Our hopes with this page are to provide you with helpful resources to support children and families. These resources are being brought to you by BCPTA’s Anti-Racism Committee (ARC). We hope you find them helpful and if you have any suggestions to add to these resources please reach out.
Terms that We Have Found Helpful to Learn More About:
Accountable Spaces: We use these guidelines, that has been adapted from the works of Elise Ahenkorah, in all our workshop and meeting spaces. As part of our commitment to inclusion and safety for all, we aim to create an accountable space. The following guidelines are adapted from the article linked above:
Accountable Space Guidelines (adapted from the University of California, Los Angeles — UCLA)
- Please do not interrupt others.
- Listen actively, instead of just waiting to speak. Please use a pen and paper to record your thoughts, if necessary.
- Be mindful of your total talk time and, if you are comfortable, speak up to add to the conversation.
- Give everyone a chance to speak, without unnecessary pressure.
- Understand that we are all learning. If you said something offensive or problematic, apologize for your actions or words being offensive — not for the person feeling insulted.
- Recognize and embrace friction as evidence that multiple ideas are entering the conversation — not that the group is not getting along.
- Give credit where it is due. If you are echoing someone’s previously stated idea, give the appropriate credit.
- Ask for clarification — do not assume or project.
- Speak for yourself. Use “I” statements and do not share others’ lived experiences.
- Words and tone matter. Be mindful of the impact of what you say, and not just your intent.
- Self-reflect on actionable items to become an ally in your daily work or personal experiences, after leaving the space. Don’t place the burden of educating yourself on others, especially those from equity-deserving communities.
- If you attend as an ally of the community, please allow space for equity-deserving and marginalized communities to share their experiences.
- Other — ask your audience if there are other guidelines needed to support them to ensure the conversation does not create further trauma or undue mental or emotional hardship.
Equity-deserving groups – groups who have historically been denied equal access to employment, education, and other opportunities. Equity deserving groups includes, without limitation, Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, newcomers, refugees and asylum seekers, persons with disabilities/Disabled persons, women, gender minorities, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and others experiencing barriers to economic opportunity and participation. https://www.buysocialcanada.com/equity-deserving-groups-definitions/
Microaggressions – Microaggressions are everyday snubs and insults that marginalized groups face. They’re often very subtle comments or actions that come from implicit bias and/or stereotypes. They might seem like a compliment (“You’re beautiful for a transgender girl”), a harmless comment (“where are you really from?”), or a subconscious action (crossing the street to avoid a racialized person). https://www.themicropedia.org/.
Unconscious bias – Unconscious biases are deeply ingrained attitudes that we have been socialized to accept and that lead to unjust and discriminatory practices. https://egale.ca/awareness/unconscious-bias/
Important Days of the Year:
*We are creating this list of important days to help those who support know more about what days might be impactful to those they are supporting. We are just starting the process of adding some of the many important days to learn more about and will be sharing 2-3 of these days per month. We will continue to add to this resource for years to come until we hopefully have created a comprehensive list of important days. We hope you find this helpful.
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January 4th – National Ribbon Skirt Day
National Ribbon Skirt Day in Canada, is a day dedicated to understanding, respecting and supporting Indigenous cultures and histories. The day was inspired by Isabella Kulak, a fifth grader from Cote First Nation, who in 2020 was told her ribbon skirt wasn’t formal enough for the school’s Formal Day. Ribbon skirts hold cultural and spiritual significance for many Indigenous Peoples, symbolizing identity, resilience and connection to heritage. Isabella’s story sparked a movement that led to the successful passage, to formally recognize this important day on January 4.
“The ribbon skirt represents the identity, traditions, and strength of First Nations women. It is a reminder of the importance of protecting cultural expression and ensuring that First Nations teachings and values are celebrated and understood across generations. Today, I encourage First Nations people to wear their cultural attire with pride and invite all Canadians to deepen their understanding of First Nations heritage and contributions.”
– Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak
Resources:
What Your Ribbon Skirt Means to Me: Deb Haaland’s Historic Inauguration by Alexis Bunten
The Ribbon Skirt: A Graphic Novel by Cameron Mukwa
Image from: https://cameronmukwa.com/the-ribbon-skirt-graphic-novel
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January 27th – International Holocaust Remembrance Day
The UN General Assembly designated January 27th, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In 2005, that day was designated as the annual International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.
Each year, Canadians and individuals all over the world take this opportunity to remember the victims of the atrocities of the Holocaust and reflect on the dangers of anti-Semitism. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/canada-holocaust/international-remembrance-day.html
Resources:
5 activities for learning about the Holocaust at home (ages 7 – 18)
https://museeholocauste.ca/en/resources-training/at-home-activities/
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January 29th – National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack & Action Against Islamophobia
On January 29, 2017, after the evening prayer at the Islamic Cultural Center in Québec City, 6 people were killed, and 19 others were seriously injured in a senseless act of terror. Five years later, the traumatic loss of lives still echoes in Muslim communities across this country and is a reminder of why we must always have an unwavering commitment to the fight against Islamophobia and all other forms of hatred and discrimination. https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SI-2021-17/page-1.html
Resources:
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali
Image from: https://www.ibtihajmuhammad.com/news
All Are Welcome: Children’s Book About Diversity by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman
Image from: https://www.alexpenfoldbooks.com/all-are-welcome
What Is a Refugee? by Elise Gravel
Image from: https://elisegravel.com/en/livres/mes-livres/
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February – Black History Month
Black History Month in Canada, celebrated annually in February, is a time to honour, celebrate, and reflect on the significant achievements, history, and contributions of Black Canadians to the nation’s diverse cultural, social, and economic fabric. It also serves to acknowledge the enduring challenges of systemic racism, discrimination, and the painful legacy of slavery that Black communities have faced and continue to overcome.
The month highlights the rich diversity within the Black community, from those with long ancestral ties to Canada to recent immigrants, and seeks to build a more equitable future for all Black Canadians. (https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month.html) A key element of Black History Month is the commitment to combatting systemic barriers, anti-Black racism, and discrimination through government initiatives and community programs.
Resources:
The Kids Book of Black History in Canada by Rosemary Sadlier
Image from: https://storestock.massybooks.com/item/Pv0_rT8D96s1SIKGtL8L8w
Don’t Touch My Hair! by Sharee Miller
Image from: https://www.shareemiller.com/new-page-2
Oscar Lives Next Door: A Story Inspired by Oscar Peterson’s Childhood by Bonnie Farmer
Meet Mary Ann Shadd (Scholastic Canada Biography) by Elizabeth MacLeod
Image from: https://www.scholastic.ca/our-books/book/meet-mary-ann-shadd-scholastic-canada-biography-9781443191302
Viola Desmond Won’t Be Budged! by Jody Nyasha Warner
Image from: https://www.strongnations.com/gs/show.php?gs=3&gsd=8102
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February 25th – Pink Shirt Day
Now a movement celebrated across the globe, Pink Shirt Day has humble beginnings. Inspired by an act of kindness in small-town Nova Scotia, CKNW Kids’ Fund, working with partners Boys & Girls Clubs and 980 CKNW, was inspired to raise funds to support anti-bullying programs.
Here is a snippet of an article detailing the original incident: “A group of teenage friends organized a high-school protest to wear pink in sympathy with a Grade 9 boy who was being bullied [for wearing a pink shirt]…[They] took a stand against bullying when they protested against the harassment of a new Grade 9 student by distributing pink T-shirts to all the boys in their school. It all began when a group of teens went to a discount store and bought 50 pink tank tops. They sent out message to schoolmates that night, and the next morning they hauled the shirts to school in a plastic bag. As they stood in the foyer handing out the shirts, the bullied boy walked in. His face spoke volumes. The bullies were never heard from again.”
Bullying is a major problem in our schools, workplaces, homes, and online. Over the month of February, and throughout the year, CKNW Kids’ Fund‘s Pink Shirt Day aims to raise awareness of these issues, as well as raise funds to support programs that foster children’s healthy self-esteem. (https://www.pinkshirtday.ca/)
Resources:
The Together Tree by Aisha Saeed
Image from: http://aishasaeed.com/the-together-tree/
The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up for Others by Bob Sornson
Image from: https://storestock.massybooks.com/item/Q9lZPBD3u_GQkyTNqmfi7g
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
Image from: https://odinbooks.com/index.php?page=viewitem&itemId=10283