the unjust normalized murder of Black people, institutional racism, police brutality, white supremacy, and shedding light on how racist our society truly is. I tried explaining how our colonialist society was built off oppression and genocide, how these belief systems and values are still heavily reflected today. This seemed to fly over his head, he called me a b**** and told me to chill out then left the room. However, I think some of what I was saying impacted the mindsets of my other coworkers who overheard. Afterwards one of them came up to me and we discussed our shared views and opinions. Although it wasn't received well, I never felt in danger or unsafe. Afterwards I wasn't alienated or facing consequences for speaking up, I think this shows how my privilege affects me when challenging anti-Black racism.

Other times before this, involved quietly correcting my family members or telling them their jokes were racist and briefly explaining why. The BLM movement made me realize the harm in being passive and tolerant about racism, which has made me speak up a lot more.

Understanding that anti-Black racism is more than direct aggressive actions and hate crimes has taken me a bit longer to learn i.e. cultural appropriation, microaggressions, etc. In regards to the stereotypes and biases I have in my own head, I’ve realized the necessity of stopping to analyze where they came from, and what they’re connected to. I think this is a less talked about but important part of challenging racism. Sometimes your first association or bias is racist, and if you quickly push it out of your head while assuring yourself you aren’t racist, then you aren’t actually addressing, challenging or changing it.

The fact that I’m just now becoming aware of and educated around these topics and issues, shows how privileged I am.

@October 7 at 12:01 PM

Hi ___,

I think it's great that you attempted to take the time to educate your coworker on these issues. I completely understand the feeling of being dismissed when trying to do that. I agree with you when you say that your privilege affects the responses you get when challenging anti-Black racism. I have that same privilege. You and I haven't had to deal with first-hand experiences of outright racism unlike some of our classmates.

In your last paragraph, you talk about having initially biased thoughts and then pushing those thoughts away. I believe that our initial thoughts are what has been ingrained in our minds throughout our lives, and the thought that immediately follows is what we really think and believe. I completely agree that those initial thoughts should be addressed, challenged, and changed, but that it doesn't necessarily speak to who you are as a person.

@Oct 7, 2020 2:59 AM

Since a very young age, I was made familiar with the concept of racism. In school, with peers, we often used to discuss about the discrimination that exists in our society against Black people. We were taught about how racism is not something that is a fact or a truth, rather just a belief and ideology. A child doesn't learn or is familiar with racism from his/her mother's womb, it is through the people and the society that we learn to differentiate and discriminate against the Black people. Racism existed in our society since a very long time, but is getting the due attention and focus that it required, only in the past few years.

My family and I share a very open relationship and we often discuss incidents on racism, discrimination, stereotypes etc. My father once told me an incident on racism, which made me realise how deep and important addressing racism is. The incident goes this way-there was a man, lets say John (I am not disclosing the person's real identity). He was a software engineer, who was planning on taking a new job, resigning from the previous one, since he had conflicts with his superiors and wanted to explore new options. He appeared for interviews at many well-reputed companies and did well. He expected calls from few of them.

One evening, when John was with his wife at a local market, he managed to bump into an official who took his interview at one of the companies. His wife being of African descent, John was denied employment in that company. Though this is a case of indirect racism, it shows how deep and profound this problem is.

This was the first time I was exposed to the issue of racism and I was shook, literally. I realised that this is an issue that isn't getting much attention, and not much is being done to tackle it. This was the incident which made me understood the seriousness and the need to address racism and challenge anti-black racists.

@Oct 7, 2020 11:41 AM

My first experience understanding anti-Black racism was sometime in elementary school. As a mixed person with (what I perceive to be) predominantly white features, I have had very limited first-hand experiences with racism, especially anti-Black racism. In elementary school we were taught about slavery and segregation, but nothing about current events. It was also in elementary school that I heard the n-word for the first time. I had heard of the word before, but the first time I heard it come out of someone's mouth I remember feeling very uncomfortable. I didn't confront them. Fast-forward to high school, probably around the 10th grade, I was with a couple of Asian friends at lunch, just telling jokes and laughing when one guy uses the slur. This time I do confront them, but this time I'm a "buzzkill" and another word I don't think I can use in a school setting. They tried to convince me that it was okay to say that word because we were Asian. We are no longer friends. That was my first experience confronting anti-Black racism within the Asian community, something I didn't realize was such an issue until that day.

@Oct 7, 2020 1:03 PM

My first experience confronting anti-Black racism:

My experience with confronting anti-Black racism is with my professors. Whenever we would have a discussion as a class in my Social Service Worker program, me and my friends (one of them being a beautiful Black lady) would bring the perspective of “how does this particular issue affect Black communities?” or even hearing and learning about Black individuals’ experience on a particular topic rather than just learning about white people all the time. We would constantly provide a point of view from diverse backgrounds such as Black people’s experiences hoping that the professors would get the point and that the classmates would learn something new. It was ironic that I took a diversity class without diversity being part of it. Majority of my learning about different races and cultural backgrounds came from interacting with those who were Black or from a different race/background. This was my personal step/experience or learning about and confronting anti-Black racism within an educational institution.

My first experience experiencing anti-Black racism:

The most significant experience of experiencing anti-Black racism that I can personally recall was, when I joined in solidarity for Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. This was great because the community came together to say enough is enough! How many more Black lives are going to be taken for people to stop this nonsense and start becoming an advocating ally. It seriously shocked me to learn that a person’s race can be a threat to their lives, or makes it okay for police (those who are supposed to protect people) use their power to keep racism going. That day when people were advocating and yelling “Black Lives Matter” I kept getting goose-bumps because they were not just protesting. Their voice tone was coming from somewhere deeper. What I mean by that is, in every chant I would hear each person’s story in their tone, and I could feel it in my bones. Thus, I will always do my best in educating myself about Black people’s experiences, will be an ally, educate others about the matter and will practice anti-Black racism.

My first experience challenging anti-Black racism:

For me, my first experience of challenging anti-Black racism was in one of the classes that I was taking in the Social Service Worker program. This is where the challenge really started for me because during the case studies presented in class, there was no presence of Black individuals in the case studies. The case studies solely focused on white people and their familial challenges, with no representation of Black families/communities/children/youth/adults. Even in diversity class that I was taking in the same program we mainly focused on how everything is systematically based on white supremacy without focusing on how that particular issue has impacted Black communities or how we can challenge those racist policies. With that as students we started to bring these issues up to the professions, in order to change either the curriculum or the subjects which we were studying on. This also ties into the confrontation segment of this discussion.

My first understanding anti-Black racism:

My first understanding of anti-Black racism came from my personal experience in highschool. I personally am not born in Canada, therefore when I was in highschool I would feel at home in my English as Second Language (ESL) classes and very much alienated within the mainstreet classes. This was because I was able to bond, learn and share experiences with those who were also not born in Canada including some of the Black students that I bonded with. In my back home (Syria) there was no diversity whatsoever, so when I came to Canada I was fascinated by the diversity. It made me just want to know and learn about people. Although, I was very much disappointed to learn that such things as racism exists in a country that I was told treated its citizens with “inclusivity” and “equality”. The more I learned about people’s experiences, the more I experienced discrimination myself, the seed of being an advocate was imbedded within me and was growing rapidly. I will always fight for justice for Black individuals for those who are facing injustice. When I would hear teachers telling me to watch my friend group or who I hang out with (referring to the Black students) it would make me want to be their friend more. I have always been aware of my surroundings, but I will tell you now, I have experienced more harm from white people than I have from Black people. Therefore, I always refused to listen to those who told me who I should surround myself with because that was up to me to decide based on my own experiences not based on others prejudices.

@October 7 at 3:18 PM

Hi ___,

It's so interesting hearing your experience at the BLM protest, I wanted to go to one but because of COVID my parents were too afraid to let me go. That and there weren't any that close to me that I could attend. It's amazing to hear how that experience changed you and it is so important that we continue to educate others with that negative mindset.

@October 8 at 1:22 PM

Hello ___,

Yes I agree that through protesting and educating other about these issues will bring more awareness. With that, we hope that it brings change too.

@October 9 at 2:42 PM

Hello, I had a similar experience I also learned about many topics about white supremacy in my English and Law classes but nothing was ever taught about how to challenge racism. This is a crucial aspect to learn and practice challenging racism in order to be able to bring change in our communities and systemically.

@Oct 7, 2020 3:14 PM

I grew up in a majority white city, so I was never really aware of other races around me and that they could be discriminated against so harshly. It wasn't until I was being taught about different races and instances of anti-Black racism and racism against others that I was able to understand it, that we weren't all seen as humans and some of us were treated differently simply because of the colour of their skin. Because I was raised in a white city I also never experienced anti-Black racism with my own eyes, I still really haven't to this day, I haven't seen it in person, though I now know that it happens and it happens everywhere. My first experience with anti-Black racism is very fitting with my generation, it was on social media, I would see pictures a Black person had posted or videos and while scrolling through comments left on the post while most were positive I saw a comment that said something along the lines of 'go back to your own country' or 'shouldn't you be in the fields?' I was so shocked, of course the person who commented had no profile picture. I had seen online bullying before but I had never seen something like that before, there were comments under it agreeing with the person and there were some disagreeing with the person. I still see stuff like that to this day, and now most time there are plenty of people attacking the racist person, and while I sometimes will comment something back trying to educate the person, I have to realize that people like that cannot be educated because they were raised seeing things like that. I can only hope that that kind of view is able to slowly disintegrate while we teach incoming generations about racial equity.

@October 7 at 5:48 PM

Hi ___,

people can say some shocking things behind a screen, however I do not think that it's impossible to educate people that have racist views. I feel as though attacking someone when they've said something incorrect or racist does more harm than good. There are other ways like having more conversations about race, sharing helpful tips or articles on your own social media for others to view. I do not think that we should have the mindset of educating people being impossible or else we'll get nowhere.

@October 7 at 6:39 PM

Hi ___,

I totally agree with you, I used to be very hopeful. Thinking I could educate people and try to help them, but unfortunately I quickly learned that people like that will not listen. We can only hope that that negative mindset will someday be just a bad memory.

@October 8 at 1:25 PM

Hi ___!

Thanks for your comment, really quickly just wanna state that I have never attacked someone I've just seen those people being attacked on social media. I've tried a few times to calmly educate people but quickly found that that doesn't work. I love your idea though and I'll have to try it sometime soon to see if maybe I can help out that way!

@Oct 7, 2020 4:52 PM

My first experience of racism has to be in elementary school when I would occasionally hear the N-word coming out of the mouths of immature white kids because they thought it was funny. This then continued into high school where again, groups of immature white teens (mostly males), saying the N-word among their friends and laughing. Throughout elementary school I would also experience kids, teachers, everyone, wanting to touch and pull at my curls usually without asking. I would rarely wear my hair naturally so when it was straight, people would ask to braid it, when it was curly people would touch it, pull it, tell me how "poofy" it looked. Straight or curly people would ask me if my hair was real, if it was really mine. I felt insecure, and like an animal in a petting zoo depending on the way I wore my hair that day.

@October 8 at 10:10 AM

When it comes to the use of slurs, I've noticed a similar thing as you. Actually, I'm sure a large portion of those people still use this language 'joke'.

In my experience, calling out homophobic/racist/ableist language is kind of a tricky thing to navigate because people won't take you seriously and invalidate how you feel. In the past, when I would ask certain people to stop using slurs (homophobic ones in particular) and explain how they're hurtful to me, I was told that I was being too sensitive or that it's just a joke. People tend to get defensive and upset, insisting that you are at fault for being hurt by their actions.

I'm sorry you had that experience with your hair, one of my close friends had to go through a similar thing. I admit that when I was a kid, many of our classmates (including myself) just loveeeddd touching her hair. We even made jokes about how 'poofy' it was and questioned whether or not it was real. It got to a point where my friend stopped wearing her natural hair and only kept it in a tight bun or thick braids.

Although kids don't mean any harm by this, it is still really hurtful and annoying. I imagine that if the situation were reversed, and it was the Black kids who fiddled with white/non-Black hair, amused by how straight or how non-poofy it was, the situation would be much different. I have a feeling that teachers would be quicker to call it out the behaviour as inappropriate and discriminatory.

I really enjoyed reading your post ___! Thank you for sharing :)

@October 8 at 11:07 AM

Hi ___!

You're definitely correct that people do get quite defensive when they are called out, insisting that the hurtful words they used are just jokes. Thank you for pointing out that if situations were reversed the outcome would be different if it were fascination with non-Black hair instead. White people expect that they are allowed to do these kinds of racist things and get away with it. However, only if the roles were reversed would they see it as something wrong.

@October 8 at 11:27 AM

I definitely relate to people treating curly hair as a spectacle. Not only is it annoying, but it can lead to having a negative experience with your own hair. I hope as you've gotten older you began to love your hair and flaunt those curls!

@October 8 at 1:51 PM

Yes! I now love and wear my natural hair everyday and have thankfully overcome using hair straighteners :)

@October 8 at 1:25 PM

___, this post really reminded me of something I witnessed in my elementary school as well. When I was in the fifth grade, I met a Black girl with a big beautiful afro, and the kindest soul you could ever imagine. When I first met her, we had both just transferred to a new school. She often wore her hair down, sometimes styling it with butterfly clips or headbands. Over time, the students began harassing her about her hair, telling her it was too big and they could not see the board behind her head. They would constantly ask her to touch it, but then I would hear them talk behind her back and say it was 'messy' and 'unkempt'. After the fifth grade, my friend straightened her hair every day, and if it was not straightened she would put it up in a bun or in braids.

She was too nice to ever tell them that they were being rude or offensive, so she simply styled her hair in a way that would satisfy them. She even began to agree with them and she thought about herself negatively because of their harsh words. We have been friends for about 9 years now, and this summer was the first time I had seen her muster up the courage to wear her hair naturally.

What white students do not understand is how harmful their words and actions can be. They assume that 'playful jokes' are not to be taken seriously, and anyone who gets offended is too sensitive. My friend is just one example of how these ignorant children can tear down someone's self-esteem. She spent 9 years being afraid of embracing her natural beauty due to the ignorance of those students.

@October 8 at 2:03 PM

Everyday in school I would be siting at my desk and every time someone would have to walk behind me, their body would brush across my hair and sometimes jerk my head. No one ever bothered to step back and politely walk by. It made me feel insecure like my hair stuck out too much or was too big. When they would walk by with someone who had straight hair, they wouldn't touch them at all. And then when I would put my hair up in a bun, people would complain about not being able to see. There really is no way to win in a situation like that and it does make having confidence challenging.

@October 8 at 2:51 PM

Hi ___,

Thank you sharing. This is horrible to read but is a reality all to real for so many people. I heard and witnessed things like this happening to my friends when I was in high school. It is absolutely disgusting how normalized these racist behaviours are. It is so damaging to be treated that way.

@October 8 at 4:48 PM

Thank you for sharing your own experiences, it is courageous and so inspiring. I'm sorry to hear about the fiddling with your hair. It's probably ironic and frustrating now considering that what the white kids called 'poofy' is now a trend.

@October 9 at 10:04 PM

Hey, thank you for sharing!

Growing up, I had learned that the N-word is something I should NEVER say. Attending a predominately White school, I have heard too many people say it, even my friends. I have and will always tell people not to say it but they always have excuses. "It's apart of the song", "everyone says it", "my friend is black", "I have the N-word pass". What does that even mean????? It is simple, if you are not Black, do NOT say it!!!! Recently, I have noticed that some people have stopped using the word and when I ask them why they say it is because they just now understand the effects of saying the N-word (because of BLM). While I want to believe them, I cannot. I really do wish for them to truly stop saying it but knowing them, I know they still say it when I am not there. It is a shame that people are just now acknowledging why they should not say the N-word. They should have known from the start. I do not believe in any excuses, if you say the word, you are racist to me (unless you are black).

@Oct 7, 2020 6:17 PM

When I first began elementary school, residential development had not yet reached my rural community in Caledon, Ontario. This contributed to a glaring lack of diversity present throughout the school. At the time, my parents were both teachers in the neighbouring city of Brampton. I remember visiting their schools on my Professional Development (PD) days and quickly noticing the discrepancies between my school community and theirs. When my young self returned back to school the next day, I began asking: why don’t we have the same racial diversity that I witnessed twenty minutes away? When this began to change, as urban sprawl and development came within my school’s catchment, I was eager to make new friends and welcome the new members of our community. However, this feeling of inclusiveness was not shared among my peers. As our school’s Black population grew, a racial division became increasingly evident. The friends that I had grown up with were quick to isolate these newcomers before allowing themselves the opportunity to know them. I continued to ask: why? My inability to see the obvious truth came out of my not-wanting to accept that my peers, at such a young age, were already discriminating against classmates on the basis of race. It was here, between the cornfields and the swings, that I came to understand the Anti-Black racism that had been present in our community all along; whether we allowed ourselves to see it or not. As we moved through each grade, the divide may have lessened, but it never closed. I regret not using my white privilege to foster a bridge of friendship. At the time, I justified this lack of action through a personal commitment to never allow race to define equality or constitute the value of an individual. However, this was not enough, and it still isn’t. I am now able to properly identify Anti-Black racism and recognize the need for us to collectively advocate and demand change from those around us.

@October 7 at 8:43 PM

I like that you used this as an opportunity to reflect on your community as well as yourself. I can relate a lot to your experiences, anti-Black racism was something I saw happening all around me when I was younger but I tried to justify my lack of action through false beliefs that made me feel a little better about not intervening or extending a hand. It was only when I was a little older did I realize that by being stagnant, I was only further perpetuating the racist behaviour of my peers.

I enjoyed reading your post :)

@Oct 7, 2020 8:34 PM

I’ve encountered a lot of anti-Black racism throughout my life. But looking back the instances that stood out to me the most was when I was in elementary school. We were a predominantly white school with a sizeable amount of POC, however there was only one Black girl in our grade, B. She is a girl that has traditionally Black features, flat nose, kinky hair, dark skin, bigger lips, and she much taller and more developed. The white popular kids in our school always alienated her, and looked at her as if they were staring at an animal in the zoo. They looked at me the same way, they always made it a point to point out my smaller asian eyes and straight black hair as if I was such a spectacle to them. But looking back, I never had it worse than B. She was a sweet person, funny, and was kind to whoever she talked to. However, none of that mattered, every one had already made up their mind about her and shrunk her to fit a mold of what a “Black girl is.”

The girls and the boys in our grade called her “Big Mama” because she was too “loud” but deep down, I know it was because she was too “Black.”

Or even another instance when a fellow classmate of mine pretended to be B’s friend just so she could find out and expose her crush. When her secret crush was outed, it was no surprise that it was the boy that every girl had a crush on. However B having a crush on him was treated differently, it was humiliating for him. People made fun of her for it as if she wasn’t a just 10 year old that had an innocent crush. I heard the boys in my grade talk about her as if she was this dirty, filthy animal. Demeaning her to a “game of cooties” as it was believed that anyone who touched her or even come in contact with her would get the “cooties” and would be alienated as well. This game only applied to her, as if she had some disease that could be spread.

Even the staff would be extra hard on B, apprehending her for the smallest things and when she told them about the bullying, they basically told her to “suck it up” and left her to fend for herself. But when it came to the popular white girls, they never hesitated to discipline whoever they pointed their fingers at. I can recall many many more stories about B and her horrible treatment. As a kid, I didn’t know that these were acts of anti-Black racism, but growing up I became increasingly aware that how people treated B stemmed from a place of ignorance, a place of racism. These people didn’t view B as a peer, they viewed her as someone inferior to them, someone who is different, simply because she is Black.

I feel no need to state that she was targeted in our elementary school because she’s Black, because by now it should be awfully apparent. Although it is sad to look back and remember so many young kids who were already sexualizing and stereotyping B. Even at such a young age, we were already picking up and learning anti-Black behaviour. Even me, I’m just as guilty as the rest of them because I stood on the sidelines and let it all happen, not once did I try to step in, as I feared of becoming a target too.

But as long as this behaviour stays being ingrained in the mind of the youth, and the cycle of racism will never end. There has been and will be countless others just like B and they will face the same injustices she has.

@October 9 at 8:48 PM

Isabella, thank you for your response and reading my post! I’m glad you understand these issues the same way I did, and I’m glad we’re both aiming to better ourselves.

@October 8 at 8:05 PM

Hey ___,

Thank you for sharing this experience. It has really made me reflect on my own experience in elementary school when it came to witnessing anti-Black racism. It has also made me reflect on whether I have also been a by-stander as a child in a similar situation. How we as a society can do better to educate ourselves, stand up, and take action when witnessing such injustices. This story truly goes to show that no one is born with racism in their heart but that racism is taught.

@October 8 at 9:01 PM

It's definitely something to think about, as kids we all make excuses to ourselves that 'let us off the hook' or we turned a blind eye. But I think that now we're older, more educated, it's a responsibility to not be passive anymore. I think when anti-Black behaviour occurs and you don't challenge it, you're allowing the offender think that being ignorant is acceptable. In turn, you're adding fuel to the fire.

@Oct 8, 2020 6:13 AM

Much of Canada’s pride goes into its multicultural and diverse population located mainly within Toronto. It even goes as far to make Canada reputable as a welcoming country towards everyone. I learned in elementary school the significant role Canada played as the “Promised Land” during the Underground Railroad. To my disappointment, this was untrue how Canada proudly identified as a racially tolerant country from long ago. As I spent most of my life in Canada, I witnessed anti-Black racist events happening right before my own eyes. I distinctly remember a time, a couple years ago, when a sales representative refused to help a Black woman in their store. Though she treated every other White customer with friendliness, she was rude towards the Black woman who was simply returning her item. This was the first memory I had witness racial discrimination toward Blacks. There were subtle occurrences too, including when a Black man crossed the street, I noticed some people avoid and take a different route. This dangerous, criminal view of a Black man is an ideology traced back to the roots of slavery, when it considered illegal to escape from slavery. Running away was a criminal act of “stealing” themselves as fugitives from slavery. I began to notice that more and more of modern anti-Balck racism were subtle but still existed all around. The racist behaviours of people were developed from views that were embedded in history during slavery and colonization.

@Oct 8, 2020 10:46 AM

Having grown up in a small farm town with close to no cultural and racial diversity I didn't really have to witness or confront any anti-Black racism in my childhood. Even throughout most of my high school years I don't think I can say I had to observe racism, however, I still knew that it was extremely prevalent in the world around me. I would say that my first encounter challenging anti-Black racism came this past summer when all of the protests and riots started happening because of George Floyd's murder. I was casually talking with an acquaintance about everything that had been going on in the world including COVID-19, George Floyd's murder, the Beirut explosion, etc. when this acquaintance mentioned how all of the riots and protests after George Floyd's death were excessive for only one man's death and that they weren't going to change anything. She went on to say how Black lives aren't the only lives that matter and that if Black people really wanted equality they should be shouting "All Lives Matter." Shocked as I was to hear this come out of her mouth, I didn't really know what to say. I knew she was wrong, however, I'm not really the kind of person to argue with someone that I don't know very well. But I also knew that I couldn't say nothing because this lady needed to hear that she was wrong. All I said was, "I don't think that's right," and went on to tell her that even though all lives do matter, people need to be focussing on making black lives matter because they are the ones that need the attention right now. After telling her this, she just said that everyone was entitled to their own opinions and switched the topic of conversation.

This small conversation made me feel empowered to continue to fight against anti-Black racism and stand up for those that need it the most.

@October 8 at 1:43 PM

Hello,

I'm happy that you spoke up about the situation and letting the person know that they were in the wrong. Black lives, as you mentioned, need attention now. After the protest I would hear people telling me over social media how I needed to quarantine and that I was not being responsible. However, they were missing the point, and I would tell them that it takes a lot to go on a protest during a pandemic. Imagine how serious the issue is for people to protest during a lockdown. I definitely think that approaching people from an educational point of view is the best, because not only it makes them face their ignorance but next time they'll (hopefully) take the time to learn about issues that are more serious in life. Then again people are entitled to their own opinion, if they still choose to stay ignorant then they're just going to be schooled more and more by everyone else until this changes. Thank you for sharing!

@ Oct 8, 2020 1:07 PM

I am a firm believer that racism is not something that naturally occurs, it is something taught and learned. The first time I ever made this discovery was when I was in elementary school, specifically in the Extended French program. With a program like this, you can imagine that my school was culturally diverse, yet still overrun by white students. As young students, many of us did not know the difference between right and wrong, especially when it came to things like racist remarks. Often I heard the white kids making racist remarks about the Black students, but they shrugged it off as a 'joke' and claimed that if anyone got offended, they are being too sensitive. These kids were too young to have naturally been little racists, it was clearly something they were taught by others, like family members or their peers.

One instance I would like to highlight is when the white students would complain that the Black students were only good at sports simply because they were Black. They would diminish their achievements by saying that the Black students did not earn their successes, they simply excelled because of their biological advancements. This can be understood using Dr. Kendi's term 'biological racist' from "How to be an Antiracist", which he defines as "One who is expressing the idea that the races are meaningfully different in their biology and that these differences create a hierarchy in value," (Kendi, 44). These students truly believed that they were biologically different from one another due to their skin tone. In fact, the white students deemed themselves superior enough to mock and bully the Black students at every given opportunity, and they diminished their successes to make themselves feel better.

My elementary school experience was the first time I witnessed anti-Black racism. I saw the way students were picked on due to their skin tone. I distinctly remember being confused about what was going on; the white students always claimed they were just joking about their racist remarks, and I never understood why no one ever said anything.

The reason I dedicated my teenage years to becoming an activist is because I never stood up against racism in my childhood years. While I now understand the blatant racism that took place in my elementary school, I regret not defending the Black students in the face of prejudice. To this day I think about what I could have done differently in the past, but I work towards bettering my future in the face of racism. I know now that my first instance witnessing racism is not what defines me, it is the way I choose to handle it in the present and in the future.

@October 9 at 4:47 PM

Hello ___,

I absolutely agree with you in that racism is learned behaviour. I too believe that we largely model our inclusivity or discrimination of others on the basis of what was taught and demonstrated for us. I was in a French Immersion school from grades one to eight where I commonly saw a lack of diversity and racial division. From elementary school and continuing into high school, I also consistently heard racist comments being delivered as if they were harmless jokes. Upon reflection, I wish I had done more and used my White privilege to stand up for those whose platform was being taken away. I respect that you have used this realization to actively work towards encouraging change in others. It is my hope that I will continue to do the same and amplify the voices of all those around me.

@October 8 at 1:31 PM

Yeah it's interesting to hear stories from people that we have close connections with. Even systemically, there is still a lot that needs to change. Black people still face discriminatory experiences even within the healthcare system. Meaning that their concerns aren't taken seriously or even finding the right doctors to meet their medical needs is harder because they don't get the right referral or the information is not readily accessible to them. Interesting point of view, thank you for sharing!

@Oct 8, 2020 1:18 PM

My first experience understanding anti-Black racism was when my cousin married an African American. While my family was accepting no matter who the person was, I had learned stories of times when he was faced with anti-Black racism.

There was a time when he and a cousin were house-sitting a dog for her friend. She and her fiance at the time were sitting in their car in front of the house chatting. A neighbor in the area did not recognize them and called the police on them. A police car arrived and questioned them as to what they were doing sitting in the car in front of the house. They explained they were just house sitting their friend's dog and were just sitting in the car chatting. They called the friend up who was on vacation to confirm who they were and why they were there. Nevertheless they were asked to leave.

From hearing this encounter, I started to understand that anti-Black racism is still alive in our society. I haven’t heard any story like this because my whole life has since I have been sheltered. I myself have never faced racism or stereotyping in my life. I was shocked and also disheartened that people are still stereotyping against other people because of the colour of their skin. Overall, from the stories I heard from my cousin facing anti-Black racism I started to understand that while our systems may have changed over the years not enough has been done.

@October 8 at 7:00 PM

Hey ___,

I completely understand. Anti-Black racism feels more real when hearing stories from other individuals. It's sad that we live in a society where Black people have to constantly prove their innocence even when they are in the right. And even then, it's not guaranteed they will be believed.

@ Oct 8, 2020 2:49 PM

When I was in grade 10, the former principal at my high school, Etobicoke School of the Arts had racially profiled students by creating a "Black List," which was sent to teachers. She later retracted the list, after pushback from teachers. The students found out months later, after she had tried to cover up what she had done. She defended her actions by saying it was to "identify gaps in achievement." The school community would later find out she had gone through the yearbook to create the list and selected students she believed were Black. At the end of that school year, a 3 hour community meeting was held for students and parents to speak directly to her and express their perspectives and to question how she came to create the list. It was a difficult year particularly, as the school was being called out rightfully so in the media and stories about racism at my high school started coming to light. At the time, the school was predominantly white and wealthy. Many of the Black and Racialized students faced common experiences of microaggressions and racism at the hands of students and educators. The principal eventually resigned and was transferred to another school. She is still employed with the board, a decision I really do not understand. What made it even worse, was that her actions were not isolated. It finally exposed a history of racism in my school and the creation of a system that made it difficult for Black and Racialized students to excel in. Many of my peers felt scared to go to school knowing they were being targeted. Many considered transferring out. Witnessing that, made me realize that Anti-Black racism is ingrained in every part of our lives. Schools are not immune to it and oftentimes it is the breeding ground for these issues. It made me recognize the important of accountability and action and the power of using your voice to be a part of change.

@October 9 at 10:21 PM

Hey ___, thank so much for sharing your experience. I had a similar experience happen to me at my catholic school in Etobicoke but it was one of the older students, they'd even gone so far as to rate the Black people in our school on a scale of tolerable to 'ghetto'. It was disgusting. I completely agree that in any cases school becomes the breeding ground for these racially motivated occurrences. I can only do my best to spread awareness and call out anti-Black racists on the spot. It's great that you're all to recognize these issues and are trying to challenge them. Great post!

@Oct 8, 2020 4:34 PM

Ever since I could remember, my parents have instilled this fear of the police in me. They've instructed me to make sure I don't resist the authorities because they don't want to see me shot and killed. They have never sugarcoated the racism that exists within the United States. Something that I remember is an encounter that my uncle had with the authorities because of my younger cousins. Because of his skin, they automatically assumed the worst. Luckily, he didn't end up in a fatal situation but even then, it opened my eyes up to truly understanding the injustices towards Black people. I also remember when the news came out about Trayvon Martin and how angry my parents were. My understanding of anti-Black racism began when I was younger and I'm glad that I understood it then because now I can challenge it.

@Oct 8, 2020 4:44 PM

In eleventh grade, a boy that I knew and shared mutual friends with (let’s call him a fake name - Tommy) was expelled from my high school for being racist. A picture had ‘leaked’ of him, and in that picture he had drawn a KKK cloak over himself. Two other boys who were his friends were also removed from the school but they faced less intense consequences. Before his expulsion, I had witnessed Tommy use racist, sexist and homophobic slurs and every time, I was sure to stop him and not only ‘scold’ him, but also educate him. Most of our conversations included me ranting, and him not caring. I was often replied to with a sexist comment such as “women shouldn’t speak”. To make it worse, Tommy used the n word in front of and directed at our mutual friend, who is half black and half white. He never felt shame, even after being expelled. He was the kind of person who asked, “if they (referring to Black people) can use the word, so can I” and also said “we made the word so we should use it”.

My school faced a lot of backlash when people heard that the other two boys weren’t completely expelled from the school board and when the administration didn’t initially speak out about the situation. In addition, there had been instances before Tommy where racist ideas and actions were involved, even a white teacher allegedly used the n-word. Our Black students were very mad, and the allies stood by their side like never before. Tommy was receiving death threats, and he and the other two boys were encouraged to not come to school by the administration. It took a while until the school addressed it, and considering I can hardly remember how it was approached, they did not do a great job. My school played into the racist ideas and white supremacy, they protected the white boys before they did the Black, and many people from my school claimed that the anti-black racism there was profound, and many agreed.

Tommy finished his high school education at a private school just around the corner from my high school. He returned to my school multiple times to see his friends in our student parking lot. Tommy portrayed many traits of a white supremacist and through watching his behaviour, and seeing how my high school dealt with it, I started to understand anti-black racism even more. His actions didn’t hurt him, but they hurt a whole community of people and he didn’t feel bad about it. His life didn't change and I can’t even explain in words how crucial that is to the subject of anti-black racism and the subject of white supremacy, and whiteness, and privilege. Tommy’s behaviour was the first time I had ever really witnessed or challenged anti-black racism.

@Oct 8, 2020 5:46 PM

When I was growing up in Toronto in the 2000's, I had friends from various types of backgrounds. Race was never really a topic of conversation. However, there were times someone said something that offended me or that made me feel extremely uncomfortable. It became very clear as the token black girl in the group that nobody had a discussion about race with anyone in my friend group. Race is an extremely uncomfortable topic that I was never forced to explore; however, I feel if I was pushed in the direction of that discomfort, I would have realized at an earlier age that it is really hard being Black in Canada. When I was young, I heard things like ‘Racism only occurred in the United States”, that Canada was much better than the United States so when I had my very first experience with racism it came to me with a shock. I had always heard Canada was better in every aspect, especially this one, but it seems that Canada had just been better at hiding it back then. The very first time I had heard of a killing was Trayvon Martin, and that was extremely unexpected, and I did not know how to cope. What I was supposed to, or even allowed to be sad? Why were people looking directly at me for answers? I had realized why I never really felt like I belonged in my 4th class. I had already diagnosed my uncomfortableness as my own issue, but Trayvon was not the first and he was unfortunately not the last. There are systems in this country that have been in place since the institution of slavery that make it hard for Black people to live comfortably and freely without feeling like their life is being threatened on a constant basis. If I had some grasp of this concept back, then I feel like I would not have felt so bad for feeling so uncomfortable.

I don’t know about you but aside from this course I have not heard about anti-black racism before.

Racism, where a person is prejudiced against another person by the color of their skin, but it can also be more subtle. For example, not hiring someone because of their name or not promoting them because of the color of their skin. When that kind of prejudice is packed into society, the product is structural racism, which we have learned in previous modules. Society had been structured in a way that hurts black people the most and it stems from enslavement.

At school there was an instance that also changed my perspective. I understand that schools want to be non-distracting especially in a learning environment when it comes to dress code, so I understand the want to keep daisy dukes out of school property. However, what is considered distracting and inappropriate is pretty subjective and could end up singling out Black students which has happened to me and my friends before. My guy friend had a Durag on in school, and when the morning that we had when the announcements came on and the substitute teacher walked in my friend was asked to take off his Durag. When he refused once he was sent to the office. His twin brother tried to defend him and pointed out that the kid with the hood was not being called out, but he was sent to the office as well. The white kid with the hood on was again left alone. From that point on he did not wear a Durag to school. To this day I do not understand what wearing a Durag has to do with disrupting his learning capabilities, or a violation of any school rule because all it illustrated back then was nothing revealing was to be worn, but it was still done. To be anti-racist, it is not enough to not to be a racist- not to say racial slurs, not to be culturally appropriate but it is calling out the people that perform those acts. It is an everyday occurrence and mindset.

@October 8 at 8:35 PM

Hi ___!

I've had conversations with my friend where she expressed her frustration about being made to address anti-Black racism, particularly regarding what was on the news at the time. I recall just how exasperated she was with being put on the spot in a classroom setting. "I am not the CEO of Black people, how am I supposed to know???" This statement still makes me laugh, but I understand why she was (and I'm sure still is) annoyed about this. I've been guilty of looking to the token Black person in my friend group for answers, but it is not their responsibility to educate or inform me! As my friend put it, you are not the CEO of Black people- you do not represent a whole population so it wouldn't be fair to look to you for answers!

Great response, by the way!

@October 9 at 11:46 AM

Hey ___!

Thank you for your response. It is truly annoying having to feel like you always have to explain issues and instances especially when they occur in the media. I am only one person so I can not, nor will I ever speak for a whole race of Black people, and it is tiring having to feel like a "CEO", as you said. Another awkward instance Black people continuously have to go through is in grade 9 geography, or any other time the topic of slavery comes on. Everyone gets silent, and looks toward the Black person for their reaction. I really appreciate that you say you recognize it is not your friends job to educate you. I think it is really important that when people make unintentionally crude mistakes, especially towards their Black friends or Black people, that they learned not to make those mistakes again. That is honestly what anyone can hope for is the understanding of that mistake.

@October 8 at 9:33 PM

Hi ___,

I grew up in the early 2000's and Trayvon Martin was also the first killing I had heard of. I remember being disgusted by the case, wondering how an innocent kid could just be marked as dangerous because he was wearing a hoody. Growing up in a time where racism wasn't really spoken about, I didn't understand it. My stepfather was born in Africa so I was raised in an interracial home. Nobody really showed their true colours in my family until they separated; I didn't even really see their true colours until a few years ago.

@October 9 at 12:13 PM

Hi ___,

Thank you for your response. From that instance on it was very important in my household not to walk around with a hood outside. Not that I was ever allowed to go outside by my self anyways I was 10. Even now in first year, as a Black women there are certain things I cannot do. Such as go outside too late on my own, wear a hoodie at night, or walk alone at night. Or other things I must do like; speak to the police respectfully but knowing my rights, call when I get home ect.. There are certain rules for the road and for life that were instilled in me from a young age from the murder of Trayvon Martin, and even before then , that I need to follow because I am a Black women in society.

I know growing up when race was not talked about I felt like I was in a bubble, not knowing but witnessing the differences between the other kids and myself and it is there but nobody acknowledged it and I felt like that diminished my identity in a way little because times where I was not surrounded by any faces that resembled my own I felt alone. Like at school, there were no teachers that looked like me.

I believe when you are young they shelter you but when you are not young anymore there is nobody to protect you or filter you from life anymore. It is this extreme hit from reality that the people around you, that may have been around you all your life are not who they seem and I think this just relates to everyone, especially to how you noted that you did not see your families true colours until a few years ago it is a little sad to think that some people are not what they seemed when you were younger. I remember quickly noticing some friends I had from school their parents not treating me kindly as they would to their child's other friends.

@Oct 8, 2020 6:52 PM

I'm mixed. My mother is White (Italian), and my dad is Black (Trinidadian). I struggled with my identity my entire life. I never really fit in with any race. I was too dark to be called White, but not Dark enough to be considered Black.
I remember a time I was younger and at school. The school teacher refused to give me to my mom until she provided a valid ID to prove I was her child. I remember being scared and confused. Afraid because some crazy lady refused me access to see my mom but confused, why was this lady keeping me from my mom? Even after I called for her.

I have had people in my life tell me that because I wasn't raised a certain way that I wasn't Black enough or White enough. It was hard, feeling like I didn't belong.

But there was one time in high school that I would never forget. A boy, who was White, every day, for the past year, called me a NIGG. Not NIGG**, just NIGG. Since I wasn't entirely Black, I didn't deserve the full word. One time a new girl (Black) heard him say that to me and walked up to me. She was saying how I wasn't mad at this? What he did was wrong and racist.

It made me realize I wasn't annoyed by it because I believed I was safe. Since I'm half White, I thought I had this safety net around me, but in reality, I don't. I will never have the same rights and privileges as any other White person. Due to my skin colour, it doesn't matter that I'm White, my class, or my family, I will forever be looked at and seen as another Black girl.

So the next day, I confronted him and shut his s*** down quick, for the first time. That was the first time I acknowledged an Anti-Black racist. It took me a long time to discover more about myself, but I now see and identify Anti-Black racism, and I don't hesitate to stand up and speak out.

@October 9 at 1:58 AM

That last paragraph made me really happy and excited, lol!

However, I am very sorry you had to experience these types of things. I am not mixed and I'll never know what it's like to be in your shoes, but I do have a few words of advice. Sometimes you may feel like you don't belong, but nonetheless, don't let anyone force you to choose or neglect an aspect of your identity, because ALL of these aspects are a part of who you are and there is nothing wrong with that! Accepting these aspects of your life can help you be more confident in yourself and more confident against those who try and tear you down.

@October 9 at 4:51 PM

I'm mixed too! Mum is white (Scottish), Dad is Black (Somali). My friends used to (I haven't heard them say it since the BLM protests this summer) always said that I was "the whitest Black person ever" because I was raised with a white mother and like the same things they did. It's great learning that I don't have to be a certain way to be accepted as Black or White. Our actions, behaviour, and interest can't make us any less or more of one or the other.

@Oct 8, 2020 7:56 PM

I always heard stories from my friends and family confronting or experiencing anti-Black racism. The first time I confronted and challenged anti-Black Racism was when I was 15 years old.

I went to visit some of my cousins in Sacramento, California. Majority of my cousin’s parents are both Persian and I have a few cousins whose parents aren’t both Persian, but are biracial. One of my cousins, Zarrin is half Persian and half Kenyan. I had not seen her and my other cousins in years. We decided to go the beach the first day. Once we got there, Zarrin, my two other cousins and I went to go to buy some snacks from the convenient store closest to the beach. Once we went in, we greeted the older white lady at the cash register who didn’t greet us back and just gave us a glare. It gave us an uneasy feeling but we continued to get what we needed to leave. We headed to buy our snacks after laughing and making random jokes in the isles. Zarrin went to pay first and before she set down her snacks on the counter of the register the cashier said she “needed” to check her backpack. Instantly, my other cousins and I slammed our backpacks on the counter with Zarrin’s. The cashier then said only her bag, pointing at the Black kid she is assuming stole something from her store. “It is because I’m Black?” Zarrin asked, challenging her. By the look on her face, I knew this wasn’t the first time this has happened. It broke my heart to witness her knowing how to go about these racist actions almost like a routine. “No, of course not” the cashier hesitating. After the cashier said that, I can’t explain the anger I felt or what Zarrin must have felt. Whatever I said didn’t register in my head, it all just came out. “Do you know that everyone has the capability to steal? Do you? It can be anyone, not just Black people. You’re really gonna stand there and accuse that. You are disgusting. You are gonna either search everyone’s bags or none at all.” There was silence. The cashier remained silent, unbothered. “We’re not buying anything from here.” I said as we left all the snacks at the counter. As we were going through the door, my cousins were yelling at her saying “get educated” and or explicit language, rightfully so. Later that day, I called the manager of that store explaining what happened and that cashier was fired the week later.

@October 8 at 11:07 PM

Hey ___,

Similar to your incident, I have witnessed cases of racism against my best friend (half Canadian and half Jamaican). In these situations, it is hard not to lose your cool and I commend you for standing up for your cousin and for what is right. There are some horrible people out there and they have to be called out for their disgusting acts.

Great post! Love the way you handled the situation as well.

@October 9 at 5:23 AM

Wow, ___... I just want to say that it's amazing that you immediately stood up for your cousin like that! I feel like some people don't do anything if they happen to be witnesses of an act of racism, but you were not hesitant for even one second. The lady really needed to realize what she was causing with her actions and that she was not acting right at all. She clearly demonstrated the opposite of her words when she said she wasn't doing it because your cousin was Black.

This was amazing! :)

@Oct 8, 2020 8:11 PM

To understand my relationship with anti-Black racism, it is crucial I lay out my own history. I am the child of Iranian immigrants with anti-Black ideologies they did not fear sharing. The notion that ‘Black’ was an evil that must be avoided was drilled into my head, presumably for my parents’ own peace of mind. My two older sisters, like my parents, displayed racist attitudes casually, as if second nature or a habit. Needless to say, racism was normalized in my household. Dr.Dre blasted from my sister’s hot pink RAZR as I, a seven-year-old suggestible like any other, sat and watched the person I idolized say the N-word like it was a practiced part of her vernacular. She didn’t skip a single beat. I wasn’t sure what weight that word held, but I recall wincing and going red in the face when she said it, knowing it wasn’t a good word. I figured it was akin to any other curse or swear which is why I pushed my earlobes in, attempting to spare my innocent ears. I was about eight or so when I realized that it wasn’t just a swear word, but a word that shouldn’t leave my mouth under any circumstances.

My parents were fed up with me by age twelve. At that point, I’d found myself in countless online spaces, so I’d more or less figured out on my own that my parents were racist, and calling them out was a hill I was willing to die on. I thought I was on the right track until two years ago when I had a realization: I was racist.

When a Black man walked alongside me on the street, I’d tense up and keep a hand on my bag. When a Black girl had her edges laid and hoops in her ears, I’d stay away; that was a mean girl who wasn’t to be messed with. Chester Le, the neighbourhood in Toronto which stood next to my own, was where the ‘poor Black people’ lived. I would get home riding the TTC, but the 24, the bus that took me the nearest to my home, stopped right outside of this neighbourhood. I’d disregard the stagnant red hand at the crosswalk and dash across, praying I wouldn’t become a victim at the hands of a Chester Le resident.

This realization was difficult for me to accept. How could I be racist? I didn’t say racist things, or think Black people were below me, so how? I’m satisfied with the answer I came up with:

I’m not ‘not racist’. I’m an anti-racist. I possess prejudice, perhaps some I am not even aware of, but I am making an active effort to undo it. Claiming I am not racist achieves nothing; I must strive to become a better ally, and that includes identifying my own harmful behaviour, listening to Black voices, and continuing to educate myself. Being anti-racist is a lifelong process.

@October 8 at 9:44 PM

Hi ___,

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I think that it's really good that you're recognizing and realizing that your actions and thought process was wrong. That's so important when you have to reshape and change your entire thought process and challenge the things that you were doing your whole life. We need more people like you in this world who can challenge themselves to change and be better.

@Oct 8, 2020 8:34 PM

The very first time I confronted someone who had made some anti-Black racist remarks was when I was 16 years old. I was sitting in my family room along some of my family members and the topic of tans due to the sun came up, it was summertime, and all the kids were playing outside throughout the summer and my sister had gotten a tan from the sun. Now I am south-Asian and most we have brown skin but in the sun we tend to get tanned. So my sister had a tan and one of the elders in the family pointed out that she looked like a black person (he said the n-word). The way he said it sounded like he was disgusted and smirked as if he had just insulted her. In the south-Asian culture it is promoted to be more 'fair' than 'dark', our entire lives our families have told us to not go in the sun because we would get 'darker' and we would look ugly. This never sat well with me, so this time I decided to confront him and tell him that he should be embarrassed of himself and what he said was extremely racist and unacceptable. I was angered and fed up by these comments and this ongoing narrative of darker skin being ugly. That situation ended in me being told to apologize (I didn't) and that's the problem, I was told to apologize when everyone clearly knew who was in the wrong.

I always wondered why some south-Asians are racist when they are also subject to racism. I have yet to find the answer but I am doing what is required, educating myself on how to challenge/deal with anti-Black racism. I am also constantly trying to educate my family on this subject. This event made me realize that we as a society have to go get educated and educated everyone we know. This was an extremely sad event that never should have happened and I feel embarrassed to even write about it but it's important to spread awareness on this subject.

@October 8 at 8:49 PM

Hello!

To answer your question in the last paragraph, I think many South-Asian populations were subject to the same colonial powers that enforced a colourist rhetoric in other stolen/occupied lands! The narrative of whiter skin being more beautiful embraces the colonial perspective; dark being considered ugly allows the Black body to be dehumanized, and allows non-Black people's complicity in anti-Black racism. I think that nations touched by colonialism are anti-Black by design because of this.

Great post!

@October 8 at 10:53 PM

Hey ___,

Looking back at history I completely agree with your comment, the British took over major parts of South Asia, and their ideology had been instilled in many people's minds. I guess what I was asking is why there is still this notion that whiter skin equals beauty. I was wondering that because some of my own family members have been in Canada for over 25 years and have had racist encounters but yet they choose to be racist towards black people. And I know this is the case with many others.

Thank you for replying and answering my question, I appreciate it!

@October 9 at 2:35 AM

Hi ___,

When you mentioned, "In the south-Asian culture it is promoted to be more 'fair' than 'dark', our entire lives our families have told us to not go in the sun because we would get 'darker' and we would look ugly." I could relate personally as well. I remember my aunts telling me not to stay out in the sun too much because I'll get "too dark". As a kid, I always wondered why it was such a big deal to them and as I grew up, I started realizing just how racist what they were saying was.

@October 9 at 12:52 PM

Hello ___,

Thank you so much for sharing your story and thank you for stepping up and letting your elder know that the things he was saying were inappropriate as well as offensive. I know it can be hard to let someone older than you (especially a family member) know that they are wrong sometimes as they may not be inclined to listen to what you have to say or may see it as a sign of disrespect.

@Oct 8, 2020 9:03 PM

The first time I had ever experienced confronting anti-Black racism was when Covid first started. I had posted how I was going to go to the protest for BLM in Niagara Falls to see if anyone I know was going to attend as well. Does my own mother not comment on it and say that I shouldn't attend, that it wasn't safe, and that the BLM protests should wait until Covid went away. I confronted her and told her that racism doesn't wait for a pandemic and until Black people stopped getting murdered by police, I wasn't going to stop protesting. Funny enough, this is the same woman who told me to send my children to school during a pandemic. This was the same day that I challenged anti-Black racism by attending the protests. I not only practiced safe social distancing protocols, but I raised my sign high and chanted in the streets, challenging anti-Black racism.

The first time that I ever experienced anti-Black racism was when I was painting my house with my grandparents and my grandmother looked at me and asked me, "please tell me that you're not going to date all those Black guys like your mother did." I didn't even know what to say to her and this wasn't even that long ago, but it was before I understood racism in it's entirety. I knew what she said was wrong but I didn't know how to challenge it back then like I do now.

The first time that I ever understood anti-Black racism was when I first started to attend therapy. I have a feminist, Black counsellor. She is the one person who has taught me everything. From parenting, to racism. I asked her questions about anti-Black racism and she educated me. I can still ask her anything that I need to. I think that is the most important part for people is to be educated on anti-Black racism because some people can't understand what hasn't happened to them unless they are educated by the right people.

@October 9 at 10:40 AM

Hi ___,

It's great that you spoke out about this incident and that it was addressed. It's important to speak up. Certain culture's are still racist to Black people which is sad since we have come so far in our history but yet these ideas still exist.

@October 9 at 10:11 PM

___, I'm sorry you had to experience this. Believe me, I know all too well what it must feel like. I want to start off by first saying thank you for attending a BLM protest, it means so much to me seeing you support the Black community! I've heard many stories about older people hating the idea of the children dating/having black partners, it really is a shame and honestly disgusting. I must say despite the racist people you've encountered, you're a strong and respected ally for not giving into their outrages perspectives. Thanks so much for sharing.

@Oct 8, 2020 10:49 PM

My first time experiencing, confronting, and challenging anti- Black racism was when my family met my Black boyfriend. My parents and siblings were ecstatic to meet him and welcomed him with open arms, although my other relatives were not as welcoming. My aunts and uncles had a lot to say about me having a Black boyfriend. "Why couldn't you find someone that is from India?" "They aren't good influences!" "Does he do drugs?" All of which I took extreme offence to and made me beyond upset. Since not talking back was a form of respect to your elders in my culture, I unfortunately stayed quiet. That is until the next incident in which they showed their disappointment to the fact that I was still dating him, when I felt like I needed to confront and address the issue. I knew that they would not take me seriously because I was much younger than them, so I spoke to my parents about the discomfort and disappointment that the anti-Blackness being shown by our relatives was making me feel. They then proceeded to speak to my aunts and uncles about how what they were doing was respectful and racist. After that confrontation, my relatives have been more open minded and respectful to relationships outside of our culture, and have even grown a close relationship with my boyfriend(who they learned to absolutely love after meeting him). Though it is unfortunate that one even has to confront/experience/challenge anti-Black racism, I am glad that I was able to take this incident and address it, as well as teach the people involved the seriousness of their words and actions.

@October 9 at 1:39 AM

I am really happy that you did something to confront this racism and that your relatives were able to learn from their behaviour in the past and change.

Sadly, this is really common among many cultures. The racist ideas of Black people that have existed for so long have not only been internalized by White people, but even other cultures and people of colour.

However, your experience serves as a good example of what people can do to combat this form of racism: by always continuing to educate ourselves, and then spreading this knowledge with our family and friends.

@October 9 at 10:46 AM

Hi ___,

Thank you for sharing this story. I find it amazing that you were able to confront the issue in such a good way. From my experience family beliefs and views are really hard to challenge since you have a strong relationship with them and to be seen as disrespecting them can cause other issues within itself.

@Oct 9, 2020 1:27 AM

My first time experiencing anti-Black racism was when I was in elementary school. The elementary school I went to was filled with mostly white Italians and I was usually one of very few Black kids in my class, if not, the only Black kid in my class. Consequently, I experienced racism in the form of a lot of racial microaggressions.

For instance, whenever the classroom was dark or the lights were turned off, kids would tease that they cannot see me and that I had disappeared. Gradually, this made me more insecure about the darkness of my skin.

As well, kids in my class often said that I sound “White” and that I do not sound “Black”. It seemed their idea of “White” talk was associated with proper English, someone with a good education, and a smooth North American accent. On the other hand, their idea of “Black” talk was associated with how gangsters or rappers typically talk, lots of slang, or maybe a heavy accent from a foreign nation. This annoyed me greatly as I was born here in Canada, and from a young age, my parents ensured I learned proper English, got a good education, and acted in accordance with the education I was receiving. It was upsetting that I would get ridiculed just for talking naturally, and that the good things my parents had instilled in me and provided for me suddenly made me “not Black enough” to my White classmates.

@October 9 at 2:25 PM

Hey ___,

I'm sorry you had to go through that. Reading your post brought out memories that I didn't even know I had and also made me re think some of the times that I do remember. I am also a Black woman that was born in Canada and I completely related to what you said about "not being Black enough". The idea of Blackness has such an undeserving negative connotation that was put into place by racist White people. I hope that we can change this permanently some day soon, but in the meantime remember that Black is Beautiful girlll!!

@October 9 at 4:17 PM

Black is beautiful indeed! Despite my experiences, not once did I ever wish that I wasn't Black. It's a shame that many only consider the stereotypes and negative connotations of being Black rather than the amazing things about Black people.

@October 9 at 3:47 PM

Hi ___,

I can totally attest to what you said about kids saying that you sounded "white" and not "Black enough" as I was also told this and often compared to an oreo where they said I was Black on the outside but white on the inside. It's crazy to see how such stereotypes rule our world to the point where they even influence the way we're supposed to act.

@October 9 at 4:13 PM

Exactly. Anti-Black racism has become so internalized by people that they can be racist without even thinking or knowing that they are being racist.

@October 9 at 8:55 PM

Hi ___,

Thank you for sharing and I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Hearing peoples experiences with racism is heartbreaking but it also shows Canada isn't the diverse perfectly country people make of it. I found growing up and witnessing a lot of racism in school everyone tries to play it off as a joke and when someone gets upset you're labelled a snowflake. I think our society and school system needs to improve a lot more and hopefully it begins after all the protests went on and it will start getting better for everyone affected.

@Oct 9, 2020 1:41 AM

Being South Asian and thus a minority, there is, therefore, this misconception that minority groups can not be racist and prejudiced towards others, even in my own family.
The stereotype of a "criminalized" Black man and "lazy" Black individuals runs rampant in my family. My uncle has made several microaggressive comments towards the Black community, especially after George Floyd's death. I remember him specifically saying that Black individuals are taking undue advantage of Floyd's death to satisfy their own "criminal needs" by looting stores. When I challenged and countered his statement, he responded that he was stating facts and that Black individuals were inherently lazy. This resulted in a heated discussion amongst us, where we stood apart with vastly opposing views.
My aunt has also indulged in a few problematic behaviours, such as flinching away from Black men or changing her direction when a Black individual walks up the same way. I discussed these matters with her in-depth, but she dismissed them most of the time.
My cousin also frequently used the n-word because he believed it to be just a word, even after I informed him of the history of oppression and enslavement behind it. I shared several posts with him and even mentioned him in my shared posts on Instagram. However, after Floyd's death, he understood the negative connotations behind the word and made an active effort to avoid using the word.
Looking at my cousin, I still have hope that I will be able to educate my family on their damaging beliefs, and I am sure that this course will instill me with the skills I need to do so. There is, however, no easy way to say this; my family is racist.

@October 9 at 5:38 AM

It is definitely hard to recognize if your family is, in fact, racist. I can actually say I have also heard some members of my family make unconscious racist comments, and it makes me uncomfortable to hear them say such things.

We can still hope to further educate ourselves to be able to educate them. I hope to soon be able to stand up for what I know is right, no matter who I might need to confront!

@October 9 at 6:40 PM

Hi ___

I'm south Asian as well, I understand where you are coming from. Internalized colourism and Racism is something that needs to be addressed within our culture because having those difficult conversations can bring us closer to fighting anti-Racism.

I'm glad you shared your story about your cousin changing his habits and understood the negative connotations behind the N-word. Hopefully, our families can give up toxic cultural ideas and learn to open their minds and begin to learn.

Thank you for sharing

___

@October 9 at 7:27 PM

___,

I completely understand your situation. I'm Brazilian and we are not much different from South Asians when it comes to racism. My family is also racist and educating them on racism is definitely a challenge like you said. I think it is difficult for them to let go of an idea that is so ingrained in culture and that has been reinforced by other people in their culture/society for years.

It is challenging to have those conversations but it is definitely important to have them. I'm glad some of your family members were able to be open minded and change their racist ways.

@Oct 9, 2020 2:18 AM

Growing up in a South Asian family, anti-Black racism starts with elders telling children that they should not associate with Black people. I’ve been told this by many distant family members. Growing up hearing these things pushed me to further educate myself and understand anti-Black racism to confront these people. Growing up in a very diverse area, I was never put in a position where I had to confront anti-Black racism at school or with friends. My first experience confronting anti-Black racism was a few years ago at a family event. The racist slurs and negative racial stereotypes they were talking about made me realize just how uneducated they were. That’s when I knew I had to speak up. Telling them what they were saying was racist and wrong resulted in them asking "why is it such a big deal" and I was told to stop worrying so much. I continued to explain why it is a big deal and why they need to stop but they just brushed it off like nothing but I know they heard what I said. The just couldn't believe someone so much younger than them had the guts to confront them. Ever since this encounter, conversations like that never happened in front of me and over the years I liked to believe that by confronting them it helped change their mindsets. I continue to educate myself and my family members so that they will be able to stand up and confront people like this as well.

@October 9 at 5:30 AM

Hi ___!

This can actually be such an inspiring story for many people! It is already hard to confront uneducated comments of Black racism, I cannot imagine having to confront your own family! You were very wise and brave for choosing to speak up and defend what you know is right.

I agree with you on the last thing you said. Even if they brushed it off like "it was not a big deal", I know that something you said at that family event stayed on their minds and had an effect on them. Even if you still don't see it, I'm sure it did!

@October 9 at 12:43 PM

Hi ___thanks for your response,

as an individual who is Black, I do understand that not everyone has been through the struggles that Black people face and thus making it harder to relate but I love that you have reflected back upon those moments where you may not have said or done anything and now moving foward you are taking those steps to educate yourself so that when incidents like those happen again you are able to address them accordingly.

@Oct 9, 2020 5:11 AM

Although I cannot say I have directly confronted, experienced, or challenged anti-Black racism, I have been present in moments when forms of anti-Black racism have occurred. Whether it was an intentional or unintentional comment or a certain attitude or behavior, I have definitely sensed a certain level of racism in some of these. Unfortunately, I do recognize I have not said or done something about said attitudes as I should have. I personally blame this on the lack of information I have always had about the topic. I have always been aware that racism happens every day around the world, I just did not have a sufficient understanding of Black racism to correctly address said comments and behaviors.

@October 9 at 10:04 AM

Hi ___,

I myself have seen and heard of anti-Black racism occurring and I find that that I don't do say anything as well. I feel I am not fully educated on this topic and shouldn't say anything. This course has opened my eyes as to what we can do about challenging anti-Black racism. Would you agree?

@October 9 at 1:20 PM

Hi ___,

I want to say that nobody excepts you to know everything, and I appreciate you taking this course to develop an understanding because understanding is important. However, I do not think that in certain situations people should stay quiet. In instances of obvious right and wrong where people of colour need an ally there should be someone there to say I am here for you, not to talk over you but I am here to support you. As I responded to Laura in times where right and wrong are clear there is a chance for you to speak up and support a Black person so that you can help their environment be a little more comfortable. It is about the active mindset of seeing something and saying something as little as "that is not right to do".

@October 9 at 7:27 PM

Yes, I agree! It's so important that we all do our part to make a difference.

@October 9 at 1:13 PM

Hi ___

My response to you is that even though you may not have the correct information, you do remember moments where anti-black racism have occurred, and you also mentioned you were always aware that is had happened, but I feel that, even if you do not have the correct information about the conversation you can still engage. What I mean by that is if you heard someone say a racial slur, and you knew it was wrong but you do not know why, the thing to do is to say something like "that is not okay to say", something along those lines. Becoming support and an ally to someone that is experiencing Anti-Black racism is important. Almost comparable to an instance where a teacher seeing someone get kicked in the leg, the teacher knows nothing about the instance and yet still speaks up and says to the aggressor that that is not right. Because in a way we all know what is right and wrong, even If we do not choose to follow it, but when people do not point it out, it is not addressed, and the aggressor continues. Something Black people have to go through is when something that is very offensive that is said and brushed off, there are 2 choices to either address It and become labelled as "the angry Black person", and be more uncomfortable in that space, or not to address it, and become completely uncomfortable in a space. I think that is something to think about , and something for you to tell to someone next time. While I understand your response of not having the correct information about a topic, there is nothing stopping you from understanding and standing up for what is right.

@Oct 9, 2020 12:11 PM

One of my earliest memories of experiencing racism was when I was roughly ten years old. I recently got a cockapoo for my tenth birthday, which was all I ever wanted. Excited with my new gift, I decided to take my dog, who I named Nala after the Lion King, on a walk around my neighbourhood. My eight-year-old brother at the time wanted to come along, so I let him. Completely unaware of what as about to happen, we both blissfully walked through the park with our beloved new dog. Until that came to a halt as a group of white teenagers started walking towards us. They were all laughing and pushing each other around, then saw us and decided to hurl some racial slurs at us. Shouting and laughing, this continued while my brother and I stood there helpless. Then all of a sudden they decided to chase us so we ran. My brother and I only eight and ten years old had to run from a group of white males shouting racial slurs. My brother was unaware of what exactly happened, but I still remember vividly. This story seems absurd, and I wish it were a lie because this is something kids shouldn't have to deal with. I don't like walking my dog through that park anymore.

@October 9 at 2:24 PM

I am so incredibly sorry to hear what you went through. No child should have to deal with that. When I moved to Canada, I thought it was a country straight out of a storybook, but now since a year has passed, I know that it is not the safe haven it is depicted as. It is absolutely sickening that a bunch of teenagers, who should have known better, harassed you and your brother. The anger and fury I have felt after reading this post is immeasurable. My mind can not grasp as to how they are still people out there, who are so ignorant. I am honestly so sorry that you had to go through that.

@Oct 9, 2020 12:36 PM

Growing up in the small city of Kitchener, I felt that I was either shielded from anti-Black racist experiences or too far into my own world to process and understand them. I wouldn’t say that I have faced too many incidents involving anti-Black racism but I have definitely come across some and looking back I can’t seem to fathom why I thought they were “normal” or just a part of “procedure”. In my 5th year of elementary school, my white friend and I had gotten into a mere disagreement at our nutrition break where some words were exchanged, nevertheless, we carried on with our school day and parted ways after school. The next day as I was sitting in class my teacher had received a call from the vice principal stating that I needed to come down to the office, my teacher delivered this news to me and I made my way down. As soon as I got there she asked the typical question, “do you know why you are here?” I responded with “no” and she proceeded to inform me of how my friend's mother had called in and discussed how I had allegedly called her child some nasty names and ignored her for the rest of the day as well as refused to play with her during the break all of which was exaggerated and untrue. However, I told my side of the story but still ended up with 2 breaks of detention while my friend ended up with one. At the time I never thought to question why I was given 2 whole breaks of detention while my friend was given one as I thought it was just a part of the punishment but as I reminisce on the incident I know that it was intentional and not at all okay.

Regarding my understanding of anti-Black racism, I feel that I have come to pay closer attention to it and have educated and am still educating myself by reading, listening to other people’s stories/experiences, connecting with those of the same ethnic group as well as figuring out how to handle situations in the case that I am presented with one which may be inevitable at this point as I am a Black African female in a system which favours those who are not of my skin complexion.

@Oct 9, 2020 1:26 PM

My first vivid memory of challenging/confronting anti-Black racism was during the beginning of the BLM protests in May. It still fathoms me that individuals believe that Black people who are being killed by cops deserved to die or are making up excuses to why they were killed. I constantly post about BLM on my instagram and even have a story highlight with all of my posts and people that I know were sending me messages saying that they deserved to die and I didn't know what I was talking about. One specific message was from someone I graduated with that messaged me saying that the biggest threat is Black people and they get themselves killed, I was furious with this person and messaged him back saying that the whole point to me posting all of this stuff is to shine light on the issues we are facing and to open peoples minds about racism and to try and see where the problems can be fixed. He never responded afterwards but a few days later I posted yet another post about anti-Black racism and he responded with a thumbs up, I was not sure if he replied with that because he finally understood the problem or if he was just trying to be condescending towards my morals.

@October 9 at 10:56 PM

Hi ___!

I also constantly post about BLM on my Instagram to help spread awareness about the issue. I do this because I also cannot understand how people can think someone's skin colour warrants them a death sentence. I had a similar experience as someone replied to a story to condescendingly tell me that I had no idea what I was talking about and that racism is not real. I replied back as well, explaining my view, they did not reply. I think that posting about BLM is so important because if you can make one racist person rethink their ideas, you have helped make a change for the better.

@Oct 9, 2020 1:35 PM

My old high school faced backlash for some allegations of a racist remark that took place five years ago. A student had chosen to wear a BLM t-shirt and was asked to remove it in order to not start debates. The student refused and was suspended. He was also Black. However, we now had a new principal and a much different staff than the one present at the time of the event. Due to a lack of knowledge of the event, commentary from alumni addressing the issue on Twitter were being blocked by the school administration. These students were even more upset for being silenced, and began posting on their personal pages, referring to our school administration as the “problem with society.”

Being on Student Government, our entire council received swarms of messages about the way the administration chose to handle the situation. They were acting as if nothing had happened, sweeping it under the rug. We decided to hold a meeting with our administration and address how it was inappropriately dealt with. We understood that they had no previous knowledge of the event and didn’t want students to see the comments and fear going to school. However, we explained to them why it was important to not just say “but that happened in the past, we’re such a diverse community now,” and to instead recognize that we do understand what happened and there was no place for racism in our school. My high school was home to many Black youths, as well as many other students who broke the stereotypical norms of society. During my four years, my school was usually referred to as a “safe space” for many, a home away from home. This reinforced the need to remember that even if your intention isn’t to be racist, you can act ignorantly racist. When introduced with new information, it’s important to acknowledge, apologize, understand and move forward. Telling my principal that they acted poorly was one of the scariest experiences. However, having as diverse a student body as we did, we needed it to be clear that we do see them, and we do listen to them.

This was the first time that I saw it impact people around me in ways where they felt they were being silenced and viewed as unimportant. Watching authority figures that I had looked up to for so long, and having to correct them, was the first time I confronted authority on anti-Black racism and challenged new ways of thinking. The administration later unblocked all Twitter commentary and issued a public apology. This also brought the addition of a new “Equity Council” made of staff and students.

@October 9 at 1:55 PM

Thank you for sharing your story! This is so important to learn from. I know many schools want to seem like they are divers and welcoming but that's not always the case. Usually, people who hold the most power (such as the principal) they would want to create that image of diversity but then not act up on it. It is great that you and the student counsel stood up and spoke about this issue and made sure that they understood the seriousness of this situation. I believe it is this kind of advocacy that we need to bring about change.

@Oct 9, 2020 1:43 PM

My first experience understanding anti-Black racism was when I witnessed a classmate of mind experiencing racism by a teacher. This took place in my grade three classroom, involving a male Black student. There was a teacher who would always pick on this Black student, the teacher would always call him names and thought it was okay to say anything to him because the teacher thought that he (the Black student) would not understand. At the time I did not understand the impact of this situation. However, growing up and taking in considerations and understanding how an authority figure could talk to an individual like that because of his race it is absolutely shocking. This teacher would also constantly call him out in front of the whole class and make comments about him and then try to play them as a joke. There was a time that the teacher told the boy “it's not halloween take off your mask”, and at this point I knew this teacher was being racist. I would do anything to avoid this teacher at all cost, because I did not want to be put in the same position as this individual. Knowing the teacher had the most power, it meant that the Black students and others such as myself needed to watch out, even though something like this shouldn’t even happen within a school setting to begin with. This teacher was not only racist but because he was picking on his students appearance it made a lot of students feel insecure about the way that they looked. This teacher definitely impacted me indirectly from witnessing what the other kid was going through even if it was at a young age, it definitely still had an impact on my mindset and outlook on individuals and our community. If this was to happen now I would most defiantly speak up about it and advocate for anyone who is faced with racism.

@Oct 9, 2020 2:10 PM

So this was my first experience confronting and challenging anti-Black racism. I was defending a very close friend of mine, I have known him for about 10 years now we have been through lots together and are best friends, his name is Joema. So basically this is a Karen situation, we all dislike Karens, and this one, just like all the others, was extremely persistent in trying to ask me about Joema and what we were up to (which was none of her business in the first place). So I was in Brampton visiting my grandparents, they live in a condo building, and I invited Joema over so that we could catch up. Joema and I decided to go for a walk around the trail near the building which was fenced off. We were fooling around pushing each other, teasing each other, just goofing off and ended up off the trail. We returned to the trail and started walking along, minding our own business and an older lady was speed walking towards us. We made room for her so she could pass by but she stopped us and asked, “did you guys just hop the fence, you guys shouldn't have done that, you need to leave.” I simply replied by saying “no” that we didn't hop the fence and showed her the key I had to get back into the building because my grandparents lived there. I also made sure to explain that Joema was with me and we were just enjoying our walk. Yet she kept asking and asking, although I noticed that she wasn't looking at me or asking me anymore, her focus was directed towards Joema. The second I noticed this I stepped in front of him (I’m very protective of my friends) and said to her for the last time that we did not jump the fence to get in and told her that Joema was with me and we were enjoying our walk and she was holding us up. Joema thanked me and we walked away. The next day I saw the lady again while I was going to hop into the pool. She came up behind me and told me she remembered me from yesterday. I was polite and said hi and went back to doing whatever I was doing. She then proceeded to ask me a bunch of questions, both interrogating me and condemning me for hanging out with Joema. She basically kept asking me why he jumped the fence (she was assuming AGAIN) she asked me why I covered for him and lied to her. On top of all this, she then told me that I, a young small girl like myself should not be associated and seen by myself with a boy like him. That's pretty much when I went off on her. She not only approached me while half-naked in the change room but she also was persistent and wrong in her opinion to judge, assume, and condemn the both of us. When I asked what she meant by a “boy like him?” she then made a series of hand gestures which I didn't get and then she finally whispered “Black”. I not only told her that she was wrong and that it was none of her business in the first place but that she also should not be prejudiced towards him or any Black people for that matter and should not be making assumptions. I told her that she needed to realize that she didn't even know him and that he was my friend and that she should be ashamed of herself for even thinking or saying things like that. After that, I walked back upstairs and told my grandparents who were disgusted by her behaviour and comments. After that, she avoided me every time I saw her and she has not spoken to me since. That was my first experience standing up against ant-Black racism and boy did it make me mad. That moment and experience really opened my eyes to anti-Black racism for sure.

@Oct 9, 2020 2:14 PM

Unfortunately, I'm all too familiar with anti-Black racism. I’ve seen it in the media, in real life, and I have experienced it as a Black woman living in the western world. When I was in high school a White male, who I was friends with at the time, said something that didn’t sit right with me as it generalized the Black community in a negative way. Naturally, I called him out on it and told him that it was an offensive thing to say and that he should rethink his ideologies. He told me that he “didn’t mean it that way” and that I shouldn’t even be offended because I’m not “Black Black” or “Chicago Black”. That was a tipping point for me because what the hell is “Black Black”. I asked him to elaborate because I was honestly confused, he proceeded to tell me that because I am Somali and don’t “act” Black that I am not “Black Black”. Hearing someone say this to my face made me take note of how present past ideologies of Blackness truly are. The fact that people relate Blackness to being uneducated, unprofessional, or even “less than” is sickening and to even think about rating an individual's Blackness on how they conduct themselves is even more so. I think that this experience is one of the main things that pushed me to take this course. High school me knew that what he was saying/thinking was wrong, but I had no idea how to express that or even how to educate him. Now, as I continue to learn about Black history and Black importance, I think I could put him in his place.

@October 9 at 9:50 PM

I'm sorry to hear about your experience, it is truly disappointing. While we are living in 2020 and believe that people have changed their ways of thinking, we are sadly mistaken. I am glad that at the moment you knew that we said was wrong. I am more glad now that you are comfortable with expressing your feelings to others (as you should!). Never be apologetic when fighting for yourself!!!

@Oct 9, 2020 2:47 PM

The first time that I had experienced anti-Black racism was when I was in Grade 10, when a group of people broke into the place where me and my siblings went to learn the Quran and vandalized the place by spray-painting the N-word onto the wall. While I had experienced more subtle versions of racism, this more overt version of racism threw me off, and while I had heard stories of anti-Black racism on the internet, this for me, shattered the illusion that Canada was an 'inclusive and diverse country'. Another experience I had with anti-Black racism was two years later, when I was in Grade 12 when students from another school had got into trouble for their posts on social media that were targeting Black people. The pictures which were circulating onto Twitter after being screenshotted depicted Blackface, lynching, KKK propaganda, and the use of the N-word. And although I didn't go to that school, I still had friends who did and hearing what they went through made me feel unsafe and offended on their behalf.

@October 9 at 5:04 PM

Wow that is very intense and in your face. Canada has built a reputation for itself being very inclusive and diverse. People seem to forget that Canada also carries a history on Anti-Black racism and people who still have the mindset of "white power" exist. It's sad that at a young age you were exposed to some high core racism.

@Oct 9, 2020 4:20 PM

My first memory of understanding that people wanted to hurt other people because of their skin colour was when I was around six. I don’t know if it was because it was a rainy day or I heard someone talk about the movie, but I remember playing “Oh, Brother Where Art Thou?” on the television. I didn’t understand a lot of what was going on, but I understood very clearly that the men in the white hoods wanted to kill Tommy because he had Black skin. At the time, I traveled to the United States every summer. As a six-year-old, I didn’t understand the time period the film was set in. As Dr. Kendi explained of his experience in his 3rd class classroom, I looked down at my skin and saw myself in Tommy. I tried to figure out how to protect myself from those Klan members if they tried to kidnap me in New York. I wondered if telling them I had a White mother would stop them from wanting to kill me. Looking back at my fear and thought process, I’m a bit ashamed that relying on my whiteness to save me was my first thought. The fear that that scene injected into my heart led to my first conversation about racism. My mother didn’t understand that I connected myself with Tommy internalized it. That experience wasn’t enjoyable and I still haven’t been able to watch the movie again, but it opened the door for a conversation that I’m not sure my mother even knew needed to happen and conversations that still happen.

@Oct 9, 2020 5:40 PM

My first time really understanding Anti-Black racism was when George Floyd was murdered this year in May. I know it seems like a really late start to begin understanding what Black lives Matter means, but unfortunately, Black Lives Matter was never talked about in my home or appeared in my social media feed. It was only then in May that it seemed everyone was joining this movement, and I did too. For weeks I spent my time learning and reading articles about how systemic and systematic racism has evolved in the modern-day world and what it means to be an ally to Black Lives. I felt embarrassed about the fact that I was not aware of the amount of history, the amount of innocent lives taken-especially from police officers, I found out how serious it was. Experiencing the challenge of anti-Black racism came about when I learned about “all lives matter.” When I first heard this term I thought it was true, that all lives do matter. But the more comments I read, blog posts, watching videos with good explanations, I started to understand. One example I came across had a very simplified explanation, that if someone's house is burning, their house is the one that’s hurting. The people inside, their lives are in danger and they need our help. Imagine if during that moment someone said “my house matters too right?” The problem with all lives matter is that it's asking for a fair share when one minority isn’t being fairly treated at all. Until Black lives are protected, all lives cannot matter. Black Lives Matter does not mean that they are superior, it means they simply want to be treated like human beings, but how could that be when the history of Racism traces back to the colonial period and has threaded its way into education systems, opportunities for jobs, healthcare etc. Looking at the root of the problem, and working from there is one of the only ways to work towards making sure Black Lives Matter. I came across several arguments in comment sections, and honestly, after reading them all it always feels like a blur. Some are just ignorant, spiteful or nothing but hate. Other comments try to argue their side, and replies to those comments can be brutal. I never truly realized how much people have the confidence to say just about anything.

Maybe I ignore the severity of a situation because the topic itself is uncomfortable. But during this summer I asked myself why was it so uncomfortable? Could I not handle the truth? I am fortunate to have grown up in a digital age where I have access to almost anything I’d like to find out, and challenging anti-Racism will continue on for the rest of my life. No amount of Racism is tolerated in my Religion, but that can’t excuse me from what's going on in this world.

@Oct 9, 2020 5:51 PM

Growing up, my parents had always prioritized lessons on racism and conversations surrounding allyship. This is partly due to the fact that they are both immigrants themselves and have dealt with/witnessed the prejudices that take place in Canada. I identify as white passing, however, my town was so white that my skin colour as well as other features of mine were continuously commented on. Because of this, I was always hyper aware of the lack of diversity in my hometown and thus had many opportunities to challenge racist ideologies shared amongst my peers. I became more and more passionate about racism (especially anti-black racism) and the majority of my independent school projects or book reports revolved around this. What I came to realize, eventually, is the importance of those conversations that my parents had always facilitated, because the racism I witnessed amongst others had, likewise, been facilitated by their parents and families.

@Oct 9, 2020 7:17 PM

My first experience understanding anti-Black racism was just before or just after the murder of George Floyd this year, if my memory serves me correct. I follow this UK feminist activist on Instagram called Florence Given and at the time, she was talking about a book that she had read recently called "Me and White Supremacy" by Layla Saad. I went to Layla Saad's Instagram page and found many posts describing anti-Black racism and how it was not enough just not being racist, you had to actively be anti-racist. Up until that point, like many white people I'm sure, I had just assumed that because I wasn't shouting racist slurs and being consciously racist that meant that I was "off the hook". Ever since then, and especially after the murder of George Floyd, I started to reflect on my life and the instances where I may have been racist as well as trying to be more conscious about the things I say by asking hard questions to myself. For the first time, I was actively trying to dismantle my unconscious biases and reflecting on the structures of white supremacy that raised me.

@Oct 9, 2020 7:02 PM

My first experience understanding anti-Black racism was relatively recent. It all started when Black Lives Matter Protests broke the internet. Now I was not ignorant of our society's problems, but the protests surely did open my eyes significantly. That is why this course caught my interest; I feel it is my duty to understand and help change.

The internet broke when George Floyd was murdered. That was the moment when it hit me; we do not live in a fair world; we live in a white supremacist society. This reality, we live in triggered me to further research and understand how Black people are being treated. Moreover, these Black Lives Matter protests are not only protests to the young lives we have lost in the Black community due to police brutality. In fact, these protests are to stop discrimination in the education system, workplace, and even healthcare. The more I read, the more murders I would read about and the inequality and dehumanization that black people receive. This course deepened my understanding of Anti-Black racism by going back in time to the start of history, showing us how and why Black people are treated like this. Understanding white supremacy is the bases of racism towards the Black community. We need to understand that silence is equivalent to violence.

In conclusion, this generation needs to understand the world we live in entirely, so they are are able to see the bad and try and make it right. Understanding the usefulness of protests and understanding where discrimination and racism came from. When you understand this, you can understand where the threat is coming from and join forces with your community to protect the Black community.

@October 9 at 7:20 PM

I agree with you that silence is just as dangerous as violence. To stand by and choose not to act towards a more just society stalls the progress we should be making! It interests me how much the BLM protests opened everyone's eyes this year. I too was always aware of our society's problems but after George Floyd and Breonna Taylor's deaths, I wanted to be more educated and learn as much as possible. The more we know and ensure others are educated, the more progress we make towards a just society.

@October 9 at 7:33 PM

___,

I completely understand when you said you were not ignorant of the problem but that the protests opened your eyes in a significant way. I feel like the same thing happened to me too.

Like you said: understanding is key. Education on anti-Black racism is definitely something that everyone both this generation and older generations should be doing. Hopefully, the protests were able to motivate more people to educate themselves like we are in this course.

@Oct 9, 2020 8:32 PM

As a person of color and Caribbean descent, experiencing and understanding racism has always been very challenging as growing up, I was so clueless about the perception and signs of racism. As I've gotten older, I've experienced many forms of racism whether it was in the workplace, education system, or just everyday confrontation in life. I would have never thought I would be experiencing acts of racism firsthand in Canada but what people fail to understand is racism is everywhere, Canada tries to hide its racism, and that something that needs to be talked about.

One memorable moment in my life was my first encounter with racism in my workplace, Only 16 and two-week in on the job I've experienced racist customers using verbal slurs to insult me, I've had customers tell me to "go back to your country", “Black people can't do anything right” I've even had one customer throw hot coffee on me as they were so frustrated with my skin color. I never would have thought that because of my color can build up so much anger in an individual especially the fact that I'm young and having people(white males) scream at me was a very triggering experience. It really showed me how White skin privilege works because I have never once seen any of my other co-workers experience such hate.

@October 9 at 9:02 PM

Hi ___,

Thank you for sharing your experience encountering racism. I'm so sorry you had people treat you so poorly and I hope things begin to change in the future for you. Some people are so cruel but don't let it affect the way you perceive yourself because at the end of the day your skin colour is just as beautiful as anyone else's. Canada is the worst for hiding racism and playing it off and I hope the country overcomes this and makes it a safer environment for all!

@October 9 at 10:45 PM

Hi ___!

I agree with you completely, Canada attempts to cover up the fact that they are racist by pointing at the United States and saying 'they are worse.' There is no 'worse' type of racism - racism if always immoral no matter if it includes racial slurs or police brutality. Canada needs to be open and acknowledge the fact that people of colour experience racism here too. Without speaking up and acknowledging racism exists here too, we will never be able to change it.

@Oct 9, 2020 8:49 PM

As I’m a White female I’ve never dealt with racism and never had policies harm me in any way. Now, being surrounded and born into a White family I’ve heard a lot of racist comments that disgust me. With this being said I’ve begun to understand and confront racism when I see it. A time I cannot forget was when my brother came upstairs and repeated “all lives matter”, “blue lives matter” and defending the police for teargassing along with classifying all peaceful protesters as looters. This is where I finally stopped him and lectured/taught him how saying and thinking that is racist and quite ignorant. I went through facts, research, and countless articles just to show him how he can’t be going around saying hurtful things. It was a lot of screaming and a day-long conversation over text just to educate and change his thoughts. A week later he finally came around and changed his perspective after reading several facts and articles addressing the problem of police brutality and violence towards Black Lives. Much later he then came to the BLM protest in Kitchener with me which showed his improvement drastically especially coming from someone who never admits to being wrong. He completely fixed his thoughts and now confronts racism when he sees it as well. This experience taught me how important it is for White individuals to confront racism when they hear it whether it’s from their family members, friends, or even strangers. The only way to create change is if you speak out and help change thoughts no matter how much of a fight you need to put up. That one confrontation can create a domino effect and bring others to confront/educate other racists.

@October 9 at 9:02 PM

Hi ___, Thank you for sharing your experience

It's great that you mentioned the domino effect that confrontation can do, as confronting and being able to educate those less knowledgeable on the topic can help improve their thoughts and overall outlook.

I personally really like this line you included "The only way to create change is if you speak out and help change thoughts no matter how much of a fight you need to put up." I agree with this statement completely as I believe educating and speaking up about the problem can really help.

great job :)

@October 9 at 10:13 PM

Hi ___,

Thank you for sharing- I'm glad that you didn't give up and that your brother ended up hearing you and changing his mind. I'm currently trying to make the same kind of progress with a couple of my family members, and this gives me some hope.

Confronting family members about their racist beliefs can be draining, but you are right that it is so important!

@October 9 at 10:40 PM

Hi ___!

I know exactly where you are coming from when it comes to racism from a family member. Some of my family members have started to talk about how they feel about the BLM protests and I have continued to explain why all lives matter makes no sense logically along with how choosing to be a police officer is not the same as being born with Black skin. I think the best way to show someone with racist ideas why these concepts are not logical is with research such articles and statistics because they illustrate events which actually happened. I think creating empathy towards the issue is the most effective way to change someone's ideas.

@Oct 9, 2020 9:03 PM

My first time experiencing anti-black racism was in highschool. I was in English class when a few students were whispering behind me. It didn't bother me at first since it wasn't a big deal. However, me being me, I had decided to eavesdrop and just listen to what they were saying. It was very hard to hear, but something really caught my attention. I had noticed one of the students whispering the n word. Right then at that moment, I have never felt so uncomfortable. I looked around to see if anyone else had noticed but no one seemed to catch my attention. At that moment I had felt this was personally said towards me since I was the only Black person in the class. After the class was over, I discussed this situation with my teacher who was visibly White. This teacher had informed me serious repercussions would be made but, I didn't hear anything from that teacher again. This not only made me lose my trust in the person that is supposed to be protecting us students but it also showcases the lack of care for the Black students in schools.

@October 9 at 11:18 PM

___, thank you for sharing your experience, I understand your lack of trust for the teachers who are supposed to protect us, and I agree that it really does show the lack of care for Black students. While school systems claim to be all about equality, they often fall short in their efforts and fail to support Black students. Your experience definitely should not have been disregarded by your teacher, just as I'm sure you're not alone as many other students have experienced similar situations. The need for a pivotal shift regarding racism in the school system is very crucial, as young minds are shaped in highschool, and should not have to face the racist, discriminative situations such as yours.

@October 9 at 11:25 PM

Thank you for sharing your story Asmaa. It brings to light the ways that school systems, and societies in general, have lacked action in addressing Anti-Black racism. I have heard of similar experiences where students and teachers have been openly racist and their actions were not addressed. Not only is it discouraging to hear, but it is completely wrong. I hope that we can continue to demand action and change so that racist actions will no longer be tolerated. Again, thank you for sharing your story, it was very impactful.

@Oct 9, 2020 9:19 PM

Being a white woman, I have never experienced anti-Black racism, however but a very interesting and challenging moment that stands out was when I experienced a friend share racist remarks towards her community and more specifically Black men. In grade ten, a friend confided in me why she wouldn’t date Black men and I found her answer very offensive; from talking about the characteristics similar to how Carl Linnaeu’s taxonomy described Black peoples (chapter 3-power page 70). I was also taken aback at how she categorized Black men as gang members, with limited success in anything other than sports, and other racist assumptions. I never expected to hear someone I thought would understand that remarks such as the ones she was making are hurtful and racist. After hearing Ibram Kendi explain the policies in which racist ideology is engraved in their foundation, labelling Black people as physically strong which pushes them towards endeavors society tells them they excel at such as sports, and calling the Black population lazy is demotivating and discourages anyone from pursuing academic goals. I regret not pursuing this conversation with my friend as I felt uncomfortable and uneducated to question her views. From the book we are reading currently, I now understand that she didn’t realize her racist behavior and how much damage it created. Using these type of racist ideas towards the Black community is awful and contributes to the racist reputation and reinforces the policies that have been put in to place since the early 1400’s. Unfortunately the two of us in this case played into racist ideas and as she promoted these low standards and hurtful descriptions of Black men and I didn’t say anything to challenge it as I should have.

@Oct 9, 2020 9:19 PM

Being a white woman, I have never experienced anti-Black racism, however but a very interesting and challenging moment that stands out was when I experienced a friend share racist remarks towards her community and more specifically Black men. In grade ten, a friend confided in me why she wouldn’t date Black men and I found her answer very offensive; from talking about the characteristics similar to how Carl Linnaeus' taxonomy described Black peoples (chapter 3-power page 70). I was also taken aback at how she categorized Black men as gang members, with limited success in anything other than sports, and other racist assumptions. I never expected to hear someone I thought would understand that remarks such as the ones she was making are hurtful and racist. After hearing Ibram Kendi explain the policies in which racist ideology is engraved in their foundation, labelling Black people as physically strong which pushes them towards endeavors society tells them they excel at such as sports, and calling the Black population lazy is demotivating and discourages anyone from pursuing academic goals. I regret not pursuing this conversation with my friend as I felt uncomfortable and uneducated to question her views. From the book we are reading currently, I now understand that she didn’t realize her racist behavior and how much damage it created. Using these type of racist ideas towards the Black community is awful and contributes to the racist reputation and reinforces the policies that have been put in to place since the early 1400’s. Unfortunately the two of us in this case played into racist ideas and as she promoted these low standards and hurtful descriptions of Black men and I didn’t say anything to challenge it as I should have.

@Oct 9, 2020 9:42 PM

The first time I challenged anti-Black racism was when I attended the Black Lives Matter protest in Kitchener this year. I had been following the movement since the murder of George Floyd earlier this year. As a person of colour, I have always believed in equal rights for everyone. I had the opportunity to attend this protest and I can say that it has opened up my eyes for the better. I have always acknowledged racism against the Black community, but I had only really known about the microaggressions towards Black people. Seeing people of all different demographics at the protest really warmed my heart. It was evident that we all wanted change - we need change. I felt a sense of unity. We walked around downtown Kitchener chanting, “No justice, no peace, no racist, police”. We were pushing to get our voices heard and we made it on the news, which was one step in the right direction. Although only a handful of protests happened in our area, we still need to fight. Since I usually post on social media to raise awareness, it felt nice to support the movement physically. I knew it was my duty to fight for the rights of the Black community (as well as every minority), because if I can’t help myself, I must help others. While I am a person of colour and have faced racism in my life, I know that my struggles are not comparable to the discrimination that the Black community faces on the daily.

@Oct 9, 2020 9:55 PM

I had a sheltered upbringing and went to a very “white” elementary school, so I didn’t have much of an awareness of anti-Black racism until I entered high school. One thing that stands out to me is when we all had to read To Kill A Mockingbird in grade nine. Every time we would talk about the book, the discussion would inevitably roll around to the fact that someone’s white teacher had said the n-word and claimed it was okay, because they were ”just reading the book”. This, to me, was to say that using racial slurs was justifiable. It shocked me, although it really shouldn’t have, that there were white teachers who felt comfortable with this.

I often wondered if these teachers would have acted differently if there were Black students present in the classroom, because they were obviously aware that it was wrong to use that language. This, in my opinion, is even worse, because it shouldn't be a Black student’s job to police the behaviour of an educated, fully-grown adult.

This was probably one of the first times I understood that racism did not have to be an aggressive or overt action. These teachers heard the feedback of their extremely uncomfortable students, and made no effort to change or to accept that racial slurs were not okay to use in any context. While they were supposed to be “teaching” their students about racism, they were sending the opposite message through their own racist behaviour.

@Oct 9, 2020 10:05 PM

I was around 7, my parents and I recently moved to Canada, broken english was the new native tongue. They took my then 10 year old brother and I to look for apartments, after months of searching we had finally found the right one. It wasn't much, a two bedroom 1 bath apartment in toronto, but expensive nevertheless. I’ll never forget how happy my parents were about this new place, an upgrade from our old living situation and in a good school district. My dad was talking to the landlord (a white man, early 40’s with a neverending frown painted across his face) about signing a lease for the vacant apartment, without a trace of reasoning; he said no. My mom stared at him confused, oblivious to the blatant racism. My mom said “ Sir-- I don't understand why you do not sell to us?. Please I have family, do you want more money? We give you more money okay?”. The landlord didn't budge, claiming that there was “..no way Blacks can afford it [the apartment]” and that us living there would”.. send the wrong message, start gangs and drug deals on [his] property”. He pushed my brother away by his shoulder and threatened to call the police for ‘ harassing him and disturbing the peace’. My dad said “no need, we’ll go”. We sonderly walked down the steps as the landlord and his associates screamed at us to walk faster. The bus ride home was complete silence, finally broken when my dad first explained to my brother and I what racism is, he apologized that he won't be able to protect us from this no matter how bad he wants to; but told us not to stand for it, not to back down, and to fight back--but to do it wisely. We filed a police report, months later the landlord was fined and we found a new home. Even though there was a bittersweet ending, I’ll never forget the emotions I felt; sadness,confusion, anger, and hopelessness all at once. It’s an experience I would never wish upon anyone, yet one that still defines me to this day.

@Oct 9, 2020 10:14 PM

One of my first experiences challenging anti-black racism was related to the topic of not being a racist simply because someone is neutral on the subject. Ibram X. Kendi phrased it perfectly in the first chapter of his book; "But there is no neutrality in the racism struggle. The opposite of "racist' isn't "not racist". It is "anti-racist"." Neutrality was never something I saw a problem with in the past when in reality identifying as "not racist" doesn't make that person someone wanting to create positive change for/in the Black community. Having no stance is quite close to ignorance, and when I understood that I began to understand the importance of being an anti-racist and the useful role anti-black racism plays in our society. In general, the more I knew the more I was able to educate my friends and classmates who were curious on the topic and wanted to know how they can be an anti-racist and what they can do. Now, I'm even further understanding anti-black racism through this book and I can't wait to share it with others.

@Oct 9, 2020 10:26 PM

I believe my first experience of understanding anti-Black racism is the first time I saw a video of police brutality online. I was in the ninth grade and I had heard of what racism was, but I do not think I could say that I fully understood it. When I came across the video, I was just scrolling on Instagram, and at first, I did not quite understand what was going on. I was witnessing a police officer very aggressively assault a younger Black man, and near the end of the video the police officer shot him. I thought well he must be resisting arrest? But the longer I watched, I realized that the police officer was assaulting someone who was barely moving, lying on the ground. The police officer shot a man who was barely moving lying on the ground. I think I re-watched the video a couple of times before looking at the comment section. I read a lot of comments saying what happened in the video was messed up, it was racist and police brutality. Then, I understood that the man in the video had done absolutely nothing wrong, he just had Black skin. I took a lot of time to think about what I saw and how I felt about it. My immediate reaction was that this can’t be common - I researched police brutality; it is. I knew that I thought it was wrong, so how could anyone think this was right? This is where I began to understand that people really do treat people differently for nothing other than the color of their skin. I’m sad that I didn’t fully comprehend racism until the ninth grade as that is a long time to go without entirely grasping what goes on around you. Further, the fact that I will never experience racism due to the privilege and safety that my own skin color gives to me.

My first experience challenging and confronting racism when I had knowledge to talk about it was just this year. During quarantine, just after George Floyd was killed, I was hanging out with a small group of friends. We were talking and hanging out as normal, when one of the boys said a racial slur – it took me by complete surprise, especially considering what was going on in the world at the moment. I got pretty upset with the boy and told him off right then and there. I explained how when you are not Black, under any circumstances should you ever say the word – ever. He thought I was either joking or being over dramatic and shrugged it off. I did not talk to the boy rest of the night and after that night, I decided to cut ties with him completely. To me, it did not sit right to be around someone who did not have the same views around Black lives as I did.

@Oct 9, 2020 11:09 PM

My first experience confronting and challenging anti-Black racism occurred when I attended high school. I'd overheard some white students saying the n-word and looked over to see they were white. Naturally, I went up to them, telling them not to say that and informing them why they couldn't. Their responses surprised me, as they said things like "why do you care you're only half white?" and "we weren't saying it about you or to you so it shouldn't matter", and "you can't say it anyways because you're only half Black so you can't tell us that". I'd never even heard of the ideology that someone who was half-Black "wasn't black enough" to defend the usage of racist slurs. In attempts to confront them, I was instead left questioning my place as a Black girl in society, and who I identified myself as. I later on realized they were completely in the wrong, and I in fact did have the right to confront them. This situation can be connected to the ideology of Blackness, regarding "they were created through ignorance, prejudice, and a means for class and socio-economic exploitation, justified through the hegemonic ideology of ‘White’ ‘racial’ superiority." The encounter I had was with ignorant people, who stereotyped me as not Black enough to correct their naivety. The prejudice surrounding Black people stops us from even being able to speak up for ourselves, out of shame, or fear. Eventually, I began speaking up for myself again, as I realized their responses were coming from a place of white superiority. As white boys, they believed I was inferior to them, and that while I wasn't able to say the n-word, they were, because it wasn't meant to be harmful. Confronting ignorant people like this and challenging their anti-Black racism is a challenge that is seen in many social institutions, and I can only hope that we can continue to educate people and challenge their ignorance.

@Oct 9, 2020 11:19 PM

My first real experience related to anti-Black racism was in May during the George Floyd protests. I wish I could say I had this experience much earlier in my life so that I could've been an ally a lot earlier, but unfortunately I was ignorant to the reality that so many Black people face. Growing up, I learned that there were certain things that were unacceptable in society like a white person using the n word or hate speech/violence targeting a Black individual, and I knew that enslavement was something that happened in history. However, I didn't understand that the impacts of the enslavement of Black people have carried on into the present. Due to my own ignorance and lack of education, I also didn't understand Canada's role in systemic racism and I lived in the false reality that we were a diverse and multicultural country that treated people equally, without acknowledging the fact that we too have systemic racism ingrained into our society and it affects the way BIPOC are treated now.

On May 25th, 2020 George Floyd was murdered by white police officers in Minneapolis. The video of his murder was posted all over social media and Black Lives Matter began to gain traction. I wish it didn't take this long for Black Lives Matter to finally attract my attention but that is what happened. I had known of police brutality before seeing the video of Floyd's death, but I didn't realize how extreme of an issue it actually is and how many people it affects. A white police officer knelt on George Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds while he repeated 'I can't breathe', while 3 other officers watched/encouraged. His right to breathe was literally taken away from him. After witnessing this horrific event I began to educate myself on racism and how it affects people today. I learned how it is ingrained into our education system, criminal justice system, government, and society as a whole and that stereotypes, biases, and prejudices affect the way people are treated. I learned that Canada is not innocent and has been oppressing Black people, people of colour, and Indigenous people throughout history. From having conversations with my friends, I learned that their parents literally had to teach them how to avoid being killed by a police officer, who swear to protect everyone.

After educating myself I realized that I wanted to continue to learn more, but also to share what I was learning. I realized that staying silent only benefits the system, because it allows it to continue to exist without being challenged. I shared thoughts and posts on social media, continued to educate myself on what I could do to make a change (especially by using my voice politically and addressing my own biases), and I had conversations with family and friends. I want to continue to be an ally and continue to educate myself which is ultimately why I signed up for this course.