Finally, here is the first post in the anti-racism / anti-racist education series.  I am going to make a permalink to the Glossary of Terms below, and add it to a sidebar on the page.

Why is Anti-Racist Action and Anti-Racist Education or Inclusive Schooling necessary?

Because we have a problem, and part of the problem is that too many white people don’t want to admit that we have a problem.

Because even in 2005, Racial barriers keep minorities from high-paying secure jobs, study finds   This article published in May, 2005 states that:  “Employment equity legislation and other efforts to break down racial barriers are failing due to inconsistent implementation and poor enforcement, social justice advocates said Tuesday as they released a report that found bigotry continues to deny good jobs and pay to many Canadians.”  Beyond the formal systems which are erratically employed to deal with racism, people’s attitudes need to change, and it is only by implementing a system of anti-racist education and inclusive schooling that we can start to change a whole new generation of people’s attitudes and assumptions.

In direct relation to the above: in my former company, the front-line workers are racially diverse, but the management is overwhelmingly white, and when I left (6 months ago) at the VP level there was less than 5% visible minorities, and at the top level of the company – Sr VP’s, President & CEO – there was nothing but white men.  Yet the company reports to the government every year that they are complying with Employment Equity legislation.

When 53% of the population of Toronto are visible minorities, then if there was no racial discrimination,  53% of jobs (all jobs at all levels) would be held by visible minorities

Because an 8 year old girl in my daughter’s school says about her classmate, “Don’t listen to her.  She’s Black.  It doesn’t matter what she says.”

Because the Canadian Parliament does not reflect the population of our country.  My friend recently mentioned to me that when the Canadian budget was being passed, she counted the number of visible minorities and there were 3 (out of 308).  She also pointed out that she might never have noticed this, were it not for her conversations with me.

Because I hear colleagues, customers, friends & family members use racist slurs or make racist jokes.  Sometimes the “jokes” are far more insidious, because even though the damage has been done, the person telling the joke doesn’t want to take responsibility for what they have said….because it was just a joke.

It is difficult to change the attitudes of adults.   To make the most effective change for the future, we need an anit-racist/inclusive schooling approach to change the entire next generation.    However, little changes in what you think and say in your daily life can have an affect on those around you and have little changes in the lives of others…like ripples in a pond.  I don’t expect to make a tidal wave of change with this tiny blog.  A few ripples here and there would suit me just fine.  

The next post below contains a Glossary of Terms for the ongoing Anti-racism discussion.