Join human rights nonprofit FAST, and an esteemed panel to discuss ways to honour Black history and culture - in preparation for February: Black History Month with opening remarks from Kasari Govender, the BC Human Rights Commissioner.

Educators, parents, and all citizens will surely find the conversation engaging and useful, offering tangible takeaways on ways we can ensure Black Canadians feel heard, respected, and appreciated.

Black communities experience inequities and inequalities in many facets of their lives - from a lack of opportunity (within education and the workforce), to discrimination faced when renting or purchasing a home (among other things), to stereotyping among friends, to microagressions expressed by non-Black citizens.

Many Canadians wish to be 'better' - to behave more respectfully, but they don't always know what they are doing wrong, or how to alter their behaviour. This expert panel will provide us all with the information we need to move forward in a more positive, inclusive way during February - and every month we live in this wonderful country.

OPENING REMARKS - Kasari Govender, the BC Human Rights Commissioner.

FEATURED PANELISTS:

o Dr. Ali A. Abdi - Professor, UBC, Department of Education

o Dr. Lisa Gunderson – psychologist, founder of One Love Consulting

o Silvia Mangue Alene – founder Kulea Love, Kulea Culture and President BC Black History Awareness Society

o Rachel Luke – Ontario educator, 2020 recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence

o Hayden Atwell – Ontario educator (Black History Curriculum developer)

o Olaolu Adeleye – faculty, Royal Roads University

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BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner exists to address the root causes of inequality, discrimination and injustice in our province by shifting laws, policies, practices and cultures. They do this work through education, research, advocacy, inquiry and monitoring.

eLessons from nonprofit FAST will be shared - cross curricular resources with fact sheets, timelines, lessons, and video testimonials for educators to use, at no cost, to confidently open the dialogue on Black History . Choose Your Voice for middle school and Voices into Action for high school and post secondary.

Contact Jodi Derkson, jderkson@fastcyv.ca for more information about the event or to learn about FAST's resources and workshops for educators.

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QUESTIONS :

1. Why must we dedicate an entire month to Black history?

2. What role can education play in reducing discrimination against Black people?

3. What are some daily lived experiences of Black Canadians when it comes to employment equality, educational opportunities, and housing which should be widely known?

4. Can you explain ‘white privilege’ and how it manifests and affects the Black community?

5. How can people (who are not Black) support Black Canadians in productive, rather than merely performative ways (i.e., virtue signaling)?

6. What are microaggressions? And how have do they negatively impact Black Canadians on a regular basis?

7. What are creative pedagogical ideas to engage students in understanding Black History and culture? In what curriculum areas can educators insert more Black content?

8. What are projections you have, for the future, regarding human rights for Black people and desired areas of growth and focus for 2021?______________________________________________________________________________________________

Let's get the conversation going!