Renfrew-Collingwood Anti-Racism Community Care

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June 08, 2020

Anti-Racism Community Care

Living in these unprecedented times has brought about a certain level of fear and uncertainty for everyone. However, if there is one thing I am certain about, it is that we cannot waver in our treatment of people with dignity and respect. Unfortunately, acts of racism and xenophobia are not new to our communities; racism has existed for a very a long time and has taken many forms. For example, our province has a history of discrimination, from the Chinese Head Tax to the Komagata Maru. I was devastated by the news of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and know that it’s more imperative than ever for us to take action as Black Lives Matter.

I want to reiterate that any act of racism, hate, or violence will not be tolerated or accepted in Renfrew-Collingwood or in any part of our Province. It is dangerous and these kinds of injustices and hate must be addressed immediately. There are a variety of ways that you can take action if you are a victim of a racially motivated attack or are a witness to one:

  • Hate Crimes in BC – Hate has no place in BC: Of all forms of criminality, hate crimes are likely to be among the most underreported offences.
  • Black Lives Matter Vancouver – Black folks & allies working in solidarity with communities seeking justice from racialized violence
  • The Hogan’s Alley Society – Advocates for Black Vancouverites who have endured the legacies of urban renewal and their erasure from the official historical narrative
  • BC Black History Awareness Society – Celebrates the achievements of Black people in British Columbia
  • Stephanie Allen – Founding Board Member of the Hogan’s Alley Society and Associate Vice-President at BC Housing
  • Office of the Human Rights Commissioner – Address the root causes of inequality, discrimination and injustice in B.C. by shifting laws, policies, practices and cultures
  • CBC: 8 things you can do if you’re witnessing a racist incident – Racist attacks often happen in front of others. Here are some actions you can take.
  • Resilience BC Anti-Racism Network –  The Resilience BC Anti-Racism Network is one platform to connect communities with information, supports, and training to prevent future incidents of racism and hate. For more information and to get connected with staff, please email Multiculturalism@gov.bc.ca.
  • Province selects group to lead anti-racism program – More supports for communities will be available following a rise in racist incidents targeting Asian people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Vancouver School Board Anti-Racism Resources – Safe and Inclusive Schools
  • Hollaback! – Free bystander intervention training to stop anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment
  • Elimin8hate – To provide an anonymous and safe reporting environment for Canadians of Asian ancestry experiencing anti-Asian attacks. To consolidate public resources in an accessible format to victims. To utilize reported data for actionable change.
  • COVID-19 Racism Incident Report Form (Canada) – Based on the work done by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON) and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) in the U.S., a group of volunteer community organizers in Vancouver have launched this incident form to allow Asian-Canadian community members to similarly report incidents of racism, hate and violence they have experienced due to COVID-19.
  • City of Vancouver Proclamation – May 29 has been proclaimed to be a Day of Action Against Racism
  • BC Centre for Disease Control – The BCCDC provides trusted info and up to date resources on COVID-19. Please be aware of misinformation from non-credible sources that can lead to increased fear and harmful attitudes.
  • Vancouver Police Department – If there is immediate danger to you or someone, report all incidences to the VPD by dialing 9-1-1.
    • Non-Emergency Line: (604) 717-3321
  • BC Hate Crimes Team – The BC Hate Crimes Team works with local police detachments to investigate criminal offenses and to protect sense of self and identity. For non-emergency questions about hate crimes, resources, training or education, please contact the BC Hate Crimes Team:

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you witness or experience anything that is discriminatory and hurtful to you or another community member.

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Renfrew-Collingwood Services During COVID-19

Our office is consolidating information on what services are being offered in Renfrew-Collingwood to coordinate our efforts, but more importantly, to identify the most relevant support that is available to constituents. If you are a service provider or community member who has a service or resource that you would like to share, we would love to learn more about it and inform the community.

Community service providers are working hard to identify the needs of neighbours requiring extra support. Collingwood Neighbourhood House’s Seniors Programs is supporting community members with meal, grocery, and medication delivery, and friendly phone calls. Please be in touch with Kirsten Mendonca at kmendonca@cnh.bc.ca or 778-984-0356 (please leave a message) for more information and volunteer opportunities.

You can also get in touch with the Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute at mturje@cnh.bc.ca. *Thank you RCFSI for sharing this great graphic!*