The Limestone Lens
Focusing In On Anti-Racism and Equity
April Awareness
The focus of this issue of The Limestone Lens is fostering
"awareness".
As you read through this month's collection of resources, I ask you to consider the following:
A) What can you do, as an individual or group, to support communities negatively impacted by COVID-19 inequities?
B) How are you countering the negative words and actions of others? What steps can you take to intervene and disrupt race-based messaging?
C) What is one action you can take on your personal equity work? How can learning more about the experiences and needs of our community support positive cultural change?
1) An Awareness that Inequities are Heightened During the Pandemic
“More Exposed & Less Protected” in Canada: Racial Inequality as Systemic Violence During COVID-19
This report highlights some of the ways that racism (and its intersections with class and gender inequality) has made BIPOC “more exposed and less protected” to harms during the pandemic."
Read the complete report here: http://www.vawlearningnetwork.ca/our-work/backgrounders/more_exposed_and_less_protected_in_canada_systemic_racism_and_covid19/
Here are the Summaries of Three Key Issues in the Report:
Quality of Healthcare
"Disparities result from longstanding systems of oppression and bias which have subjected people of colour to discrimination in the healthcare setting, decreased access to medical care and healthy food, unsafe working conditions, mass incarceration, exposure to pollution and noise and the toxic effects of stress."
(Quoted in Iroanyah & Cyr, 2020, para. 10)
Work Exposure
"Systemic inequalities in race, class, and gender shape heightened risk of exposure and poorer protection from COVID-19 among Canada’s workforce.
Some of the largest outbreaks of COVID-19 have occurred in long-term care facilities and meatpacking industries, in which racialized people are disproportionately employed."
(Bouka & Bouka, 2020).
Housing and Community Support
Communities with poorer food options, housing conditions, and air quality leave residents susceptible to chronic diseases, which in turn place COVID-19 patients at a greater risk of complications, including death."
(Wallis, 2020).
2) An Awareness that April Hosts Many Dates of Significance
This issue of The Limestone Lens will look deeper into explaining the importance of Ramadan.
Ramadan
3) An Awareness That Actions and Words Matter!
Here are some tools and information to help others understand, respond, intervene and act when issues of injustice, human rights, equity and oppression arise:
4) An Awareness That We All Have A Responsibility to Learn From and Take Care of Each Other.
Hunger-fighting Campaign Unites People and Taps into the Spirit of Ramadan
“Everyone can participate in the spirit of Ramadan,” Taylor emphasizes. “Give 30 is not about any one group or faith; it's about uniting in common humanity. Hunger and poverty know no race, religion, ethnicity, creed, gender or age and that's why it's important for everyone to join Give 30.”
This year, members of the Kingston Muslim Youth are organizing an interschool competition, encouraging secondary schools to raise funds for Partners in Mission Food Bank via Give 30.
Stay tuned to updates via their Instagram account (@kingston_muslim_youth). We encourage other groups and business to get creative and join the Give 30 campaign to help Partners in Mission Food Bank fight hunger in Kingston.
Resources to Access for Support and Awareness
We'll get through this together! Here is a website from the Government of Canada with a variety of ways we can support each other!
The Limestone Lens: Focusing In On Anti-Racism and Equity
As Limestone District School Board employees, we are all a part of this learning journey. If you have ideas about future equity topics or terminology, please contact Rae McDonald.
Email: mcdonaldr@limestone.on.ca