News — Congress of Black Women of Canada

At the moment lots of people are trying to understand the Black Lives Matter and police protests in the U.S. and all over the world. You might be one of them. Wherever you live you might be tempted to think that “it’s not like that here”.

Racism is a global problem. And we in Canada are NOT immune.

So even though these resources are mostly addressing issues in the U.S. they apply universally. Hopefully this list of resources can help make sense of what’s happening and start to enhance your education.

The Congress of Black Women wishes to acknowledge Dr Ganz Ferrance for allowing us to reprint these resources on our website.

What we’ve done is organized these resources to make it easier for you.

Level 1 is where I suggest you start. A basic overview about some of the issues, facts, and concepts. Things that are short, easy to access, and less intense.

Level 2 is a bit more challenging, takes a bit more time, but goes deeper.

Level 3 these resources are a bit more intense and take more time. A deeper understanding of both the issues and the ongoing emotional costs of systemic racism.

Additional Resources: we’ve included these to give you tools to further deepen your knowledge & education on things.

Thanks for being an ally and remember that this journey is going to take some courage. You may not always know what to say and do; and your best intentions may be met with pain, anger, and hostility.

Please know any negativity coming towards you may not be personal or mean that you’ve really screwed up. Historically, those of us who are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color) have had to suck it up for a long time and the present climate has a lot of us very triggered.

Also, the dynamic that happens with most couples can happen here too: Issues haven’t been addressed. You make it safe to talk. EVERYTHING tends to come out with all the pent up pressure and emotion that couldn’t come out in the past. Most of us have experienced this in our relationships.

This is where your toughness & courage as an ally really needs to show up. Just like with your partner, if you’re willing to hang in there, be curious, and listen with an open heart & mind the intensity tends to decrease as the other person feels heard, understood, and validated.

Remember to look for ways to put your new knowledge into practice. Also, let’s keep the conversation going. Once again thanks for being in the trenches with us.

LEVEL 1:

The history of race (PBS special): https://youtu.be/CVxAlmAPHec

Why Europeans enslaved Africans: https://youtu.be/opUDFaqNgXc

Uncomfortable Conversations with A Black Man

https://teneightymagazine.com/2020/06/04/video-spotlight-uncomfortable-conversations-with-a-black-man-pt-1/

“The Doll Test” https://youtu.be/QRZPw-9sJtQ

Netflix series “Explained”:

Season 1 The Racial Wealth Gap

Season 2 Pirates

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: https://youtu.be/WeIcWyQ0MP4 (Police)

https://youtu.be/J5b_-TZwQ0I (The Confederacy)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_kak7kAdNw (Sheriffs)

Talking About Race | National Museum of African American History and Culture:

https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race

Ted Talk: What it Takes to be Racially Literate

https://www.ted.com/talks/priya_vulchi_and_winona_guo_what_it_takes_to_be_racially_literate

Ted Talk: What Prosecutors & Incarcerated People Can Learn from Each Other:

https://www.ted.com/talks/jarrell_daniels_what_prosecutors_and_incarcerated_people_can_learn_from_each_other#t-40899

How to Talk to Kids about Race:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2zzFmCbIz4de54p85p-3aXXSyI6jNGJI

Explaining ”Jim Crow”:

https://youtu.be/2_gOtZ--4WE

LEVEL 2:

White Privilege: What Is White Privilege, Really? | Teaching Tolerance:

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2018/what-is-white-privilege-really

White Rage:

https://youtu.be/rLAvA4PwSXY

White Fragility:

https://youtu.be/45ey4jgoxeU

Book:

They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the America South

CNN talking about the public education system failing us for race education today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_fNJ8vT018&feature=youtu.be&t=294

African “Discovery” of America

https://youtu.be/K-FG2oWl-2k

How Dave Chappelle Schooled White Woman On 'Police Brutality' - CH News:

https://youtu.be/vG4bRTXVcDw

LEVEL 3:

UnderstandingCompassion.com

https://understandingcompassion.com/education/

Brown Eyes Blue Eyes Racism Experiment Children Session by Jane Elliott:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGvoXeXCoUY

https://youtu.be/ebPoSMULI5U (Oprah 1992 episode)

How Can We Win:

https://youtu.be/sb9_qGOa9Go

1619:

https://www.nytimes.com/column/1619-project

13TH FULL FEATURE-Netflix:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krfcq5pF8u8&feature=youtu.be

Full Episode: Where Do We Go From Here? (Part 1) | OWN Spotlight | Oprah:

https://youtu.be/vG4bRTXVcDw

Full Episode: Where Do We Go From Here? (Part 2) | OWN Spotlight | Oprah:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jy6LpivqIM&t=1s

Here are some additional resources:

YouTube setup a 'stand against racial injustice' channel (advertising it on the homepage):

https://www.youtube.com/user/YouTube

Oprah Resources:

http://www.oprah.com/app/resources.html

Anti-Racism & Unlearning Resources:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LHBfN_ceCMgBNYRMvFv_vw2NL8s72LRSUd9TYfIwZ24/htmlview?urp=gmail_link#

Anti-Racism Resource List:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S5uckFHCA_XZkxG0Zg5U4GQGbY_RklZARwu43fqJH0E/preview?ck_subscriber_id=711212887

158 Resources to Understand Racism in America:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/158-resources-understanding-systemic-racism-america-180975029/

75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice:

https://medium.com/equality-includes-you/what-white-people-can-do-for-racial-justice-f2d18b0e0234

Eyes on the Prize | American Experience | Official Site | PBS:

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/eyesontheprize/

Watch Eyes on the Prize YouTube:

Entire Playlist (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfUJ8lTZUqUFx4V7yvomTplFSBq6MBc1E)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts10IVzUDVw (episode 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D5xwC6M_Gk (episode 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXG9lqr6qk4 (episode 3)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YYaaEffMFk (episode 4)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP2A6_2b6g8 (episode 5)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdpeRWj1P4w (episode 6)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPMMU3QoR90 (episode 7)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh3yG6SFzVo (episode 8)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ktcv6BOL38 (episode 9)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQJP0Yj5GO0 (episode 10)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WmVeDSZ8T8 (episode 11)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1BlbVOOH7I (episode 12)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn2-TT_Bk1M (episode 13)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC8JjbV5jIw (episode 14)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLP8AoXnVAY (episode 15)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28CExaXv7aA&list=PLfUJ8lTZUqUFx4V7yvomTplFSBq6MBc1E&index=17&t=0s (Rosa Parks Interview)

White Supremacy is NOT (just) the KKK (by Dr. Ganz Ferrance)

“White Supremacy”

It’s an insidious doctrine that started during colonialism and slavery to justify and legitimize European powers’ global quest for wealth. This doctrine was spread around the globe and is the foundation for systemic racism. The problem is that it is now mostly unconscious and “baked into” religion, education, healthcare, government, culture , etc. - so, at this point in history, it’s just an unconscious, foundational, organizing principle that most people act out but are never aware of (a presupposition).

The doctrine of White Supremacy sets up people with white skin (usually male) as the highest (or at least the default) standard of humanity. The philosophy teaches that as you go down the “color ladder” and the skin darkens, so does value, intelligence, culture, history, contribution, and even membership in the human race. People with black skin are on the lowest rung of the ladder. This was actually taught from elementary to graduate school as a “scientific truth” under the term “Race” or “The Races of the World” until relatively recently.

The belief still persists in practice and in our institutions. Hence the systemic nature of racism. Extreme expressions of this doctrine are seen in the police brutality now being exposed and the terrorist organizations of the KKK, Skinheads, etc. Nobody is immune. We are all unconsciously caught in the system - as both victims and agents (“unconscious bias”). We only break free by becoming knowledgeable and choosing to address it when we see it. “White Supremacists)”, like the KKK and other organizations, consciously promote and support the ideals of white supremacy.

“Racism”

Racism is the marginalization of people based on their “race” from a position of power (i.e. from white to people of color - however racial discrimination can happen in any direction). You don’t have to attend or support a cross-burning to be racist. And, not every person with white skin who discriminates against a person of color is consciously racist. The truth is that we’re ALL caught in the system and so, to varying degrees, unconsciously act out our conditioning to value of others according to the color ladder (white supremacy doctrine). So, when the terms “racist” or “racism” are used it is not necessarily a direct personal attack; but you should still be open-minded about your behavior. The idea is to know that you don’t always know - so listen to people who have the experience of being marginalized and be sensitive to their experiences. Remember it’s hard to notice a system that doesn’t impact you directly or personally on a day-to-day basis.

“White Privilege”

This term brings up a lot of emotion for both Black and White people. It does NOT mean that if you’re White your life is automatically easy or that you didn’t have to work for what you got. It actually refers to one of the results of the “white supremacy” doctrine. I heard it described this way by a white sociologist: Pretend life is like swimming in a river. The further you travel the better you do. Obviously how far you get depends on if you’re a better swimmer or if you swim harder or for longer. The catch is that if you’re white you swim WITH the current and if you’re black you swim AGAINST it. That’s how white privilege works. The system is slanted in your favor and against everyone else (worse based on the darkness of their skin - the “color ladder”).

Obviously, a good swimmer who’s going against the current can sometimes get further than a poor swimmer who is going with the current. But this situation is pretty rare. And even when it does happen, there are things that the person moving with the current (white privilege) will never have to think about. An example that’s being played out right now is how a person with black skin has to think about and strategize for their safety (and that of their kids) every day just in case they have to interact with the police. Or if they’re actually getting fair/equal treatment by financial, medical, educational, and other systems like employment and housing.

This article is being reproduced here.

AFE is happy to feature an article from The Congress of Black Women (Edmonton Chapter), an organization whose programs help to mitigate the issue of non-participation of Black Women in these and other programs.

Congress of Black Women of Canada (CBWC) is a national non-profit organization which was founded in 1973 by Kay Livingstone. It evolved from the Canadian Negro Women’s Association (CANEWA) that had been in operation since 1951. By the early 1970’s there was a tremendous increase of Black Women and their families migrating to Canada from Africa and various parts of the diaspora. CANEWA, spearheaded by Mrs. Livingstone, broadened its focus to include the more recent arrivals and CBWC resulted. CANEWA’s goals and objectives actualized as
‘advocacy, informing the public, creating effective policies & programs, offering scholarships to youth, promoting the preservation of culture, and sponsoring community projects’ . CBWC has continued in this vein because the issues that affect us in Canadian society remain essentially the same. With each wave of new arrivals that join those who came before, and as the population of Black Women grows, our various experiences exemplify the truism that ‘we may have come on different ships but now we are in the same boat’.

Upholding the intention of the National objectives, since its inception 38 years ago, the Edmonton Chapter has elaborated on and fine-tuned these objectives to respond to local circumstances. Over the years CBWC (Edmonton Chapter) continue to provide a network of solidarity for Black Women through its programs and services. As previously mentioned, the demographic make-up is very diverse in terms of, for example, age, country of origin, education, profession, occupation, income level. Yet it is critical for us to remember our ‘same boat’ status as it relates to the default treatment that is most often meted out to us by mainstream society. But more importantly, we recognize the numerous social, attitudinal and other commonalities that have survived the diasporic journey – strengths on which we can build.

Yet, wittingly or unwittingly, expressions of these strengths often are misunderstood, downgraded and even maligned by the larger society including government institutions. Over time this results in a threat to the sense of self, with one result being scant and/or non-participation in programs that are meant to serve the whole society. For everyone, the sense of self - self-identity - is very important. and for Black Women and their families, self-identity is not just important, it is crucial. Furthermore, we realize that there can be special challenges for those who are sort of ‘caught in the middle’: our young people who are second- and third-generation Black Canadians, came here as children, and/or who are of bi/multiracial parentage. As usual, the Edmonton Chapter continues to explore, find and plan ways to effectively address these issues. Feedback from our latest workshop has reinforced our position while giving insights into areas that we need to highlight in upcoming sessions.

Sixty-four demographically diverse Congress members and their guests participated in the workshop. As we have come to expect in these settings, they all stated that the underlying element that enhanced their learning and satisfaction was socialization. Socializing with other Black women in an environment where their particular issues were highlighted was empowering for them. They all indicated whilst the learning was useful to them, it was greatly enriched by the fact that it was geared to their particular needs, and with facilitators to whom they could relate easily. What we heard is that even though there is a wide range of opportunities and resources available in the community, many of our Black Women still experience isolation and obstacles in accessing the services they require. Black seniors are especially affected. They stated that some areas on which we need to follow up are:

Range of diversity among Black Women and their families – celebrating our similarities and Differences
Financial and career planning for Black Women, including youth and wellness for Black Women: Particular needs and opportunitiesagingHealthy
Retirement planning
Healthy eating, to include cultural aspects and food preferences as noted by FAO’s definition 2 of Food Security
Black youth and inter-generational interaction and communication: passing on knowledge about our and culture - grounding Black youth history

In planning upcoming activities that are geared to the needs of Black senior women, CBWC (Edmonton) consider the following factors which cause low or no participation in available programs:

Most programs are not delivered in a manner with which the Black Woman and her family can relate.
As they get older and retire, they lose the workplace camaraderie. Craving for deep and meaningful connections become even more pressing. Some say that the fellowship that they experience in our sessions is ‘like food for the soul’.
Losing sense of worth: Many older Black Women were the caregivers for children and grandchildren who depended on them. Now that they are no longer needed in this role, ensuing loneliness and even depression result.
Fear of technology: Technology is moving so fast and for many, especially Black and other seniors, it is scary and difficult to keep up.

To meet stated needs above, while accounting for overall factors that need consideration, here are some strategic activities being explored:

As much as possible retain black facilitators and professionals to lead group activities.
Encourage senior Black Women to tell their personal stories of growing up in their country of origin, including Canada. This is an ideal way to employ various electronic media and engage young Black People.
Plan events that inform and celebrate our similarities and raise awareness about our heritage.
Ensure intergenerational issues are addressed
Act as an information/resource centre for Black Women

We are dedicated to the empowerment of Blacks so that they are better able to contribute to Canadian society. CBWC does this by focussing on the Black Woman because this is one of the most effective ways to empower our community. The Black Woman is the one who provides strength and nurturing to manage and support family and community structures, often without due recognition or validation or support. So, our organization aim to provide the tools she needs to carry out this function. We do it in a way that honours our tradition which includes respect for our seniors, the elders.

REFERENCES
1 Lawrence Hill (1996) Women of Vision: The Story of the Canadian Negro Women’s Association 1951 - 1976
2 FAO (1996) Chapter 2. Food security: concepts and measurement [21] –FAO
(www.fao.org/docrep/005/y4671e/y4671e/06.htm)