News & Events

In Solidarity

It is impossible and irresponsible to be silent now.

In this moment when anti-Black racism and the legacy of centuries of anti-Black oppression have once again entered into the public discourse:

• We stand in solidarity – as an organization and as individuals – with targets of anti-Black racism and with other marginalized peoples whose experiences have been undervalued, whose perspectives have been dismissed, whose history has been erased and whose very lives have been extinguished through oppressive acts.
• We embrace our obligation to continue to work for justice and equity for all marginalized peoples. Not just today or this week but for as long as it takes.
• We acknowledge the right of marginalized peoples to self-determination. We acknowledge their leadership in articulating problems and solutions with a clear understanding that the responsibility for oppression lies solely with the oppressor.
• We urge people of good will to engage in critical self-reflection to bring to light their own biases –conscious and unconscious and to act on what they find.
• We call on those who would claim that they are “not part of the problem” to consider that silence is complicity. Inaction contributes to injustice and positive action is required to effect change.
• We publicly commit to acting in accordance with these principles and in so doing we expect to be held accountable for our actions.

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We want to help keep the momentum going. We want to amplify Black and Indigenous voices. We want to actively engage in anti-racist practices. We want to listen and learn. We want to enact long-needed change. Here is some information we thought could help:

We encourage you to learn more about systemic racism and oppression. Here’s where to start:

• A list of anti-racism resources: bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES
• Books on anti-racism via Time
• The anti-racist reading list via Elle and NYT
• List of petitions to sign, organizations to donate to, resources on how to educate yourself, information for protestors, templates to speak to the government and more: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Resources on allyship and education via Crescendo
• First, Listen. Then, Learn: Anti-Racism Resources For White People via Forbes.com
• Black Lives Matter: a Booklist by TPL
• 12 documentaries you should watch about racism and police brutality in America via Vulture
• Anti-racism curriculum Justice in June
• An evolving open-source Guide to Allyship
• Children’s books on race and racism via Buzzfeed
• Resources for parents and educators via Common Sense Media
• Column by Amanda Parris on the history of systemic racism in Canadian cultural institutions via CBC Arts
• The Anti-racist Starter Pack: movies, TV series, documentaries, TED Talks, books via Parade.com
• Resources for Ending Anti-Black Racism in Canada via Interculturalleadership.ca

We encourage you to donate to anti-racist organizations and movements in your community. Here’s how:

• Black organizations and anti-racist groups Canadians can support now via Huffington Post
• Black organizations and fundraisers to support in Toronto via NOW Magazine
• Anti-racist organizations to support right now in Canada via Crescendo
• How to support Black Canadian musicians right now via CBC Arts

We encourage you to support Black voices in literature, TV, film, and other artistic fields. Here are some suggestions:

• 11 movies that confront American racism via Vox.com
• 14 films by Black filmmakers that everyone should watch in 2020 via Empire.com
• 10 Black authors to read via PBS
• 31 Black Canadian female playwrights you need to know via CBC Arts
• 20 Podcasts that confront racism in America via The Bello Collective
• Free collection of films by award-winning Black filmmakers, creators, and allies of the Black community via the National Film Board of Canada
• Classic films by and about Black voices to stream free on the Criterion Channel
• 10 essential films by Black filmmakers via NOW Magazine
• 25 books about being Black in Canada via CBC Books
• 12 Streamable Plays That Depict Black Lives Pierced by Racism via NYT