To date, I have the honour of talking with psychologists, social workers, former MLA, lawyers, youth, Minister of cabinet, Vice Provost at a University, documentary film maker, former media broadcaster, and policy makers. Each episode ends with some calls to action so the listener can walk away with ideas they can think about, do, and do more of on their anti-racism journey.
Melissa talks about how she was raised by a single mom and how blood memory – intuition, whispers of the heart and soul - are dear to her learning. She notes that there is systemic racism and microaggressions faced by Indigenous Peoples. She voices the importance of reading the Truth and Reconciliation: 94 Calls to Action and taking each one to heart. She shares how leaning into discomfort can cultivate the most impactful learning.
Anusha talks about how her father is South Asian and her mother is French Canadian. She shares that her father was born in India, then moved to South Africa and Canada. Anusha voices the beauty of intersections such as race, religion, and culture. She notes the importance of talking to children and youth about “isms” because young people are insightful. She states the importance of challenging our biases and assumptions in order to transform from the inside out.
Ghada shares how she was born in Beijing, raised in Syria, and moved to the USA and then Canada when she was a teenager. She conveys her love of poetry as poetry is the language of resistance and resilience. She voices the many racist experiences she encountered when she ran for office in 2019 and the courage it took to do so. She shares stories of her son and niece’s encounters with racism and states, “let’s be the killjoys and call out racist moments.
Justin talks about his upbringing in London, Ontario where most of his peers are white and he did not see many who looked like him (including teachers). He voices how his parents were born in Macau (mom) and Shanghai (dad) and how he lost his dad at 12 years old. He notes how he endured people being mean (he did not know it was racism) when losing his dad was much more difficult. He wants his children to grow up in a world that is safe and to know they can do anything. He shares how his life has come full circle with being a teacher and now getting back into sports.
Cassie shares how she is a mixed-raced Chinese Canadian woman and grew up in a predominantly privileged white neighbourhood. On her travel to France a few years ago, she discloses that a man called her racial slurs and it was the first time she experienced overt racism. She voices that there are structural injustices and she is passionate about being outspoken against anti-Asian racism and taking time to find herself.
