Trust Requests (3/3) | Confront Racism

Trust Requests

Part 3

Description

The Black Faculty Collective at the University of Waterloo:

“In the spirit of collaboration, we offer below some ‘trust requests’ to you. As an aside, we use the term ‘trust requests’ to mark an innovative language difference from the linguistic choice of [the] Black constituencies on University campuses in the USA.”

“Partners do not demand actions from each other. They build trust through consultation, collaboration, and real partnership. Demands arise when the consultation, collaboration, and partnership break down.”

This assignment is due Friday October 30th, 2020 - 11:30 PM and represents 10% of your final grade.

Instructions

Students will be required to contribute to two (2) online Trust Requests. Each student will submit a Trust – an action item to challenge anti-Black racism – in a collaborative document online.

Document 1 will outline action items for the University of Waterloo. This document will be submitted to senior leaders at the University.

Document 2 will outline action items for the Region of Waterloo. This document may be submitted to the Region of Waterloo.

Abstracts

Require every student and faculty member at the University of Waterloo to complete a ‘How to challenge Black Racism’ module at the beginning of every year in order to continue studying or working under the University.
The university should implement incident reporting systems specifically for hate crimes, prejudice and bias. These reports must be processed as rapidly as possible and the victim should be given the choice to remain anonymous during the questioning of the perpetrator. The victim must be given a safe space and provided with some sort of protection.
Create a space that is student run where students feel comfortable expressing themselves and can openly speak about their experiences on campus/at school. (after these discussions/meetings take action to change these experiences).
Implementing a course that teaches students about African and Caribbean music and culture. This is for those who are eager to learn more and want to expand their knowledge in the ranges of music and culture.
The university of Waterloo should have a course that teaches students the effects of Cultural Appropriation on the Black community.
Annual Black History Month Showcase.
There needs to be more courses with Black professors teaching.
To outline on why the University as an institution should teach students to see color. This would be implemented under a compulsory course on anti-Black racism for all students.
The University of Waterloo should have mandatory anti-Black racism courses for all students
The University of Waterloo should have mandatory Anti-Racism classes for students either yearly or at least twice during their time at the university as well as yearly reviews for Teachers. The school should also have Anti- Racism facts/ daily reminders around campus that students will see daily to remind them.
A multicultural program should be mandatory for every student upon entering University.
WUSA should have a group/club to promotes socio-economic growth within the Black community. This group will support Black entrepreneurs and Black owned businesses.
There should have a support club/group that help Black students feel accepted & welcomed. This club can help them with emotional and physical problems in their lives. Making sure they do not feel like an outcast in the university.
Campus police to set standardized protocols for dealing with -anti-Black- racism cases reported by students. So those cases don’t get dismissed or lost.
Implement more black professionals to come and speak in classes, to inspire black youth.
A mentor/peer program for Black youth that are interested in applying to UW or another post-secondary institution.
UW students in first and second year need to take at least 2 racial equity courses, as breadth requirements with one of them being “How to challenge anti-Black racism.”
The University of Waterloo should host events where Black students and faculty members can perform traditional cultural activities such as dancing, traditional food and other activities to help educate students on various Black cultures.

“Require every student and faculty member of the University of Waterloo to complete a ‘How to challenge Black Racism’ module at the beginning of every year in order to continue studying or working under the University.”

The University of Waterloo needs to open their eyes to how diverse our student population is and embrace the cultures within it. Though there may not be large hate crimes against Black people that we hear of here on campus, racism most definitely still exists in forms of harassment, stereotyping, microaggressions as well as many other forms.

I chose to submit this Trust Request because I think that requiring everyone at the university to complete this module can cause so much change in the prejudice that occurs here on campus. Because all Varsity Athletes have to complete multiple modules on various topics such as Sexual Harassment, Concussion protocols, etc. I have experienced first-hand how completing even the simplest of modules can create in-depth discussions on the topics between peers. Knowing that these modules are mandatory for athletes in order to educate them and keep them safe makes me wonder why the University can’t apply the same methods but to the student body and faculty.

In order to implement this request, the University will need to develop an online module explaining the history behind the racial prejudice of Black people, how Black people are treated today, how to identify racial prejudice, as well as how to combat it. There are many groups of people and resources that can contribute to this process including students and professors of the ARTS 130 ‘How to be an Anti-Racist and Challenge Anti-Black Racism’ course. Once this module is created, the university can then post this on our Learn website and have this module due by the end of the first month of classes. Students and Faculty will need to complete this module once every year in order to keep the material fresh in their minds as well as update them on any changes that may have occurred in society.

There are many advantages to implementing this Trust request to challenge anti-Black racism at our university. First and foremost, it will be extremely informative and educational for everyone participating. There are many students, including myself, who are extremely uneducated on the topic and learning even the basics about prejudice and discrimination against Black people can contribute so much to their understanding and even change the way they may act or feel towards racism. Additionally, having everyone complete this module generates conversations about the content in the module as mentioned before. This might occur when someone needs help understanding a concept or just wants to talk about how they feel about the topic. Having these conversations makes our student body and faculty so much more educated and informed on the topic than we used to be.

I, myself, have made a personal commitment to challenge anti-Black racism here at the University of Waterloo in many aspects. I can use prior knowledge as well as knowledge I have gained from this course to contribute to discussions, petitions, and protests here on campus. Being a varsity athlete also presents me with the opportunity to participate in Black Lives Matter Healing Circle Meetings as well as Allyship meetings with the OUA. Participating in these meetings will provide me with new insight and aid in creating a new environment for Black athletes in the OUA.

“The Region of Waterloo should host Black history and cultural awareness events that the public can attend to learn about these things while enjoying fun activities and good food.”

The Region of Waterloo is extremely diverse when it comes to the cultures that reside within it. Waterloo may not be known as an exceedingly racist city however there are prejudice events and small acts that occur that need to be changed.

I chose to submit this Trust Request because I think a great way to start challenging AntiBlack Racism is by teaching the racists about Black culture and letting those who need the education receive it. I, personally, have attended many foreign cultural events and have learned extensive amounts of information and had fun and enjoyed lots of amazing food at the same time. Because I have personally experienced these kinds of events, I think that it would be a good idea for the city of Waterloo to host them.

In order to put these Black culture awareness events into place there needs to be a good amount of organization and preparation in part of the city. The venue needs to be big enough to host large crowds, there needs to be special guests to do presentations, someone to cater the event, as well as an advertising team to publicize the event to the general public. The special guests doing presentations could be someone who has survived a severe amount of racial harassment, someone who works with people who have been harassed, or even just a Black person who has seen and experienced “everyday” racism. When the audience hears this person speak, participates in the activities, and eats the food, they will be fully immersed in the culture and will learn to respect the various aspects of it.

There are many ways these events could contribute to challenging the anti-Black racism in the city of Waterloo. First of all, the event has a positive atmosphere which will attract much of the general public giving them good feelings toward the Black culture. Moreover, these people will learn tremendous amounts about Black history, Black culture, and Black discrimination and will change their thoughts toward how they speak and act towards Black prejudice. Those that are extremely racist can come into the event as a complete and utter racist can have their perspective on racism changed even a small amount. These small steps are what lead us to a more equal and less racist future.

I, myself, have made a personal commitment to challenge anti-Black racism here in the region of Waterloo in many aspects. Using prior knowledge as well as knowledge I have gained from this course will help me rebuke and challenge any racist comments I hear from others out on the street or at an event. I will sign petitions that aid Black people who have been discriminated against and participate in or organize peaceful protests to stand up for Black people here in Waterloo. I will support Black-owned businesses as often as possible and will continue to educate myself beyond this course because continuous learning is what is necessary for this issue.

TRUST #1: With George Floyd's recent death sparking outrage worldwide, coupled with Black Lives Matter protests, Universities have been quick to put out anti-racist statements. Many have promised to include workshops and classes on Black history, and some have even taken down monuments and statues of historical white supremacists. University of Waterloo put out a statement on Twitter on June 1st communicating their anti-racist views, "with the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the rise in protests across the world at the racism Black people and people of colour experience, UWaterloo stands for you: your frustration, your sadness and your call for action." While these statements are admirable in their own way, it also makes one wonder, is this enough to combat racism?

A recent survey demonstrated an increase in hate crimes across university campuses, specifically related to race and skin-colour. There are no statistics for this survey because Canadian universities do not record hate-crime and prejudice-based data. This makes one think if there is barely any data for hate crimes and racial profiling, does that mean universities disregard racist incidents, which results in underreporting? This is the main reason as to why I chose this trust. I believe that incidents are underreported due to the toxic and manipulative culture of gaslighting, combined with power and status abuse. Just a few days ago, University of Ottawa made headlines for having professors that casually throw the n-word around. So far, so disciplinary action has been taken against them. A professor at Saint Jerome's University also said the nword. However, he faced severe consequences for his actions and was fired. I would say that Waterloo's efforts were commendable; however, this is the bare minimum.

Implementing incident-based reporting systems is essential to combat anti-black racism. Universities should have professionals in this department to appropriately deal with reports and provide a safe space for victims to vent and discuss their encounters and experiences. The team for this department should have counsellors who are equipped to deal with racial inequity, hate crimes and prejudice so they can soothe the victim's fears. Incident reporting systems will inadvertently record data that can be further analyzed by the board of directors who can explore strategies to counter anti-black racism. It is crucial to keep the victim's identity confidential, especially when confronting the perpetrator, leading to aggression and violence towards the victim.

Incident-based reporting will result in accountability. It is essential to hold the offender accountable for their actions and educate them. Reporting systems for specifically hate crimes and biases will let students know that they are supported, and their identity is respected. As mentioned previously, these reports will also hold individuals in positions of power responsible for their actions and let students know that absolutely no one is exempt from the consequences of being racist. This will also put out a message of a zero-tolerance policy for any kind of discrimination, and students and faculty will be more hyperaware of their actions and speech.

As a University of Waterloo student and a slightly more privileged individual, it is my responsibility to challenge anti-black racism. Taking this course can be considered as an act of working towards combatting racism, as I took it to educate myself and understand the harsh reality of the atrocities committed against Black individuals. I believe that the initiative outlines in this reflection will be beneficial towards marginalized groups, especially the Black community. As a woman of colour, I have already had quite a few racist encounters on campus that have made me feel uncomfortable. However, I did not feel supported enough to report them. Providing support to the victim is a crucial stage in addressing racism. If this initiative is launched, I would like nothing better than being a member of the peer-counselling committee and help people through their struggles.

TRUST #2: There is a painful and evident lack of diversity in corporations and the workforce. Marginalized groups face challenges and obstacles when applying for jobs and struggle to get employed. According to Jocelyn Frye, author of Valuing Black Women's Work, "Black women are graduating colleges and universities at a higher rate than ever before but are still underrepresented in corporations and managerial roles" (Frye,2018). Black individuals usually do not land white-collar jobs. The Ascend Analysis found that white men are by far the most represented group in management (Gee, 2018). This is clearly alarming for the African American community as it demonstrates systemic racism in the workplace that prevents them from reaching their full potential. One of my friends has been a victim of systematic barriers. She applied for a position at a company and did not specify her race in the application. When she was called in for her interview, she was told that she would not be hired because she looked "unprofessional" and did not "fit the aesthetic" of the workplace. This incident inspired me to push this initiative forward because I believe the criteria for a job should be one's qualifications, not their skin colour.

I believe it is essential for the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, and Canada to collaborate with unions, corporations and employers to get to the root of these systematic barriers and glass ceilings to eliminate systemic racism. Premiers and Ministers should review corporation policies with employers, point out discriminatory ones and push for them to be disregarded. Since Premiers and Ministers are entangled in their responsibilities, they should send a team to go over policies. These teams should contain people of colour, specifically Black individuals. Anonymous surveys or one-on-one interviews should be done to ask employees if they feel discriminated against and their views on workplace diversity. White dominance should be addressed, and employers should be held accountable for their racist speech when conducting interviews.

Having the government involved in the hiring process, workplace environment and crafting of policies will put individuals on high alert as even a minute microaggression can be held against them. It will also provide people of colour and Black employees with moral support, as they will have a system to lean on. Addressing systematic barriers will increase the hiring of Black men, and women and more Black individuals will start appearing in the roles of executives and managers. Strategies that make the workplace equitable will be explored and introduced, giving every individual the same amount of opportunity. Challenging racism does not only end at Waterloo; it goes beyond that. I am still on the road to educating myself, but I have been combatting racism by also educating others. Growing up in Pakistan, I never had the chance to understand racism, but I threw myself into challenging antiblack racism when I moved to Canada. From writing articles, poems, and blogs on racism's destructive nature to getting involved in heated discussions with family members, friends, and strangers. I may not be much help in this specific initiative, but I would love to see it in practice, so that Black individuals do not have to go through ten times the struggle of their racial counterparts when seeking employment.

“The Region of Waterloo should host Black history and cultural awareness events that the public can attend to learn about these things while enjoying fun activities and good food.”

University of Waterloo Trust Request

I chose to put forth this trust because there are too many people that are struggling in silence. There are too many people dismissing the facts that anti-Black racism exists and that it is happening every day, all around us. Even in our own backyard. The University of Waterloo has been allowing the virus that is anti-Black racism to run rampant on its campus. Not only are they compliant, they have also been attempting to silence the voices of the few brave souls that stand up for themselves. It is extremely difficult to stand up for yourself when you have already been knocked down and are feeling alone, but to be ignored and silenced by those that are meant to help you is completely unacceptable. The actions, or lack of action, that the University of Waterloo is taking when it comes to racism and discrimination is completely unacceptable. We cannot allow this to continue. We need to come together and support one another to truly enact change.

I want to create a club/support group that is open to minority students at the University of Waterloo. This club would have an online platform for communication and long-distance support as well as host an in person meeting once every month. At these meetings, students can discuss their experiences on campus with their peers that understand what they are going through. After opening up and sharing their stories, they can work together to come up with ways to fight against the blatant disrespect and mistreatment. As a team, students can approach the higher ups with their issues and be listened to. By sharing stories and working together, we eliminate the feelings of isolation that are brought on my anti-Black racism and racism in general.

This trust will create a safe and inclusive space for Black youth at the University of Waterloo. Having a group of students that experience and understand the struggles that are brought on by anti-Black racism will create unity and a ground for mistreated students to stand on. Having a group that will stand up for you and with you will encourage more people to speak up about their unjust experiences on campus/ in class. We are louder when we speak together. We will be heard.

I will personally commit myself to speaking up. I will not stay silent when I see the injustices treatment of my fellow Black brothers and sisters. I will fight for change. If my trust request is put through, I will attend every meeting and hear out the struggles of my peers and do my absolute best to ensure that they do not have to face the gross mistreatments that they do on campus. School should be a safe space, a free place. There is simply no room for anti-Black racism in this world, but let's start with eradicating it from our own campus first.

Region of Waterloo Trust Request

I’m ashamed to say that I do not know much about Black History. What I know now is what I have learned from my family and the internet. I cannot recall one time where I learned about a Black historical figure or the contributions of Black people to our society in school. I bet you knew that the man who “created” the light bulb was Thomas Edison. But did you know that the only reason it didn’t burn out automatically was because of the brilliant mind of a Black man named Lewis Howard Latimer? Lewis Howard Latimer was instrumental to the creation of the carbon filament that went into lightbulbs to ensure that it lasted longer than a few minutes. Hist discovery was groundbreaking and lead to many other successes, but we almost never hear his name. There are countless other Black names that we have not heard because the Waterloo Regional District School board does not make the education of Black history a priority.

The Waterloo region needs to re write the history curriculum to include the contributions and stories of Black people. Black history is a part of everyday life and people need to know that. Confining Black excellence and the acknowledgement of Black individuals to one month a year is simply not enough. We need to incorporate these teachings in every school within the district and remember these individuals for their hard work and strength.

Including these teaching in a new curriculum will challenge anti-Black racism by disturbing the ground it stands on. From class, I've learned that quite a bit of anti- Black racism stems from ignorance and lack of knowledge. Educating people about Black history will shrink the number of people that are ignorant and uninformed on this topic. Learning about the struggles that Black individuals went through in order to succeed will open people's eyes. They will realize that the world has not changed nearly enough and that there is still so much more that needs to be done. Not only that but learning this new curriculum will give Black youth people “like them” to look up to. Seeing a person that is similar to them in a place of success/power will encourage Black excellence from a young age and create a sense of belonging in a world that has been pushing them aside for too long.

I am personally committed to educating myself on historical Black excellence and passing what I learn onto those around me. Black people are a force to be reckoned with. We are strong and resilient people and this needs to be known. Black history is a reminder of the brilliance that is a Black mind, and we must remember this.

Trust/ Action item for UWaterloo:

Create a mandatory Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression training course for all faculty and staff members, in addition to establishing policies that hold members accountable for microaggressions, discriminatory and racist practices.

I chose this action item for the University of Waterloo because no academic institution is free from bias, prejudice and discrimination. As a new student to the University of Waterloo, I want to study on a campus that is safe, welcoming and upholds values of equity, inclusion and social justice. I chose the University of Waterloo for their pride in building strong communities. But, the incidents that have come to light in recent months have disappointed and made me weary of the University’s commitment to equity and beyond. Many of us, academic scholars included, have not received proper education and training related to Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression. Our education system is deeply rooted in colonialism and has purposely excluded the contributions of Black, Indigenous and Racialized peoples to the growth and prosperity of this country. Furthermore, our understanding of oppression and injustice is directly connected to our social location, identities and privileges. If we have never been exposed to or experienced some form of oppression, it is impossible to understand how this impacts and affects people.

Elaborating on the proposed action item; Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression training will discuss power dynamics of racial and colonial oppression in our communities and country, explore the meanings of social justice and equity, and examine the importance of decolonizing, intersectionality, positionality and privilege in cultural, political and historical contexts. ARAO training will better equip educators, faculty members and staff to create respectful and safe learning environments to support all students.

It is my hope that this action item will challenge Anti-Black racism across UW’s campus by engaging and educating faculty to be a part of cultivating change in their lives. I believe, ARAO training is a valuable tool for addressing issues of racism and discrimination across campus by ensuring the need for principles of equity and inclusion. By establishing policies to hold faculty members accountable, the University will be taking real action to protect and support Black, Indigenous and Racialized students. Racism is deeply embedded in our institutions. It is no longer enough to release blanket statements and promises. The University has the opportunity to make real change with their resources and influence, but only if they choose to. We cannot look away from the injustice that affects peoples’ lives and freedoms. We must speak up and take real action.

I, as a student of the University of Waterloo, am indefinitely committed to challenging Anti-Black racism and oppression of all forms. As a non-Black woman of colour, I have witnessed countless incidents of injustice in my own communities and schools. I realize the danger of enabling these systems of oppression. I will always hold space for conversation by engaging in courses and activities that talk about these topics and issues. I will work to unpack my own bias by challenging my own beliefs and those of the people in my circle. Committing to Anti-racism is lifelong and is not fixed. We must all work to be Anti-racist and acknowledge the ways in which we have benefitted from systems of oppression.

Trust/ Action Item for Waterloo Region:

Create accessible Mental Health supports and services for Black, Indigenous and racialized residents, by committing to increased funding, hiring trained professionals and committing to engaging communities and their needs.

As a future resident of Waterloo region, I believe the city needs to make stronger, action-sustained commitments to their Black, Indigenous and Racialized residents. In a country that prides itself on its diversity, racism and discrimination is still prevalent in our communities and cities. Waterloo region is not immune to this, as a city with issues of its own. There has been a drastic shift in public dialogue where people are finally talking about issues of systemic racism at all levels. I chose this action item in calling for the betterment of the wellbeing and health of the region’s residents. Racism and discrimination can significantly impact one’s mental health. Your communities are suffering through complex challenges. A commitment to accessible Mental Health services will provide spaces for residents to receive support and better their lives.

I know that this item is no easy feat. But especially during this time, in a public health crisis, the spotlight is on the need for increased Mental Health services. Residents are struggling with grief, poverty, anxiety and so much more. There are so many barriers when accessing Mental Health services. By making them accessible (either free, subsidized or low-cost,) will help to fill a gap in the system. Services can include but are not limited to individual counselling, group programs and specialized services. By better the Mental Health of your residents, you can empower them to change their lives.

The proposed action item will challenge Anti-Black racism by providing equitable access to services that might have once been a barrier. Black Mental Health matters. It is no longer enough for politicians and policy makers to denounce systemic racism without implementing necessary resources to combat it. I strongly believe in the power of Mental Health services. By allowing people to receive support in different forms, it will contribute to their increased well being.

I am committed to challenging Anti-Black racism in Waterloo region, by supporting and being a part of community work that will help to better the lives of residents. I know that there is so much I have left to learn and unlearn. My work to being an Anti-racist is continuous and must reflect through my life and through my actions

University of Waterloo Trust Request

Implementing a course that teaches students about African and Caribbean music and culture. This is to cater to those who are eager to learn more and want to expand their knowledge in the ranges of both music and culture.

I chose this action item because personally I know little to none about African and Caribbean music and culture but would love to learn more. It’s not as mainstream as other genres of music which makes it unique. A course that consists of this can also teach how to challenge anti-Black racism, through education. This course could act as an elective at the University of Waterloo to give students the freedom to dig into their curiosity and expand their knowledge on concepts related to music and culture they never thought to rethink. Reggae, for instance, has socially impacted life in Jamaica and other parts of the world. His legacy would be amongst the other scholarly information found in this course. This course could also be of interest to students majoring in music as it would deeply challenge all the learning they’ve been doing in school. Music and anti-racism can work hand in hand as well. African and Black diasporic music hold social meaning and when genres originating from these cultures reach elsewhere, they are used as a symbol of resistance from oppressors and a tool to challenge anti-Black racism. Different music genres carry racial meaning that has been reestablished and associated with them throughout their histories. This is an education piece related to challenging anti-Black racism at the University. I hope that students take this course and leave it gaining more respect and appreciation for Black culture overall.

My personal commitment to challenging anti-Black racism at the University of Waterloo is creating or joining a supportive space for Black students to educate and increase awareness of Black Brilliance.

Region of Waterloo Trust Request

Regarding high school’s, the Region of Waterloo should implement mandatory anti-oppression training for administrators, teachers, support staff, and counsellors.

Many stores and corporations have implemented anti-bias and anti-racism training to aid the employees in recognizing their implicit bias. For example, Starbucks, a coffeehouse company, requires every employee to take part in anti-bias training. In light of the Black Lives Matter Movement educators should have the training to help them support Blacks students during times like these.

What I’ve noticed across the Waterloo Region District School Board is that there is a lack of anti-bias and anti-racism training for educators. This request suggests that each institution should do training starting from elementary schools. Since these are very difficult to curate and emotionally draining to place on the small number of educators a consultant or third party should be hired to aid in this process. The consultant or third party should do Roundtables for pre-training prep at schools or the board. The training should also focus on encouraging and being comfortable responding to the mental health of students. To further enhance this training they can have a sample of students fill out a survey answering what they would like their educators to know whether it be about Black history or the support they expect/want from them as an administrator. A school's responsibility is to provide all students with a welcome, open and safe environment/space to grow and learn. If marginalized students don’t agree with this statement, some sort of change needs to occur.

This contributes to challenging anti-Black racism by education and training the people in influential power. Educators including teachers, support staff, and counsellors, all play a crucial role in what goes into the minds of over 64 000 students across the region. If these same people have gone through training to unlearn white supremacy ideologies amongst other subjects, they can create an environment for teaching their students how to be anti-racists.

My personal commitment to challenging anti-Black racism in the Region of Waterloo is spending my money and time supporting Black-owned business, which there are plenty of in the region. If I want to see Black businesses thriving and beating the odds, I need to help further that goal by leading by example. It’s easy to ask the city to provide funding for Black-owned business but it’s even more genuine to ask the people who reside here to support them themselves.

My proposal for the University of Waterloo states the school needs to have a cultural appropriation course. This course primarily teaching students the effects of cultural appropriation on Black individuals and how it can be damaging. This general concept is defined as adopting or using elements of one culture/race by members of another culture/race. It is perceived as controversial when the cultural property of a minority group is used by members of the dominant group of individuals without consent. When it is used in a respectful and thoughtful way, it can lead to awareness, while modifying misconceptions and stereotypes. However, there is a line where appropriation can cross into cultural insensitivity. Students have a tough time seeing that line and, as educators, it should be a responsibility to have that conversation with them. It’s not easy, and to be honest, there are times when it’ll be a challenge because you yourself might not be certain about what feels okay and what is offensive. How do we expect people to know what is right from wrong when it is never taught to them? This course will further help us university students become more knowledgeable about our community. Now that we have defined cultural appropriation, let’s focus specifically on how it affects Black individuals. Cultural appropriation has a bad habit of giving the dominant individual credit for aspects of a culture that they have taken, reinforcing the power imbalance between the two groups. For example, Kylie Jenner was credited with starting an ‘edgy’ new hair trend, while Zendaya faced criticism for wearing her hair the same way. What’s interesting about this, is that Zendaya’s natural hair was seen as a negative. But Kylie Jenner, a person with no ties to Black culture, was given credit for taking something that wasn’t hers. Another example is during Halloween when someone dresses up as a Rasta. When people from dominant cultures ‘dress up’ like this, it reduces something of cultural significance to a costume just so the dominant group can have a bit of fun. It also keeps these kinds of stereotypes going. When cultures have been oppressed, stereotypes commonly add to their negative experiences. Overall when talking about issues like cultural appropriation which has a history behind it, It’s important to find experts that know the history. Having those voices be an integral part of the conversation provides valuable learning opportunities for students. While educators can convey knowledge in many areas, there is no replacement for someone’s lived experience. Reaching out to community centers or organizations that can provide resources and maybe even a speaker. I truly believe this can help create change within our school and provide the necessary knowledge students may not have known.

My proposal for the Region of Waterloo is to provide sort of a Food Bank where low incomed Black families can have access to basic necessities. A food bank is a non-profit organization that collects and distributes food to hunger relief charities. Food banks act as food storage and distribution depots for smaller front line agencies and usually do not give out food directly to people struggling with hunger. However, I don’t want this being limited to only food, but rather other necessities such as toiletries and even clothing. It is becoming clear that race has an impact on food insecurity. In Canada, more than 4 million people struggle with the burden of food insecurity, with a large number of Black, Indigenous, and racialized Canadians identifying as food insecure as a result of enduring racialized income inequality.

Food insecurity is defined as not having propert access to food due to a lack of income. For many Black Canadians, the most factor determining their status as food insecure is the simple fact they are racialized as Black. By being Black in Canada, individuals and families face a reality that is disproportionately built by racism and poverty, shaping their experience with food insecurity. A recent study made by PROOF and FoodShare found the best predictor of food insecurity among Black Canadians was their race. Black communities are 3.5x more likely to experience food insecurity compared to White Canadians. Black children were also 34% more likely to be food insecure compared to 10% of white children. This difference has been linked to the increased likelihood of developing chronic diseases, like diabetes, asthma, and depression. Addressing food insecurity in the Black community is about more than addressing hunger, it's about fighting anti-Black racism and poverty through a governmental approach, grounded in the right to food and other necessities. The right to food provides a framework to tackle these barriers to food access by acknowledging the government's responsibility to respond to the issue with a systems approach. I believe having a service that is counteracting all these issues, will contribute to the region of Waterloo by helping Black individuals gain access to these things easily and decrease the poverty within our own city. In my sense of knowledge, this is something unique and has not been done before here in the region of Waterloo. I have contributed to the region of Waterloo when I was a bit younger. I helped volunteer at community centers where we did something similar and helped families in the area with basic groceries and hosted monthly putlocks. It was moments like those where the community felt content. If we had a whole orginization that could help hundred of families feel this way as well, it would help create great change.

University of Waterloo – Trust Request

Annual Black History Month Showcase

The University of Waterloo has a large population of identifying Black students and staff, with that should come a lot more representation within the community. In Canada, many seasonal occasions are celebrated widely throughout the university (e.g. Thanksgiving, Canada Day) however, a whole month dedicated to the history created by Black people is underrepresented. A Black History Month Showcase would be one way of including the Black community into the larger University of Waterloo society as well as bring forth inclusion. The reason that this is an important request and action item is that the student body and faculty staff must be educated on the contributions Black personalities have had on North America – as well as the rest of the world, the oppression and struggle that Black people face(d) and to understand how the Black community influence society.

A Black History Month Showcase will serve the purpose of educating everyone and encouraging Black liberation. The showcase will span over a course of a week, with each day of the week addressing a different objective that finally leads to the main event – the entertainment. Throughout the week, seminars, workshops, informational sessions, Black-owned businesses stands, food vendors and performances will be included because this gives the community hands-on knowledge about what Black History Month is truly about. The entertainment event is there to provide an enjoyable way of educating and appreciating various types of Black culture, whether it be through dances, plays, music, singing or motivational speaking. The various events would be volunteer-run with financial support from the university funds and would be free of charge to anyone that would like to attend.

By holding events like this during February – Black History Month, it facilitates discussion about race and racial injustice without formally combatting it. The showcase is also a way to spread awareness and inspire allies. When Black people are given an opportunity to have a platform and have their voice heard – it speaks large volumes to the audience because it is rarely the case in our society. The Black community is usually expected by society to endure and adapt to the pain and struggle of oppression of any intensity, therefore, when a Black personality is allowed to speak out, it usually has a big impact on the people who do not experience racism.

I think to execute this plan to be the most effective, is to organize a volunteer group organization dedicated to Black History Month and have allocated sections to ensure productivity. My role in the organization of the event would include finding a venue, contacting Black-owned businesses, invited Black cultural food vendors and holding open auditions for those that would like to be the voices of the events. It would be my responsibility to initiate the event and make proposals to the university to request funding and for this to become University of Waterloo tradition.

Region of Waterloo – Trust Request

Establishing a Section of the Police for Race Related Issues

The Region of Waterloo is commended for its efforts in keeping the city safe and protected by organizing regular police rounds. That being said, very few people feel comfortable in contacting the police to report or ask for assistance during an altercation. With the reoccurring events of police brutality that is covered by the media, the Black community rather avoid going to the police at all as they feel like they would be assumed as the preparator. This is an issue that needs to be tackled because if the police are not trusted to protect their citizens, there is no one else in such high authority capable of doing that.

The request is to assign a specific sector of the police department in the Region of Waterloo that is solely there for race-related issues. These police officers would be trained and educated on racial prejudice, hate crimes, microaggressions, racial bias and conflict resolution – specifically for racist encounters. With implementing this system, the Black community as well as other racial minorities are able to trust that when they report an issue or ask for assistance (during a racial encounter) they will be supported. This further also builds trust between the Region of Waterloo Police Department and the racial minorities represented. In addition to that, it promotes a community that thrives off of living in harmony with one another.

This will challenge anti-Black racism because the police department will now show that there are repercussions for race-based crimes and that racial minorities are protected from any prejudice. This will encourage the Waterloo community to thrive for equality and motivate them to question those who feel inferior. Although justice and equality cannot be accomplished overnight, this would be a step further in enacting long due social change.

My commitment to this trust request would be spreading awareness that there are specific people within the police department to ensure your protection and safety for race-related issues within the Black community and other racial minorities. I think it would also be beneficial to encourage volunteers that specialize in racial studies and resolution in the region to donate their time to helplines related to the police department for citizens that do not necessarily have an issue but would like to discuss race-related problems.

The importance of Black Teachers

The importance of the relationship between the doctor and his or her patient is understood, the doctor understands what the risk is if he or she is not fully invested in their patient. If it's the doctors job to help a patient's body it is the teachers to help a student's mind . It is the job of those who work in the school to engage and inspire. We need to make our schools places where students of color feel loved, valued and respected. Until we address the miserableness students of color feel in the school system there is no impetus Black students to come back. Why would people come to a place where they feel subjugated and marginalized? If you are going to cultivate teachers of color you have to have support there so they stay. This study Dr. Constant Lindsay published a study looking at the long term effects of having a Black child appointed to a Black teacher; by 3rd grade a Black child is 39% less likely to drop out , you are 32% more likely to go to post secondary education. Unfortunately with those numbers we have not seen the amount of action needed. To take action today is to say “here's how we are fundamentally changing our university, to recruit and retain students.” University is still expensive and costs are continuing to rise. When we discuss the poverty level of some people of color, first generation college goers, this is a whole new bill their family has not even experienced yet. Universities need to offer scholarships as an incentive for Black students. The connection between teacher and student and the idea of teaching and learning is important. Studies find that Black children who are assignmenned a Black teacher during elementary school performs better on standardized testings. Black students that have a Black teacher early on in life are more interested in university. Vanderbilt university had a study that finds that Black teachers are twice as likely to identify gifted Black children Black teachers are demonstrated to be powerful role models to Black children and are more likely to recognize their abilities and skills. Black children are more sensitive to what the teacher says than white children and that is constant. We are talking about the psych, and how they are bombarded with messages saying they are not good enough. The person they spend the most time with outside of their homes are their teachers. Some teachers get paid to think about Black students, talk about them , study them but to some, it does not touch them personally. What you think about what is in front of you has a big outcome. My personal commitment to challenging anti-Black racism in University of Waterloo is to try to inspire other Black students and make myself as seen as possible to someone that is a Black student to recognize there are other Black people to validate their decisions and make them feel comfortable.

EQUITY AUDIT REFLECTION

An equity audits is a tool that can be used to uncover, understand and change inequities that are internal to classrooms, schools and districts. We need to first recognize that inequities exist in the first place, and once that recognition takes place, we need to respond to it, address it and sustain an equitable environment. This is part of a framework that is developed by Paul Gorski. We are aiming for the structures to be removed that are causing inequities. There are 3 different levels to look for inequity. Institutional, instructional, and an individual basis. Equity audits are needed because there are over representation of Black children in special education and Black children getting more punishment in the school system than other children. These are something that the city of Waterloo wants to ameliorate so that every child has equal access to a good education and opportunity. Recognizing Institutional inequalities is the larger institution we want to be aware of as we look at teaching and how it is put into practice. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for there to be an over assignment of students of color in special education. This is done partly because of bias, and it is also done because high stakes testing systems place pressure on teachers to exempt students, they believe will harm the testing provisions. Another inequity to be aware of are the underrepresentation of people of Black people in gifted programs. There are also students coming in as English language learners, but the bilingual programs that are put in place by districts. ESL people are separated from the general population and placed into a sort of segregated educational program not helping them progress in any way. These are students’ teachers deem as inconvenient, and they are removed for the betterment of the lives of the adults, and children are suffering because of this. Researchers have found that educators typically engage in 2 kinds of inequitable behaviors. The first is evasion, and that is when teachers routinely avoid discussions of racism, and they do not cite racism as something that causes inequitable outcomes in schools. Deficit views are when teachers blame parents or blame communities to explain why the disparities happen in schools. To respond to this, you have to emphasize critical thinking skills and you have to try to understand culturally. Individually you need to reflect on your own practice and understand your own position. Responding means forming a committee and looking at the facts, discussing the solutions, and implementing them. It is also analyzing and asking are these working? Why are they not working? Are they successful? By using equity audits can change inequities and that is what can challenge anti-Black racism in the city of Waterloo by creating better opportunities for everyone. My personal commitment to challenging anti-Black racism in the city of Waterloo is to make sure that we understand and change the inequities because it is then we can truly challenge anti-Black racism

As an international student currently enrolled in a course titled Challenging Anti-Black Racism, I have found that it gave me a whole new perspective of racism. Teaching concepts such as "colourism" or "white fragility" in a race or ethnicity university class can give a different understanding than those who have just googled these terminologies. Educating about race would permit young people to be socially responsible in posing troublesome inquiries about social equity, benefit and duties. As George Dei, a social equity training teacher at the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, says “a seminar on race is long overdue”. Camille Logan, superintendent of education with the York Region District School Board, also says, "while some teachers make a point of including lessons about race, it's lacking in the school system." Thus, for the first Trust devoted to the University of Waterloo, I chose to discuss executing a necessary course on Anti-Black Racism inside the North-American districts.

The course would cover the premise of dark prejudice terms and how it shows in the North-American areas. It would likewise permit undergraduates to see how to be a superior ally to the Black people group as a significant aspect of their activism excursion. For the course material, I would request that any representations or media used to be comprehensive yet straightforward to make our understudies all the more balanced people by and large. Undergraduate students would take this from across faculties during their first term as a first-year. Understanding that new students may be unaware of their journey as a Waterloo student, the course would be offered online to accommodate different time zones.

Now that we understand more about the Trust, I would like to reflect on ways it can challenge anti-black racism within the University and broader society. 5 months ago, a petition was made to call UW to be proactive in combating racism, where it got the attention of over 8000 signatures. UW Media Relations Director Pamela Smyth responded that the University doesn't have any plans to introduce mandatory anti-racism courses to the curriculum. " We recognize the importance of engaging our community in anti-racism conversations through open, respectful, and factual dialogue, and ensuring this dialogue moves to action," Smyth said. This clearly shows how we need to challenge this since UW would only, evidently, plan for a non-credit method of addressing racism. While UW considered innovating by offering online workshops on racism, we need the institution to be active in having a creditable course to the degree requirement that would benefit both students and professors.

A good starting point would be through Waterloo's Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA). As a First Year Representative in the Arts Student Union (ASU), I would be able to collaborate with WUSA to conduct more awareness talks on Anti-Black racism and gather responses of diverse individuals in what would be ideal in the course created. Thus, it would help build an understanding of the need in having an anti-black racism course.

As a student who just started her education in the Waterloo Region, I had this preconception that it was the land of equality and diversity was open around society. That quickly changed when I, too, saw the flaws within this same region and country. Black Torontonians and studies' experiences continue to show that anti-Black racism still exists in this city, affecting the life chances of more than 200,000 people of African descent who call Toronto home. Additionally, what's worse is that the very existence of Anti-black racism can lead to the impacts of health and well-being among Black Torontonians. Thus, I think that advocating for improving such services within the region can help diminish the larger cause of Anti-Black Racism.

So for my Trust devoted to the Region of Waterloo, I chose to tackle the well-being and healthcare service inequality among Black Torontonians. While this may be a vast spectrum, I want to highlight 3 specific actions needed:

1. Improve the quality and accessibility of community mental health services for Black Torontonians.

2. To better serve Black Torontonians within the Waterloo region by improving the efficiency and quality of health and community services.

3. Create a more inclusive and equitable space for Blank Torontonians within the region.

Starting this Trust with a shorter list of actions allows us as students part of the region to understand small yet impactful aspects that can help paint and amend the greater picture.

Understanding the Trust, how it can challenge Anti-Black Racism within the region of Waterloo, is that having these actions can make a move to meet existing and rising network well-being and network administration needs. This is clear as a Toronto-based personal exploration has researched the effect of encountering racial segregation on physical and emotional well-being. Subjects found over various examinations were that members principally talked about bigotry's negative impact on emotional wellness and prosperity. They likewise portrayed sentiments of trouble, outrage, and dread emerging from racial separation or the danger of prejudice.

Furthermore, other than psychological well-being challenges, Analysis of NEHW information found that individuals who revealed encountering racial segregation had more unfortunate self-evaluated well-being than the individuals who didn't report experiencing racial separation. The probability of detailing less fortunate self-appraised well being expanded with any racial separation insight, paying little mind to the recurrence.

The Canadian quantitative exploration also analyzed the connection between encountering racial segregation and restricted chronic weakness results. De Maio and Kemp (2010) studied the effect of encountering segregation on decreases in self-evaluated well-being among an associate of outsiders to Canada. They found that settlers who experienced segregation were bound to report decays in self-appraised well-being.

This shows how with my Trust we can help improve these broader issues through initializing smaller initiatives to help resolve the overall well-being and health of Black Torontonians within the region of Waterloo.

University of Waterloo

The action item I chose for The University of Waterloo is there should be a mandatory anti-Black racism course for all students. There are various reasons why I chose this action item, one of the main reasons being racism is still present to this day, people want to make change but they cannot because they do not even know the roots or cause of racism. Throughout our many years of schooling, the issue of racism is not talked about in primary or secondary schools, whether it is the public or private educational system. If students are not taught history, or have learned about oppression/discrimination within the Black communities, how will there be change? If the issue is not addressed itself and individuals are not aware of it. Without education the history will keep repeating itself. With this course being mandatory, it will allow students to have a deeper understanding of these social problems, and have self-awareness. The course will cover a wide-range of topics that have impacted the Black community, such as: white privilege, history, institutional racism, intergenerational trauma that has been passed down in the Black community for generations, how they are dealt with in the justice system and more. When having a comprehensive understanding of racism it will allow people to make realistic change in society, systemic structures that are currently upholding racism, and will impact change within relationships. In hopes this course will change individual’s mindsets and have a different outlook on the Black community and even other minority groups as well. Making a change on those individuals who continue to promote racism and oppression in society.

This course will contribute to challenging anti-Black racism at University of Waterloo, because students will be more aware of the issues and will know how to address or deal with it when it is happening. This course will allow us to tackle some of the racist issues that are happening on school campuses. With this course being mandatory, it will also allow to create an inclusive environment for all minority groups. Making them feel included and a sense of belonging within the school system. However, this anti-Black racism course should be taught by qualified professional Black individuals. This is because the information that will be presented should be taught by a educator who can talk about information critically and will be much more meaningful coming from someone who has experienced racism, discrimintion or even intergenerational trauma. This can allow the content to enhance itself when it is being taught, sharing own experiences, having meaningful conversations, connecting on a deeper level and making this course a unique experience. This information learned in the course about racism will also be beneficial when University of Waterloo students graduate, and go into the workplace. They will be able to send the message into society informing citizens about racism in the Black community and the impacts it has on them systemically and personally. Learning how to deal with and handle these difficult situations will help prepare for the future regardless of race.

Region of Waterloo

The action item chosen for the Region of Waterloo is providing Black communities with the resources they need, such as resources regarding: food, counselling, healthcare, housing and job security. I chose this action item because we, as a society, often talk about making change or doing other action items to support Black lives; however we never discuss how we can support them as a community with all the trauma they have been through for centuries, and the intergenerational trauma the Black community is still dealing with to this day. To help the Black community we must provide them with the resources they need in order to help them heal. Not only that, but we must provide them with the resources that are accessible while working alongside them; as these resources should be free and accessible for all Black people. They have already been through so much oppression within the society, that it is difficult for them to access basic resources since they are all controlled but higher status and privileged people, such as white people. One of the sources that would be helpful for the Black community is an open center where they can go to and get access to the resources they need, Including: an open center to talk about their own personal experiences and what they have been through along with connecting with other's pain. These resources should not be limited to only Black people but where individuals in society can come as well and have an open conversation with Black individuals and form an allyship. Furthermore, this will help other people in our society to learn the history from Black individuals, educating themselves and becoming self-aware. This open-center can also include things such as TEDTalk shows that brings guest speakers to discuss racism, from the roots to the present. This can also help collectively bring ideas of what further steps need to be taken to enhance and improve resources for the Black community. Moreover, this will bring up actions that needs to be taken in regards to what needs to be done to educate society about oppression, discrimination, equality and systemically racist insitutions. With such heavy topics being discussed, this can be very impactful to mental health, and may open up the door in providing Black people with free counselling or even creating a therapy group for them. Not just getting access for mental health concerns but overall health as well, getting the same treatment and access a privileged individual would get. Furthermore, this can include sports centers as well, since some families cannot afford to access these types of resources for themselves or their children, enhancing why they already have a disadvantage in society compared to privileged individuals. With that being said, Black individuals should get access to jobs, in order to provide a basic lifestyle for them not having to constantly worry about not meeting basic needs because they do not have the job security compared to a privileged individual who does not have to worry about these types of issues knowing that they have a job and can pay the bills and get more out of life. This action item will contribute to challenging anti-Black racism at the Region of Waterloo and the wider society because we are collectively coming together to create change and fight for justice and equality. In that, not leaving anyone behind and by taking these steps and providing the resources, this will be a step to start breaking down the barriers that the Black individuals are facing and the burden they have been carrying for many many years. With all these resources and educating society it will help decrease the stigma around a lot of the issues Black communities face.

University of Waterloo

For my first trust, I chose that The University of Waterloo should have mandatory Anti-Racism classes for students either yearly or at least twice during their time at the university as well as yearly reviews for Teachers. The school should also have AntiRacism facts/ daily reminders around campus that students will see daily to remind them. I chose this as my trust because I believe that no matter what you believe you should never judge someone purely based on the color of their skin. I am not the only one that wants a mandatory class about race as well, an online petition started by a Ryerson University student calling for a course on race and ethnicity in Ontario high schools has garnered about 40,000 signatures in less than a week. "Our current primary and secondary education programs do not address the existence of racism in Canada in the past and in the present," the petition reads. "Without educating students on the full extent of the history of racism and cultural assimilation in the past, we are perpetuating a continual cycle of colonialism today." Ryerson university student Parnika Raj started the petition from being inspired by the Black Lives Matter Protests for the killing of George Floyd in May.

This is long overdue as it makes young adults ask the questions about social justice, power, privilege and responsibilities that are usually hard to speak about. Racism should not be a tricky topic to speak about, teenagers and young adults should be taught about systematic racism against Indigenous and Black people, the difference between having a hard life as a person of colour versus a White person, white supremacy, as well as the prejudice against people of color. It is important to educate children and young adults on these topics so we can learn to grow from this and not be worried about talking about them. Daily reminders about racism and how being unkind to others mainly based on race should be posted around campus so that students will see them all over the place and want to read them, if the posters are catchy and include something that will make the students reflect on the posters even after they read them, it will allow the students to spread the word about the posters and soon more students will want to see more of them around campus as well as speak to their friends and classmates about them. Seeing the posters may even teach someone about racism and change their point of view completely and make them want to further their education about racism and different races. Teaching children and young adults about racism will also show them how people are treated based off of their skin tone, and how much easier their lives are compared to others. It’s no different and may be even more important when students, especially White ones, are learning about race. Instead, those students will focus intently on not being seen as racist. They will be quiet and disengaged for fear of learning that they may indeed harbor racist ideas or, worse yet, that they will be revealed as racist Infront of their friends and classmates.

Region of Waterloo

For my trust request for the region of Waterloo, I chose that The Waterloo region police force should have annual check-ups to see if they used any force against people directly based on skin color, as well as mandatory classes that teach them how to not use forces to comply with individuals as well as to teach them to understand empathy towards others. All waterloo region police officers should be required to always have their body cams filming as well as have yearly or even bi- yearly check-ups to see if the officer has used any racial bias or police brutality. The use of body cameras has been shown to drastically decrease police brutality, promote transparency and accountability in the department, assess accuracy of the nature of events articulated by officers and community members and improve community relationships with law enforcement. It would save a lot more time in getting proper justice for both citizens and officers who are affected by racism or bias. It would also would not let crime simply vanish like that has been happening, and the public would not have to rely on citizens happening to catch the crime on camera for the victims to justice, even then crimes have been caught on camera and the victims have still not received justice, which leads me to my next point in which officers should have yearly or bi- yearly check-ups to ensure they are not using racial bias to influence their job. Most of the time racial bias is a systematic problem, systemic racial profiling refers to patterns of behaviour, policies or practices that are part of an organization’s structure, that create a position of relative disadvantage for racialized and Indigenous peoples. Racial profiling destroys the relationship between police and racialized and Indigenous individuals and communities. damaged community relationships reduce the likelihood of civilians reporting crime, cooperating with police investigations, or providing evidence in court. With all of the underlying evidence that individuals have against the justice over racialized individuals, you would think that the justice system would want to change that to better the system and have more individuals believe in the police, provide evidence in court, calling the police without fear of bias and so much more. Trying to fix this problem must go both ways. The region of Waterloo, policing organizations and other organizations must take action and steps to prevent, identify and respond to racial profiling in policing. Only then can trust begin to be rebuilt between racialized and Indigenous communities and the police services that serve them. And only then can organizations make sure they are meeting their obligations to uphold people’s rights under the Code to be free from racial profiling.

Trust Request (#1)

The transition from Elementary to High school was a scary but exciting change. I went to a predominately white Elementary school, so I thought the bigotry and jokes would change since my old High school was very diverse. Sadly, that is not the case. People much rather stay in a continuous state of ignorance than acknowledge the injustice happening to the students around them. Knowledge is a powerful tool that can help people better understand why the world is the way it is. We shouldn’t allow students to walk around without knowing the racial injustices and learn how to prevent being part of the problem.

I believe a multicultural/anti-black racism course should be a mandatory requirement for every student upon entering the University of Waterloo. Students will be required to take a multicultural/anti-black racism course, which focuses on learning about cultures, our society’s diversity, the history of anti-black racism and how we can challenge anti-black racism.

University is a massive milestone in a young adult’s life. People entering the University of Waterloo will feel that the school truly cares about equality amongst students and contributes to making a change. A mandatory multicultural/anti-black racism course allows students to develop an open mind, build empathy, and understand people culturally. By grasping the concept of culture, history, pain, segregation and how that leads into today’s society, students can approach a diverse community or workplace with more awareness and without feeling awkward or out of place. Students can also recognize discrimination and spot microaggressions and not feel uncomfortable to stand up for themselves or others. This would also encourage High Schools to implement these courses to meet University requirements. These changes inspire students at the age of growth and new experiences.

At the University, I can contribute to these changes by absorbing the information and learning from it. Every instance in my life is a learning experience. When I was younger, I used to brush racist remarks under the rug because I didn’t want to stand out and be labelled as an angry black woman. Through events and educating myself, I soon realized that not saying anything does as much harm to myself and to others. I’m no longer afraid to teach others and be too aware of how I approach diverse communities.

Trust Request (#2)

As people, we are the start of change. A society that has the same goal can make moves that benefit the people. To make important changes, the people in power also need to see the vision reflected, but at the same time, the people in power are a reflection of the society we live in.

In the region of Waterloo, we have a council. According to Oxford Languages, a council is “a body of people elected to manage the affairs of a city, county, or other municipal district” (Oxford, 2020). When researching, I found Waterloos Mayor and City Council members. Mayor Dave Jaworsky, Sandra Hanmer, Royce Bodaly, Angela Vieth, Diane Freeman, Jen Vasic, Jeff Henry and Tenille Bonoguore. Each member has a position to make decisions that affect us. The problem lies within the fact each member is white. The City of Waterloo should be analyzing who is making decisions that are affecting the minority.

Implementing more people of colour (visible minority) into the council gives those who cannot speak a voice. People from different backgrounds provide unique perspectives, which can offer new ways to tackle issues that were not thought about or considered. It can also teach current members the sensitivity of their decisions and how they can negatively or positively impact the minority. Deeper trust and connection can be built between the council and the people. We can feel more secure and comfortable, bringing our issues to the board, knowing that someone will understand and work towards fixing it.

As a person, I need to acknowledge that problems will not be solved overnight, and it will take time. In the meantime, I can challenge anti black racism by realizing my privilege. While I am a person of colour, I am also light-skinned, grew up with two parents and lived in the suburbs. I’m aware of the opportunities handed to me throughout my life and can use my privilege to speak out against injustices. Also, to show my support, I can attend and/or host events speaking out against discrimination and donate to foundations that help minorities.

Hosting an event that will support Black-owned businesses will create empowerment in the Black community. Kitchener Waterloo (KW) is predominantly white, and this region does not represent the Black-Owned business. If the Region of Waterloo were to hold events that would promote Black-owned businesses, it would empower the community. This would start a change within KW by showing more representations of Black entrepreneurs. Anyone seeing the Black-Owned business may be inspired to start their own. This would boost the overall economy and provide jobs. This can not happen unless the Region of Waterloo shows that they support Black-owned businesses and upcoming Black entrepreneurs. This would challenge anti-Black racism by changing how we view the Black community within the Region of Waterloo. This would empower those who are in the Black community to have a high socio-economic. The goal is to see more Black people creating jobs rather than looking for jobs.

Starting this action will not only uplift the Black community but it will have a positive impact on the overall community in KW. There is a disparity in economic power and wealth, and the Black community must spend money within their community (Embury, 2020). This would be going beyond equality and tipping the scale of economic power. Region of Waterloo should challenge anti-Black racism by providing equity to the Black economy. The only way this can be achieved is by creating awareness and supporting the socio-economic growth within the Black community.

An annual event where black-owned businesses showcase their product and get community awareness. This will also be an event where they can network with other black-owned businesses and business owners. This event would create awareness about an existing black-owned business in the community. It would also promote upcoming business coming to the Region of Waterloo. This will be an open event for anyone to create mass exposure of Black-Owned businesses. The event will be a time for Black entrepreneurs and solopreneurs to showcase their business models. It would also be a time to win funds that can go into launching a business or an existing business.

My commitment to this would be creating awareness. I would use all my social media platforms. Then I would work are to reach out to radio stations to shot out the event and what is happening in the Region of Waterloo. I would also create an online post to reach UW students so they can come to support the Black community. It does not take a lot to get people’s attention when people give it up freely daily. If I am creating and not consuming, I will be able to support this movement. I Know I can spread the word through social media because it is easy to reach older and younger demographic. This is a fast and easy way to spread the news and I can see myself doing this for each event. AS each year goes by it will become popular to the point where all you need is an eye-catching virtual flyer for people to share. I would suggest making a website for this annual event so the URL could be shared. This creates more awareness. Getting people to come out to an event is not the hard part it is getting the city to see the value of this event. I would explain how this event will support Black-owned businesses that are already there and start new business ventures. This will create jobs and help the Region of Waterloo economy overall.

Trust Requests Assignment - Part One (University of Waterloo)

Anti-Black racism has been around for a long time, and is present today in our education systems. Whether it be from the other student, or from the teachers or from others on the campus, it is an issue that needs to be addressed. Getting rid of anti-Black racism is going to be a long and arduous process to do, so for my suggestion of a trust request from the University of Waterloo, I would like to suggest for the trust request for the University of Waterloo to allow mandatory seminars and workshops that address anti-Black racism and to tackle the problem in the universities as a whole in a step to getting rid of anti-Black racism.

The reason why I chose this topic is that I believe that it will help people to understand anti-Black racism and what it means. An example of anti-Black racism in universities is when a University of Ottawa professor had used the N-word in an academic discussion in a classroom. Another example of anti-Black racism in universities was when systemic racism was revealed to exist in the Department of Athletics and Recreation in a review that talked about the Black student experience at the Mcmaster University. The president of the university had since apologized when the findings of the review had been made aware to him.

The reason why I think that this topic will help anti-Black racism in universities is that it will help open people’s eyes to the behaviours and mannerisms that are harmful to the Black students on campus and how to deal with it. The personal commitment to ending anti-Black racism on campuses with this topic is to stop streaming and using hateful forms of speech against Black people.

Trust Requests Assignment - Part Two (Region of Waterloo)

Anti-Black racism has been an issue since the beginning of slavery and continues to be one, through the community. Eradicating anti-Black racism is not going to be easy to do, and it’s going to take a lot of time and effort from the community to do so. The experiences that Black people face today as a result of anti-Black racism are very horrifying and steps need to be taken to fix the issue. Which is why for the trust fund request from the Kitchener-Waterloo region, I would like to request to have funds for the reformation of the policing system.

The reason why I chose this topic is simple, police brutality is a real issue, and while most of the focus is on America for this topic, it’s still a real thing that goes on in Canada. An example of why I chose this topic is in July of 2017 when a Toronto Police officer by the name of Michael Theriault was charged with assault when he assaulted the then nineteen-year old Black male Dafonte Miller with a pipe that led to the removal of his eye. Another case that is similar happened in January of 2011 when an unnamed Black man had been stopped by the police, punched in the face twice and had his pockets searched. The man had later sued the Toronto Police for the violation of his rights, and won $27,000 in compensation, as the judge presiding over the case concluded that the man had been racially profiled.

The other reason why I chose this as the topic that will help with challenging anti-Black racism is that I believe that educating the officers will help tremendously with decreasing deaths that happen due to the officers stereotyping based on race. The personal commitment to challenging anti-Black racism with this topic I believe is to not challenge anti-Black racism through stereotyping, as well as to address people’s concerns with the systems in policing and improving it as well.

I chose to focus on Black students in university because I believe it is important and relevant in our society to educate others about the Black communities. In University of Waterloo there should be a club/group that supports and helps Black students feel accepted & welcomed. This club can help them with emotional and physical problems in their lives. Making sure they do not feel like an outcast in the university. I noticed that while staying in residence there were a lot of Black students walking, eating, and sitting alone. I interact with most of them and try to make them feel included and get to know them a bit. I would smile at them or say good morning to them to make sure they know that they are accepted with open arms. However, I still feel there should be a club/group that should help and support them physically and mentally. There’s only a few things a single person can only do to help them but if we as a university come together and create a group that support their wellbeing and sense of self, it would be beneficial for the Black communities. Afterall, they endure many negative prejudice, discrimination, inequality, and racism which should not have happened in the first place, but it did. When I learned about the Little Rock Nine, a group of nine Black students who attended an all-white school and faced racism, segregation, discrimination and were bullied because they were considered vulnerable targets in society until the Supreme Court rule that segregation is not constitutional. However, that was in the past and we can learn from the past to further improve the situation in the present. Additionally, having a club that not only focuses on the emotional and physical state of Black student’s lives, but the social aspect as well. It will contribute to the University of Waterloo because it is spreading awareness, educating others, and challenging anti-black racism by showing that the university is taking the initiatives to improve the environment and learning communities for Black students. Many Black students may not feel like they belong in this university if they do not see much of their people. Personally, the first day I came to residence I noticed there were a lot of white students and I felt out of place because I did not have any white friends while growing up. I have not met anyone one with my background or mixed which made me feel insecure. Nonetheless, I became friends with my floormates who are mostly white, but they are super sweet and friendly. I felt more comfortable, open, and accepted when I got to know them more. I want the same with Black students because I know it is hard to fit in with people that you are unfamiliar with. It’s a good way to spread the message is to have an event around the region of Waterloo to gather people of color around the communities to be involved more with the Black communities. I went to the protest about George Floyd killing in downtown Toronto and I was overwhelmed with emotions because I see a lot of people crying and yelling their hearts out and I can see the pain through their voice and eyes. There were many Black individuals protesting and I can feel their emotion just by putting myself in their shoe. If I witness others being killed based on their skin color, I would want to let everyone hear my anger and grief. I was very upset that racism and police brutality is still happening till this day. Getting the community involved is a good way to educate, feel comfortable, accepted, welcomed, and bond with others. Personal commitment can be taking your time to create icebreakers for people to connect with one another. University of Waterloo should create an icebreaker, clubs, fun activities for each floor to do and get them involved with the Black communities. It’s important for others to understand that even though racism and discrimination are not as bad as in the past, there is still problems that they go through internally and we must consider that.

For my second topic I chose to focus on the region of Waterloo concentrating more about the Black communities such as creating events solely about them or bring in any guest in the Black communities to share their experience with us and educate others. I believe it is still important to ensure that everyone is reminded of history to contribute the changes we are trying to make in the Waterloo community. We want everyone to feel included to know that we are a community that treats people with different race, background, ethnicity, and group. This action can be beneficial for everyone who comes from a different race, background or are in first year university. It can be quite anxious or frightening coming into first year without being familiar with your environment, especially when the pandemic caused the open house to be canceled. When you have to separate from your friend groups from high school it can be worrisome. I experienced a lot of anxiousness from moving into residence because I am not sure how people will act or if they will judge me for my skin color, background or where I lived. There has been an incident where I was judged based on my ethnicity which caused me to feel a bit insecure of my surroundings of meeting new people. I am glad that I meet them because they make my life happier, joy able and brighter. I don’t feel alone or as anxious as much because I know I have them by my side. Creating an event to make Black students more comfortable and more welcoming is a must that we need. For the past few months I have been living in Waterloo, there isn’t a single event about the Black communities, I believe that there should be events where everyone including Black students can join and bond to feel a sense of belonging not only in university but in the region as well. Where they don’t have to feel like they have to be cautious when going outside, in a store being accused of theft, being picked on for random pat downs by police officers, etc. We should create a safer environment inside and outside the university to spread the message that they are safe here and do not need to worry about being out of place or being discriminated against. However, if it does occur that a person is being discriminative against a Black student then the university will take every step to reinforce the punishment on those who break the university rules. Moreover, it could be difficult for them to report that student which a support club can be beneficial for guiding them in the right direction. The club can help them feel less alone in standing against the perpetrator and encourage their confidence in reporting the perpetrator to the principal. Personal commitment can be taking your time to create events with no profits being involved and the only profit you’re making is educating people about how we should create a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment for Black students who are struggling to fit in university, especially if they are living in residence. Making friends can be quite difficult. Even if the university states that bullying or discrimination is prohibited there is a possible chance that some students will break those rules either because they are immature or judgmental. We can’t truly know a person true intention, but we can change the way we make our environment by enforcing rules, having a club that support Black students physical, mental and social can improve the university reputation as a school that cares for the Black communities and are willing to change to make their environment more accepting, welcoming, and comfortable for first year Black students. I will try my best to interact with Black students as much as I can to ensure them that this is a safe environment to be themselves. They have nothing to fear and if they ever have a problem then they are assured that there is a support club/group for them to guide them through every step of the way.

Trust #1 for the University of Waterloo

“Campus police to set standardized protocols for dealing with -anti-Black- racism cases reported by students. So those cases don’t get dismissed or lost.”

A campus is the communal grounds and buildings of a university or college. It is where students of all ages, races, backgrounds, languages, and faculties should be able to fully express themselves and learn to shape their identity before kickstarting their careers. If a campus is not able to protect the students’ rights and freedoms, and allowed for unfair and unjust, biased, and prejudiced treatment to go by without repercussions, then it has failed to deliver what a university should provide to its students.

One of Eternity Martis’ stories is a great example of campus anti-Black racism. On a late weeknight, when she was walking on campus with a friend, she was faced with two drunk students who seemed like they needed help in the beginning but ended up verbally attacking and threatening to physically attack Eternity on campus, while uttering racial slurs for no apparent reason.

In cases like these, one’s best option is to seek help from campus police and possibly other campus resources/offices that may assist in dealing with discriminatory and prejudiced incidents. But when campus police does not take action, or just dismisses the report, the student cannot help but feel failed by his university and the system. The reason for setting standardized protocols is because that would ensure the cases are being recorded, and that they go through previously set processes and investigations, which would eliminate most of the excuses as to not take action on reported incidents of racism, like “there are no cameras in that area”, or “ it is near impossible to identify the student”.

It is only fair that everyone is held accountable on campus and faces the consequences of their actions when they attack or discriminate against fellow students. It is also my prediction that if this is implemented, it will only take a few cases to show other students that there is no place for prejudice on campus, and that these actions can have repercussions. Students most likely feel safe discriminating against other students because they know the rules and regulations around racism and discrimination tend to be somewhat loose; so they don’t think about the consequences.

This is the first step for eliminating casual racism and prejudiced remarks made by either students or faculty members. Following the placement of these rules, educational courses can be introduced for everyone to take.

Trust #2 for the Region of Waterloo

“Support and invest in locally led charities and organizations that support Black communities.”

The Region of Waterloo could help support organizations and charities that aim to support and develop Black communities in the area. Such as The African Canadian Association and Focus for Ethnic Women.

These organizations help provide assistance in various aspects for Black and other communities of colour. Such as job placement programs, educational programs, sporting activities, and much more. These organizations are locally led and provide tangible improvements and results in the communities they work with. They provide support for the youth, and for women. And cater exactly to their needs.

One of the upsides of supporting those organizations is that they know exactly what communities need, and how to best help them. They are usually led by people of that community who tend to be passionate and driven by their mission.

The Region of Waterloo can also help establish new organizations that aim for the development of Black and other ethnic communities in the Waterloo region by donating and investing in them. Which in turn, allows for more diversity in the area and better integration between people.

Racism at University of Waterloo

Recently we have seen many events about Black Lives Matter taking place all around the world. It is essential to acknowledge all the different types of racism that exist. Racism exists everywhere, and the painful truth is that even Waterloo is not an exception. An important thing that we should be taking care of as a community at Waterloo is to make sure that all Blacks, indigenous, and even international students feel included and equal. Equity is a vital need that we should make sure is being applied as a community together at the University of Waterloo. Equity in education is essential because it makes sure everyone has an equal chance of being successful.

Taking action as a community together to make sure everyone is being included and not discriminated against is essential. It is known that Blacks are discriminated against and treated as inferior a lot of times. Being in an educational aroma does not make it disappear. Making Blacks or indigenous people feel excluded could cause depression or an apparent decrease in their academic performance. Racism in an academic environment could cause individuals to lose motivation to take up opportunities; moreover, it could damage one's mental and physical health. Futur damage that could be done to these individual students who received all the discrimination could end up unemployed, badly employed, or even criminals. As individuals, we should learn and understand the racism Blacks go through. Being educated is the only way to have the knowledge to educate other people on this problem.

How could we challenge Anti-Balck racism at Waterloo? Firstly, when we educate ourselves and each other on what Anti-Black racism is. We could start champaigns within our University for Black Lives Matter. Complaining Black Lives Matter would show black people the type of supportive community they live in. When a community makes People that usually receive racism feel safe, this could help them feel equal. Since equality is our primary goal, along with making everyone feel included, this would be essential. Making sure that Blacks or indigenous students receive the grade they deserve disregarding their race is a principal.

Personal commitment is just as important, if not more important, than a communital commitment. Personal commitment starts with you and me, and if everyone made a personal commitment, we would have a robust communital commitment team. Personally, educating my friend and family on the racisms taking place around me in my own University is crucial. As an individual, the more people I explain the type of health problems discrimination causes, the smaller the percentage of discrimination. Obviously, it is not that simple; therefore, including my friends of color in socializing events could help my fellow colleagues' mental health. Lastly, as an individual making or starting a campaign to highlight Black Lives Matter, especially at the University of Waterloo, has many benefits. For example, inspring fellow colleagues to participate or make their campaign or event. Furthermore, the simple benefit of just allowing people to be aware of what is happening around them and showing how they could help.

Anti-Racism in the Societal Level

As diverse and multicultured Canada is as a whole, it is not always enough; racism still takes place daily. Racism is seen on the streets, schools, workplaces, and hospitals. The imprint history has made on ack people still is seen to this day, and it is our duty to make a change. We must take action as a city to cause a change and challenge Anti-Black racism. In the Waterloo region, making sure the police are not brutal towards Backs is essential, considering what has been taking place in recent events with police brutality towards people of color. If Black people cannot trust the police, then any type of security they felt would vanish. Therefore, it is close to impossible for society to thrive to its full potential.

As most of us are aware, the government has control over society as a whole. However, we could affect the outcome by taking action, which could be done by taking part in peaceful protests. There is a history of discrimination and racism being a core purpose of Black inequality in the government. Voting to increase the members of Balck people in the government could have a significant impact. Since being in the government means you hold a significant amount of power over decisions. Black members of the government could support Balck communities and create stronger relationship ties with them. Making the discrimination and racism in Black lives visible to the non-black is crucial for growing as a society.Th government should alos be the one in control to make sure police brutality is not directed to Blacks, as we have seen on recents events of 2020. Having the police under control is vital for making people of color feel more safe in their society's streets.

An essential step in starting change is to ensure that the society where the change is taking place is thoroughly educated on the topic. A society is considered educated when they are aware of all the consequences history has caused Black and indigenous people all over Canada, Waterloo. For example, mental health is one of the most significant Creating a safe place to treat Black and indigenous people's mental health a primary change we could start with. Not only do students need mental health attention, but so do adults that work or even have a family. Making sure Black people's mental health is in check after all the trauma they have gone through could impact our society in a very positive way. For example, in the parents' case, fewer Black children would be put into foster care because the parents felt like they could not take care of their children because of their crippling mental health.

My personal commitment to society to challenging anti-Black racism is crucial. In fact, all of our personal commitments are crucial for society. However, personally understanding where this discrimination all came from is essential. It all started years ago when blacks were enslaved by Whites, which caused a significant amount of trauma, which leads to all the mental health problems. If we start campaigns to promote mental health help, it could decrease the percentage of Black people that need mental health help. Personally, prompoting these types of things in a religious or professional atmosphere could buld trust between members of society.

Trust Request for the University of Waterloo:

https://uwaterloo.ca/human-rights-equity-inclusion/anti-racism-statement

I chose this Trust Request for several reasons, however, I chose it primarily due to the recentness of the date. This Trust Request was established on June 1, 2020, in not only the context of COVID19, but more notably, the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery as well as the subsequent Black Lives Matter demonstrations. It is established by the Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (HREI) organization on behalf of the University of Waterloo.

This Trust Request, or “Statement of Action on Anti-Black Racism,” begins by acknowledging two important and interacting matters. Firstly, it admits the University’s lack of responsiveness, stating that they “accept responsibility for [their] silence on the issues of anti-black racism and hatred on [their] campuses” (HREI, 2020). Secondly, it recognizes the consequential effects on the students of the University, stating that “for many people on [their] campus, this has been an overwhelming and emotional time of anger, mourning and advocacy” (HREI, 2020). This initial acknowledgment is significant as it establishes an awareness and validation of the current circumstance.

Next, the Trust Request introduces the tangible, coordinated actions the University is committed to upholding in order to better advocate for change and accordingly respond to systemic as well as interpersonal racism. The list of actions range from the immediate establishment of an Anti-Black Racism Advisor, to creating supportive spaces and resources (virtually online) for those impacted by anti-Black racism as well as allies who wish to deepen their understanding. Additionally, many actions are directed towards the systemic nature of the University. These actions include the implementation and increase of training on anti-racism and equity, the embedment of anti-racism in recruitment practices, as well as the conveyance of financial support to campus groups carrying out these efforts.

I believe this course of action will contribute to challenging anti-Black racism at the University of Waterloo as it includes both supportive measures and systemic changes. For instance, it would be ineffective to prioritize efforts that deal solely with the effects of an issue without proper consideration of the cause or vice versa. Instead, a productive Trust Request should address both matters simultaneously. In this case, one can consider the effects of anti-Black racism being anger and distress on campus, with the cause being reinforced by University systems that fail to acknowledge disparities and implicit biases. Furthermore, upon reviewing this Trust Request, I am pleased to see actions that take into account both the various causes and effects of racism at the University of Waterloo.

With regards to my own personal commitment to challenging anti-Black racism throughout my studies, I am dedicated to becoming a better ally through expanding my understanding and exercising those learnings into my daily life. For the duration of my studies, I hope to take more courses related to anti-Black racism as well as participate in future allyship opportunities and workshops. Additionally, I will exercise diligence in combating interpersonal acts of racism through constructive consultation and reporting. It is my own duty to continuously recognize my own privilege as a white passing woman and challenge my own implicit biases. I am committed to doing the necessary work in effort of dismantling white supremacy as displayed in my ongoing University experience.

Trust Request for the Region of Waterloo:

https://www.immigrationwaterlooregion.ca/en/business-opportunities/anti_racism_comm itment.aspx

Similarly to the Trust Request for the University of Waterloo, I chose this next request primarily due to the date. This “Anti-Racism Commitment” was established on behalf of the Immigration Partnership Council of the Waterloo Region in July, 2020. It is established specifically in the context of the “recent police-involved deaths of Ejaz Ahmed Choudry, Regis Korchinski-Paquet, George Floyd and others” (Immigration Partnership, 2020). It is notable that this Trust Request begins by explicitly stating these names followed by expressing solidarity with Black, Indigineous and racialized community members, as it demonstrates reverence and understanding.

The Trust Request first illustrates how the Immigration Partnership has functioned for over 10 years, providing prominent contributions to the Waterloo Region. Such contributions include collaboration with “over 60 community service, business, municipal and post-secondary organizations” in order to ensure that “...immigrants reach their full potential and contribute to creating and sustaining a thriving, prosperous community…” (Immigration Partnership, 2020). The Trust Request then makes note of how racial discrimination has, historically, been harmful to this process and has been repeatedly reported by immigrants to have a negative impact on their experiences and opportunities in the Waterloo Region. Although the Immigration Partnership has, in the past, made effort to bring awareness to these experiences, they now claim in this Trust Request that they are committed to doing more.

I believe that this Trust Request is meaningful as it describes an Anti-Racism strategy to be a prominent goal in their recently approved Community-Action Plan for the years 2020 to 2025. Through this plan, the Immigration Partnership hopes to eliminate systemic and individual racism in the Waterloo Region. They plan to do this by “looking inward as a Partnership, with a focus on [their] own accountabilities and action” (Immigration Partnership, 2020). This strategy includes annual reviewing of governance and membership with an anti-racism lens, active listening and consideration of data that informs systemic barriers for Immigrants, as well as the establishment and elaboration of accountability mechanisms. These actions are significant as they deal with legitimate systemic issues within the organization in effort of ensuring that they are representative of the community. Additional actions include using their platform to advocate for change as well as collaborating and accompanying others who are striving for this regional anti-racism strategy.

Ultimately, I believe that this action plan will contribute to challenging anti-Black racism in the Waterloo region as its approach is largely community-driven with an emphasis on collaboration and centering the voices of Waterloo immigrants. Personally, I am extremely committed to challenging anti-Black racism in the wider society and I believe that I, as well as my peers, hold a great responsibility to advocate for equity as the forthcoming generation. Upon reviewing these Trust requests, one thing becomes clear - interpersonal and systemic change are interdependent. Furthermore, in order to challenge anti-Black racism, I commit to challenging my interpersonal relationships as well as holding the systems I am a part of accountable.

Trust #1

Many students don’t have role models that look like them to look up to at the University of Waterloo. And that Is why I have chosen the topic of implementing more black professionals to come in and speak to a variety of classes. This would mean that students would get to see someone who is working in the same field as them, or as their dream job, who also looks like them. This would inspire black youth across a variety of fields to pursue their dream jobs. Each department at Waterloo could organize a guest speaker to come in and talk to the students, this speaker could be someone working in the field of study. There are many classes offered at the University of Waterloo so having a guest speaker for each class is unrealistic but having a speaker for sciences, arts, etc. is much more realistic. These speeches can be given throughout the year with a new speaker each time, which could then let a variety of professions be discussed. For politics, Andray Domise could come in and speak, he is a writer, community activist, and co-founder of TXDL, an educational program that teaches tech skills to diverse youth. Among other publications, his columns have appeared in National Post, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Sun, Toronto Life, TVO, Vice, and Hazlitt. For drama and the arts, Andrea Lewis could come in, she is an actor, director, producer and singer. For engineering, we have Yassmin Abdel-Magied who is an engineer, author, broadcaster, and award-winning social advocate. These are just a few of many people who could speak at UW, these speeches can include how they got to their profession, their struggles, and their everyday life in Canada. How this would combat anti-Black racism at the University of Waterloo is to make more room for inclusivity, more students will want to continue their career path and the incoming student will feel more welcomed by hearing these talks. And lastly, to help with the speeches I can look for role models in the community to speak at UW.

Trust 2

People in the Waterloo Region and in all of Canada are ill-informed on anti-black racism that happens here. Many believe that there isn’t an issue in Canada rather than racism is mostly seen in the US. But that is sadly not the case, not only is their anti-black racism there is a lot of racism against indigenous people. I chose the topic of sending a newsletter to every door as people are ignorant of many issues in Canada, and if one doesn’t seek out information then it will go unknown. Having a newsletter would mean everyone would be well informed on social issues, regardless of their interest in said topic. The newsletter would consist of statistics on black violence in the said province than all of Canada. These stats would inform people of what is actually going on in their community. This could include stats commonly found on stats Canada that many people don’t lookup. In 2018, police in Canada reported 283 incidents motivated by hatred against the Black population (38 fewer than in 2017, yet 69 more than in 2016). This represented 36% of all hate crimes targeting race or ethnicity and 16% of all hate crimes in 2018. There were approximately 23.6 incidents per 100,000 members of the Black population. These stats along with more recent ones would be apart of the newsletter. This would let people know what is actually going on in their community, the newsletter would also help the older generation be educated as many don’t use social media. The newsletter would inform and educate the masses across Canada. With this education, more people would be less ignorant and in turn, hate crimes would decrease but also the general racism in Canada would decrease. The newsletter could include information on microaggressions as well, which would also educate people as many don’t know anything about microaggressions. I could write up the newsletter or contribute ideas to the newsletter

For the entire region of Waterloo, there needs to be more support and a positive representation of the Black community. Within the Black community, there are smaller “subcommunities” that need to be acknowledged and heard as well. These subcommunities are more specific and have different goals or targets but allows individuals to have a sense of belonging and associate themselves with a group that is safe.

The audience I had in mind was the community of Black Trans women. This is a very marginalized group that faces large amounts of violence and discrimination. It is a group of people that may not always feel safe or welcomed and accepted by the rest of society. I feel as though these individuals require a lot of support and advocacy in every community, as well as bringing awareness to the safety of this group.

My hopes are that this group of people feel protected, acknowledged, and empowered. I would love to see a peer/support group or a program dedicated to this audience in order for them to have an inclusive safe space and to meet other individuals that face the same challenges and difficulties. The objective of the group would be for the members to feel accepted and overall empowered.

Periodic meetings would be beneficial, more frequent than not. I think the connection between the individuals must have time for establishment and trust in order for the group to be effective. I feel as though a weekly meeting, event, or outing would be sufficient and would allow them to stay in touch on a regular basis. The group will have time to discuss their struggles, as well as what has helped their confidence and social skills.

It may be better for the group to set topics or goals for each meeting they decide to have to stay organized and make sure every individual is on track and doesn’t feel left out or neglected by other group members. If not a weekly topic, each week could focus on one specific group member to ensure they are completely heard and understood by the others.

This group does not require any specific goal or deadline, but the overall goal is that each member has a sense of belonging, acceptance and empowerment that can be shared amongst group members. I find it extremely important that Black Trans women have the chance to connect with one another and have the ability to team up and use their power by advocating for other issues in society. It would be amazing for them to use their social group as a tactic for spreading awareness throughout their projects and conversations.

Trust Request 1 - Anti-Racism Courses as an Undergraduate Degree Requirement

To Executive Leadership at the University of Waterloo,

After the Black Lives Matter Movement's rise in late May, President and Vice-Chancellor Feridun Hamdullahpur presented the President's Anti-Racism Taskforce (PART) in June. This community collective is a good initiative and a step forward, but there is much more left to be done. A need to implement anti-racism in terms of the students at the University of Waterloo receiving an education can help them as anti-racists in a systemically racist society. With this in mind, I request that both first-year and second-year students take at least two racial equity or racial history courses as a requirement to graduate from any program at the University of Waterloo.

At least one anti-racism or racial history course per year in both first and second year at the University of Waterloo would be required for students in all programs. All programs would be necessary because, in every field of work, study and in society, you will encounter racism or racial injustices rather directly or indirectly. Therefore, taking courses on anti-racism would benefit everyone since racial prejudice is prevalent at the University of Waterloo and very much in our current social climate. It would provide our students with the skills to do more than simply express their commitment to these values and act on them with a consistent and true effort to build a better society.

I request this because I am currently in a course on how to challenge anti-Black racism, taught by Dr. Christopher Taylor. As a non-Black student taking this course, the knowledge I have gained has contributed to an immense amount of reflection as an individual in society. I acknowledge that it is a privilege to learn about this racism and not experience it. I recognize I took this course by choice, and you may feel that it should be a choice, so other students don't feel uncomfortable or pressured, but that is why I am requesting this. These injustices and attitudes in society, infused in every institution towards Black people, continue to be dismissed due to the lack of genuine attention and education. It can be one of the first steps to assisting all students at the University of Waterloo to gain the true understanding that it simply is not enough to be not racist but that we have to be anti-racist.

The lack of knowledge and attention contributes to challenging anti-Black racism since it will allow all students to understand how they can recognize acts of racial prejudice and how they decide to act upon them at both the individual level and collective level of the UW community.

What I do as a student at the University of Waterloo and as an anti-racist, to challenge anti-Black racism is to be a good listener to Black voices, help amplify those voices, and create a safe and inclusive environment on campus and online due to current circumstances. Lastly, I will continue to educate myself, whether on my own time or by taking courses offered at the university.

I urge for the University of Waterloo to hire more Black staff.

Waterloo is quite a diverse school in terms of its students, but in terms of administration and employees, there should definitely be more representation.

I chose this action item because up until I enrolled into Dr. Taylor’s How To Challenge Anti-Black Racism class, I have never had a Black teacher before. In all the schools that I have ever attended, most of the staff is White, while there are only 1-2 Black teachers, if there are any at all. Also, though Dr. Taylor is my first Black professor, all my other professors are White, which says a lot about the amount of diversity and representation among the staff at Waterloo.

I encourage the University of Waterloo to use data that displays the underrepresentation of Black people in schools and to use this data when considering candidates for hiring. Having more Blacks as teachers and professors can allow for more perspectives in the teaching and in the workplace and can encourage more civic engagement. Additionally, it has been studied that students of colour can benefit a lot from a professor of the same race.

Trust Request Archive Part 1

Trust Request Archive Part 2