Racialized health inequities are present for a wide range of health concerns. These inequities are rooted in structural racism and are a manifestation of Whiteness and White supremacy in public policies and institutional practices.

This session will turn the gaze on Whiteness as a systemic feature and driver of racial inequities. Lifting the veil on Whiteness challenges its “normalcy” in settler colonial states like Canada.

The webinar will be delivered in two parts.

Part 1

In part 1 we will discuss markers of Whiteness in health and in organizational settings. Furthermore, we will highlight the impact of Whiteness on health. The session will consider critical Whiteness approaches that are part of decolonizing, anti-racist practice.

We will discuss three broad roles and opportunities for public health to meaningfully address Whiteness:

1. Engaging in institutional change
2. Supporting community-driven action
3. Contributing to changes in public policy

Part 2

Part 2 will offer participants an opportunity to participate in group discussions on the material covered during the first session. Participation in Part 1 is required in order to participate in part 2.

Related resource

Let’s Talk Whiteness and Health Equity

Sume Ndumbe-Eyoh, Senior Knowledge Translation Specialist, NCCDH

Sume has professional experiences in equity-focused organizational and community development and change, social justice education, HIV/AIDS prevention, research, knowledge translation, evaluation and women's rights with local, provincial and global organizations. Sume has previously contributed to teams at the Program Training and Consultation Centre of the Smoke Free Ontario Strategy, the Regional Diversity Roundtable, Ontario HIV Treatment Network, Southern African AIDS Trust and the Centre for Social Justice. Sume holds a Masters of Health Sciences in Health Promotion and Global Health from the University of Toronto.

Tansi, I am Nancy Laliberté, I am Nêhiyaw/Métis from the Beaver River area of what is now known as Saskatchewan. I currently live on the traditional, ancestral territory of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation and work within the unceded land of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. I am a daughter, sister, auntie, cousin and friend.

I have a 20+ year history in service and research in the downtown eastside (DTES) of Vancouver in homelessness, mental health, problematic substance use and opioid replacement. It was there that I was mentored in harm reduction, Indigenous rights and social justice. The remarkable people of the DTES were a fundamental part of my education as they generously shared teachings with me. I completed a Master of Public Health in 2012 from SPPH at UBC. Currently, I am working with youth on the The’ye’lh Smun’eem Indigenous Youth Wellness project in the PhD program at SPPH. I am delighted to work with Sume and Alycia on this Whiteness resource and webinar. Thank you to the NCCDH for inviting us to present!

Alycia Fridkin, PhD, Equity and anti-racism policy consultant.

Alycia is Jewish Queer White Setter with Eastern European roots who lives on the unceded homelands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. She has spent many years working in public health settings with an emphasis on Indigenous health policy and research, and does consulting related to anti-racism and equity policy. Alycia is currently working at the City of Vancouver on addressing the overdose crisis. She has a PhD from the University of British Columbia, focused on meaningfully involving Indigenous people in health policy, and a Masters in Public Health from the University of Toronto.