Newmarket, NACCA host anti-Black racism workshop

This virtual workshop takes place on Aug. 25 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and will be recorded for viewing at a later time

Yorkregion.com
August 24, 2020

The Town of Newmarket is partnering with the Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA) to host Toward Racial Equity: Examining Anti-Black Racism in Canada, a virtual workshop on Aug. 25, 2020 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

“Recent events in our country and around the world are the latest pieces of evidence that racism exists. It exists here in Canada and also right here in Newmarket,” says Newmarket Mayor John Taylor. “We must acknowledge it, we must educate ourselves and we must come together to do something about it. Our heartfelt thanks to NACCA, who continues to increase our understanding of anti-Black racism and help lead us on our journey to being an even more diverse, equitable and inclusive community.”

What: This workshop hosted by Jerisha Grant-Hall, chairperson of NACCA, will engage participants in a historical and present-day overview of anti-Black racism in Canada. It will explore how racism impacts the workplace and community by looking at the Black experience. Participants will review key occurrences, misconceptions and ideologies that lead to racial inequities and will also reflect on how racism is systemically reproduced.

When: Tuesday, Aug. 25 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Where: Streamed online at newmarket.ca/meetings This meeting will also be recorded and archived to view later.

Who:
Mayor John Taylor and Newmarket Council
Jerisha Grant-Hall, Chairperson of Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association
Newmarket staff

Agenda:

• Anti-Black racism: an overview of terminologies and context
• Understanding how Anti-Black racism shows up in our workplace and community
• System level thinking for transformation
• Moving from inclusive to anti-racist
• Best practice in the Region - Next steps

How to get involved:

In addition to viewing the Council Workshop on Anti-Black Racism online, community members can also get involved by joining the Anti-Black Racism Task Force. The Town of Newmarket is seeking 10 citizen members of Newmarket’s diverse Black community to sit on this Task Force that was created and approved by Newmarket Council on July 27, 2020.

The terms of reference outline the mandate and deliverables of the Task Force. Interested individuals are encouraged to get involved by completing the application and include their resume and submitted to clerks@newmarket.ca  by Monday, Sept. 7, 2020.