by Ruth Cameron | Apr 22, 2021 | BLM Reading Resources Here we are in April 2021, as COVID surges in its third wave across our province. Ontario community-based HIV/AIDS organizations, their staff, peers and volunteers continue with the profoundly fundamental work of supporting the over-policed working-class, and impoverished Black, Indigenous, homeless, disabled, communities most at risk for HIV, hepatitis C, sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections, fatal opioid overdoses…and COVID-19. Like our partners in healthcare, shelters, and food banks we are exhausted, and deeply concerned by the widening inequality we observe as we do our work. We are being asked to continue administering care while

by Mary-Frances Winters | Apr 21, 2021 Politics, religion, race – we can’t talk about topics like these at work, right? But in fact, these conversations are happening all the time, either in real life or virtually via social media. And if they aren’t handled effectively, they can become more polarizing and divisive, impacting productivity, engagement, retention, teamwork, and even employees’ sense of safety in the workplace. But you can turn that around and address difficult topics in a way that brings people together instead of driving them apart. Once you’re ready to engage in bold, inclusive conversations (you can take the self-assessment included

by Bob Joseph | Apr 19, 2021 Based on a viral article, 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act is the essential guide to understanding the legal document and its repercussion on generations of Indigenous Peoples, written by a leading cultural sensitivity trainer. Since its creation in 1876, the Indian Act has shaped, controlled, and constrained the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Peoples, and is at the root of many enduring stereotypes. Bob Joseph’s book comes at a key time in the reconciliation process, when awareness from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities is at a crescendo. Joseph explains how Indigenous Peoples can

by Mary-Frances Winters | Apr 19, 2021 This book, designed to illuminate the myriad dire consequences of “living while Black,” came at the urging of Winters’s Black friends and colleagues. Winters describes how in every aspect of life–from economics to education, work, criminal justice, and, very importantly, health outcomes–for the most part, the trajectory for Black people is not improving. It is paradoxical that, with all the attention focused over the last fifty years on social justice and diversity and inclusion, little progress has been made in actualizing the vision of an equitable society.  Black people are quite literally sick and tired of

by Mary-Frances Winters | Apr 19, 2021 This guide is comprehensive for anyone who wants to break down the barriers that separate us and facilitate discussions on potentially polarizing topics. Effective dialogue across different dimensions of diversity, such as race, gender, age, religion, or sexual orientation, fosters a sense of belonging and inclusion, which in turn leads to greater productivity, performance, and innovation.  This book offers specific dialogue strategies to foster greater understanding on the following topics: Recognizing the importance of creating equity and sharing power  Dealing with the “fragility” of dominant groups–their discomfort in engaging with historically subordinated groups Addressing the exhaustion

by Patricia E. Roy | Apr 19, 2021 “We are not strong enough to assimilate races so alien from us in their habits … We are afraid they will swamp our civilization as such”. – Nanaimo Free Press, 1914 A White Man’s Province examines how British Columbians changed their attitudes towards Asian immigrants from one of toleration in colonial times to vigorous hostility by the turn of the century and describes how politicians responded to popular cries to halt Asian immigration and restrict Asian activities in the province. Drawing on almost every newspaper and magazine report published in the province before 1914, and on government records

by First Person Stories, Edited by Alice Wong | Apr 19, 2021 One in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent—but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Activist Alice Wong brings together this urgent, galvanizing collection of contemporary essays by disabled people. From Harriet McBryde Johnson’s account of her debate with Peter Singer over her own personhood to original pieces by authors like Keah Brown and Haben Girma; from blog posts, manifestos, and eulogies to Congressional testimonies, and beyond: this anthology gives a glimpse into the rich complexity of the disabled

by Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute | Mar 1, 2021 This textbook explores early African history, including Africa as the birthplace of humanity and early African civilizations. The resource scrutinises the oppression and resistance of Black people in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America on their march toward freedom. Particular attention is given to the history of African Canadians since the second World War and includes a section on the history of African Nova Scotians. The textbook concludes by examining Africa Today.

by Whitney French and Afua Cooper (Edited by) | Mar 1, 2021 An anthology of African Canadian writing, Black Writers Matter offers a cross-section of established writers and newcomers to the literary world who tackle contemporary and pressing issues with beautiful, sometimes raw, prose. As Whitney French says in her introduction, Black Writing Matters “injects new meaning into the word diversity [and] harbours a sacredness and an everydayness that offers Black people dignity.” An “invitation to read, share, and tell stories of Black narratives that are close to the bone,” this collection feels particular to the Black Canadian experience. (From University of Regina Press)

by Rinaldo Walcott | Mar 1, 2021 “Queer Returns returns us to the scene of multiculturalism, diaspora and queer through the lens of Black expression, identity and the political. The essays question what it means to live in a multicultural society, how diaspora impacts identity and culture and how the categories of queer and Black and Black queer complicate the political claims of multiculturalism, diaspora and queer politics. These essays return us to foundational assumptions, claims and positions that require new questions without dogmatic answers.” CBC (From Insomniac Press)