Take Action Against Racial Injustice

TAKE ACTION

Taking action against Racial Injustice is critical in helping dismantle systemic oppression of racialized communities. Here is a collection of resources that can help you take action and make a difference in racialized communities.

Organizations to Join

National/ International

An organization founded to build the power of South Asian and Indo-Caribbean low wage immigrant workers, youth, and families to win economic and educational justice, and civil and immigrant rights.

A call on people to join a peaceful revolution to honour Indigenous sovereignty and to protect the land & water.

A coalition working through the community, courtrooms, classrooms, and halls of Congress to protect the constitutional right to practice your faith without fear.

A global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.

Local

A Brock Task Force dedicated to bringing together students, staff and faculty to examine and consider the dynamics of race within the Brock context, and to initiate activity that will improve the racial climate at Brock.

A volunteer committee established to advice to City Council on enhancing access and inclusion for diverse cultural communities to fully participate in City services and civic life.

The Committee is empowered by and responsible to City Council for its activities; it reports to City Council, on issues and concerns pertaining to racism and provides advice to address the impacts of racism, through the Audit, Finance & Administration Committee.

Where to donate + contribute

Toronto based Black Owned Business & Black Entrepreneurs Directory.

A fundraiser website where you can donate to help support Black mental health services and supports.

Black Lives Matter has created a one stop card with information, resources and much more! “Ways you can help, When you’re done: educate yourself. This doesn’t go away once the topic ins’t, ‘trending’.”

Black Lives Matter Toronto aims to be a platform upon which black communities across Toronto can actively dismantle all forms of anti-black racism, liberate blackness, support black healing, affirm black existence, and create freedom to love and self- determine.

Canadian business and organization to donate time and or money to.

On May 27th  2020, Regis Korchinski Paquet, tragically lost her life. Justice For Regis is ran by Regis’s family. She was kind, beautiful and she will be missed beyond belief. Her family are asking the public to help with meeting are goal to get the proper justice we need.

The Minnesota Freedom Fund pays criminal bail and immigration bond for those who cannot afford to as we seek to end discriminatory, coercive, and oppressive jailing.

The Movement for Black Lives is made up of hundreds of organizations that coordinate actions, messages and campaigns. Organizations like: Black Alliance for Justice Immigration, Blackbird, Black Lives Matter Network, Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity, Blackout Collective, Black Youth Project 100, Color of Change, Dignity and Power Now, Freedom Inc, Million Hoodies Movement for Justice, Organization for Black Struggle, Project South, Southerners on New Ground, UndocuBlack Network, Law4Black Lives, Black Movement Law Project, Community Justice Project and many others.

Strapped TO is a black queer party collective in Toronto that creates a safe space for queer people of colour. When COVID-19 hit, we made it our mission to continue serving our community. Through events, workshops, and now this fund. “With recent black deaths, our community expressed a need for justice” – Founder, Marisa Rosa Grant. So after connecting with the protest organizers from “Not Another Black Life” (@notanotherblacklife on IG) Marisa decided to create a fund to assist in paying for private legal counsel, and to potentially create asset collateral for bail hearings.

The Black Health Alliance is a community-led registered charity working to improve the health and well-being of Black communities in Canada. Building on our track record as an effective mobilizer and champion, we continue to grow our movement for change.

The Indian Residential School Survivors Society began in 1994 as a working committee of the First Nations Summit. We were known as the Residential School Project, housed out of and as a part of the BC First Nations Summit. Our work was primarily to assist Survivors with the litigation process pertaining to Residential School abuses.

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

Political Activism

To read about each level of governments Anti-Racism strategies click on the links below.

Canada: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy

Ontario: Anti-Racism Directorate

Niagara Region: Niagara region joins anti-racism coalition

Writing a letter to local government representatives is a great way to create change. Voicing your concern to your governmental representatives is a step in getting involved in political action. To find your local representative please click on the following links for provincial and federal officials.

 

Email template for concern over Regis Korchinski- Paquet:

Hello [name of the individual you’re emailing],

I am a Brock University community member messaging you regarding the incident that occured at 100 High Park Avenue on May 27th, 2020. I am a concerned citizen who would like to express my anger and concern over the death of a 29 year-old black indigenous woman, Regis Korchinski-Paquet. I want justice for her death and as a citizen, I demand for the “transparency and accountability” as well as the “disclosure of as much information as possible to the public” that have on all accounts being specified on the SIU webpage.

Best Regards,

[Your Name]

Petitions are a simple way to participate in the creation of a better future. Each signature adds legitimacy and urgency to the campaign. Petitions are a way to demonstrate to law and policy makers that certain topic are high priority for the public.

Protesting is a useful strategy to make your outcry heard by not only the public but government officials, policy makers, and media. Protesters may protest in order to urge others to take direct action in an attempt to create change.

https://ccla.org/

Know your rights while protesting:

Campus activism is a great way for students to get involved in social justice of all kinds. From grassroots to international campus chapters, students continue to create change across Canada.

 

Resources for Campus Led Activism:

Brock Human Rights and Equity is currently creating “How To Activism” guides, workshops and interactive education initiatives.

  • How to… Organize a Protest
  • How to… Get Student Involvement
  • How to… Online Conferences

If you have any recommendations or questions about this programming, please email humanrights@brocku.ca