PLEASE NOTE TO ALL EDUCATORS:
Download slide and read notes as they are vital to presenting.
Canadian Cultural Mosaic Foundation is a Millennial and Gen Z volunteer-led nonprofit working to improve race relations in Canada. We have created a simple presentation to share with students grade 7 - 12 on race and racism in Canada.
More information at http://www.canadianculturalmosaicfoundation.com/
5. Jens
Martensson
What is race?
Race
A social construct
► There is no basis in biology when it comes
to race, because there is no “race gene”,
therefore race has no meaning independent
of its social definitions.
► When people talk about race, there is often
an incorrect assumption that physical
differences such as skin colour, hair colour
and texture, and facial features are related
to intellectual, moral, or cultural superiority.
► Although race is socially constructed, it
significantly affects the lives of Indigenous
and racialized people, particularly in the
West.
► The concept of race was created to
establish a hierarchy in society.
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Martensson
What is racism?
Racism
Not just about social attitudes
► A system in which one group of people
(majority) exercises power over another on
the basis of race.
► A set of beliefs, false assumptions, and
actions based on an ideology of the
inherent superiority of the dominant racial
group over the others.
► Systemic racism consists of policies and
practices, rooted in established institutions,
that result in the exclusion or advancement
of specific groups of people. Ex -
discriminatory laws, residential segregation,
poor health care, inferior education, unequal
economic opportunity and the exclusion and
distortion of the perspectives of non-
dominant Canadians.
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What is racial discrimination?
Racial Discrimination
It is important to note the difference
between racial discrimination and racism
► Racial discrimination can happen to anyone
who is discriminated against based on their
race and is usually an individual act.
Racism is more persistent as it is not only
an individual behaviour or act, but a way of
thinking and is institutionalized in Canada.
► In Canada, anyone can experience racial
discrimination but only Indigenous and
racialized people can experience racism.
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What is privilege?
Privilege
An advantage
► Refers to gaining benefits, advantages, and
rights by default at the expense of others,
because one belongs to the perceived “us,”
“normal” or “natural” state of the
“mainstream” and/or dominant culture.
► Privilege is not visible to its holder; it is
merely there, a part of the world, a way of
life, simply the way things are.
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What is a microaggresion?
Microaggression
Snubs or insults that communicate
negative or hostile messages to
marginalized people
► Microaggression is a term used for brief and
commonplace daily verbal, behavioural, or
environmental indignities, whether
intentional or unintentional, that
communicate hostile, derogatory, or
negative prejudicial slights and insults
toward any group, particularly culturally
marginalized groups.
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Martensson
What is a bias?
Bias
We all have biases
► A subjective opinion, preference, prejudice
or inclination, often formed without
reasonable justification, that influences an
individual’s or group’s ability to evaluate a
particular situation objectively or accurately.
► You can be aware or unaware of it.
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What is a stereotype?
Stereotypes and generalizations
Positive or negative: they contribute to a
dysfunctional class system
► A preconceived overgeneralization of a
group of people, ascribing the same
characteristics to all members of the group,
regardless of their individual differences.
► Most of us fit into different categories and
have a variety of interests. We might like
watching sports but be non-athletic. We
might like rap as well as classical music.
But when we think about other people,
particularly people who are a different race
from us, we often have a harder time
understanding that complexity. So we put
people into categories and thus –
stereotypes are formed.
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Ever heard of intersectionality?
Intersectionality
How oppressive systems are linked together
► The experience of the interconnected
nature of identities, and the way they are
embedded within existing systems such that
they define how one is valued.
► In other words, the interconnected nature of
all forms of oppression against particular
groups.
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Martensson
Issues of race and racism in Canada
► Creation of Canada as Colonial country
► Residential Schools
► 60’s Scoop
► Chinese Head Tax
► Japanese Internment camps
► Komagata Maru
► School Segregation
Past
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Issues of race and racism in Canada
► Ongoing Colonialism, Canada is not ruled by
Indigenous Peoples
► Indian Act
► Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls
► Overrepresentation of Indigenous inmates in prison
► Police carding & policing systems issues
► Bill 21 in Quebec
► Immigration policies
► Not recognizing overseas professional credentials
► Anti-Blackness
► Representation in media
► Workplace racism & discrimination
Present
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Three R’s of Social Change
REFLECT RECOGNIZE RESPOND
What’s working? What is the root cause of the issue? What are some possible solutions?
What’s not working? What does it still exist? Who can help me move forward?
Any opportunities for change?
How can I build my skills and
knowledge?
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Three R’s of Social Change – Example
REFLECT RECOGNIZE RESPOND
Too many students saying racist words
and phrases.
Lack of awareness about the impact of
racist terminology. Lack of knowledge
about history of words and how they
contribute to racism.
Have an assembly about the power of
words.
Racist beliefs. Start a poster campaign.
Media contributing to it. School influencer campaign.
Pressure to fit in / Seen as “cool.”
Create a school guide on history of racist
words and why it’s wrong to use them
and spread the word.
Exercise time!
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Additional Resources
Learn more through the resources below
► Do the Right Thing, a federally-funded
curriculum resource
► The Faith Project, observes the rituals of
seven young Canadians from different faith
traditions.
► Empowering Young People in the Aftermath
of Hate, a guide for educators and families
► Teaching Tolerance, classroom resources
Student and Teacher Guide
Here is a powerpoint presentation Canadian Cultural Mosaic Foundation made for teachers to use for grade 7 – 12. Please go through it, watch all the videos and read all the notes, as well as the slides before presenting it.
This is a simplified presentation, feel free to add more to it.
If you need additional help, please connect with us at canadiancmf@gmail.com.
Start by asking students “What do you know about race and racism?”
If no one responds, ask probing questions.. Perhaps relating to news and recent events. It will help to ask them to search for race and racism stories as an activity, if they have access to the technology. Or you can print some in advance.
(image: Viola Desmond - Canadian civil rights activist and businesswoman of Black Nova Scotian descent)
Once you have had some conversations, lets make sure we all have the right understanding on terms.
Explain racialized people = people of colour = people other than white people
3 mins video about what race is
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnfKgffCZ7U
Being 12, what are you?
4 Min video about what racism can be like for kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6xSyRJqIe8
Point out difference between racism vs. racial discrimination
Mention there is no such thing as reverse racism – yes a person of colour can discriminate a white person, but that discrimination is in the moment and doesn’t carry with you as life progresses because its not supported by systems. Therefore that is called racial discrimination, not racism.
We often see racism being used incorrectly, so the difference between these two terms is important.
Privliege can be described as an unearned advantage
Start by asking students if they know the definition of privilege, then name some types of privileges, if you have any of them, this is a great way to start the convo:
White privilege
Gender privilege
Socio-economic privilege
Educational privilege
Heterosexual privilege
Able-bodied privilege
Religious privilege
Etc.
This is an excellent exercise to do with your class. Here is a video that shows it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K5fbQ1-zps
Ask these questions:
- I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
- I can open up social media, turn on the tv, or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
- When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my colour made it what it is.
- I can be sure that my school curriculum has materials that testify to the existence of my race.
- I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented…. into a supermarket and find the staple foods which fit with my cultural traditions (more than just one aisle, during certain seasons)… into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut my hair.
- I can swear, wear old clothes, be late, or not answer questions, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race.
- I can do well in a challenging situation without being seen as different than others of my race.
- I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.
- I can criticize our government without being seen as a cultural outsider.
- I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to “the person in charge,” I will be facing a person of my race.
- If a traffic cop pulls me over, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.
- I can easily buy posters, post-cards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazines featuring people of my race.
I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help my race will not work against me.- I can choose blemish cover or bandages in “flesh” color or makeup products and have them more or less match my skin.Have a conversation about the outcomes of the exercise to help students understand.
We have an excellent comic book we created with Indigenous and racialized youth about their experiences with racial microaggressions that you can go through with your class: http://www.canadianculturalmosaicfoundation.com/race-issues.html
2 mins video about microaggressions
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDd3bzA7450
Ask the students what bias they have, to make it easier… start off with simple things like food, travel destinations, hobbies etc. Help them understand that they haven’t experienced everything yet still have bias.
Ask your students:- How do we learn them?
- How do we unlearn them?
This concept is important because in the end all oppressive systems are connected to one another
Example
Racism
Sexism
Ableismetc.
3 mins video about intersectionality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6dnj2IyYjE
Go over each specific example and why it contributed to racism
Go over each example and tell students how it still contributes to racism. This may require research on your end, but it should be as simple as googleing each bullet point and Canada
These are a few news articles from 2019
These are a few news articles from 2020
Now that we know all this useful information, what can we do about it?
Ask students what they think we should do
What does your school do if a racist event happens?
Opportunities to be be an ally and advocate
How to make social change
Explain exercise: in your groups fill out the sheet, identifying a race issue within your school and how to respond to it.