have THAT talk About Racism

• The On Canada Project – Settlers take action
• Black Experiences in Health Care Symposium – Report from January 2020
• National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health: Understanding racism
• University of Waterloo: Anti-Racism Resources
• Black Health Alliance

Canada’s Indigenous populations and communities of different racial backgrounds report experiences of discrimination due to race. 

So, what is racism?     

Racism is prejudice, oppression, and discrimination directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior.   

Racism can be experienced at work, school, or in our communities on a day-to-day basis and it can take different forms. 

Let’s look at some of the different ways in which people experience racism.....  

Some people have assumptions or beliefs that may result in bias and prejudice. Some may not know they have these assumptions but it affects the person’s attitude and the way they perceive and interact with people from other races.  

 On the other hand, racism causes disadvantage to Indigenous and racialized groups because of biases embedded into policies and practices. This is referred to as “Systemic Racism”. 

Experiencing racism can impact the physical and mental health of Indigenous and Racialized communities. 

Racism can cause chronic stress, anxiety, depression and trauma. It prevents access to secure employment, education and healthcare leading to poor quality of life. 

Let’s look at an example:  

 This is Kwame/Abdi.  Kwame/Abdi went to the mall with two friends to buy a video game after school.  He noticed a security guard following him and his friends around the store.  When leaving the store, he was approached by security guard who asked to see what was inside his bag.  Kwame/Abdi’s friends were not stopped or searched, and neither were other customers who did not look like him.  Kwame/Abdi was confused and felt embarrassed that he was being publicly accused of something while everyone else got to walk out of the store without a question.  Days after the incident, Kwame/Abdi began to isolate himself; he avoided going to malls and shops unless absolutely necessary; and he began to experience nightmares and flashbacks of the incident at the store.  

Kwame’s/Abdi’s father spoke to his son about the changes he has seen and asked what changed. Kwame shared his story. His father was sad and disappointed to hear about his son’s experience. He acknowledged Kwame’s/Abdi’s feelings and reassured his son that it’s ok not to be ok after his experience and that he did nothing wrong. Kwame/Abdi’s father discussed with him things he can do to feel better and can help protect his mental health.  

Remember you are not alone. 

Take time to process your feelings and talk about it with someone you trust. 

These incidents happen to racialized and Indigenous people and it is wrong and unfair. 

 Recognize that you don’t have control over stressful events like this. But what you can control is how you respond, and manage your feelings through self-care. 

Practice positive self-talk and think of yourself in a positive way.  

Think about things that helped you cope in the past; talking to an ally; playing sports; going for nature walks; eating well and getting enough sleep. 

You may be a parent who is wondering how you can talk to your child or teen about racism.  One of the things you can do is to start talking to children about racism early and often.  

This should be an open and ongoing dialogue.  

Share your history and your lived experiences coping with similar situations 

Provide messages that promote self-esteem and self-acceptance. 

Surround yourself and your family with allies who can listen and support you during this difficult time. 

You might be feeling like Kwame/Abdi.  

Feeling this way is ok when experiencing traumatic events like racism and discrimination. Having a strong support network and talking openly about these experiences with people you trust can help you work through feelings of stress, frustration, and anger. If these feelings continue, please know that you are not alone and you should talk to a healthcare professional. Check out the link at the end of this video for local mental health resources. 

 And if you have never experienced or witnessed racism, you can be an ally …Go to haveTHATtalk.ca to check out our video on “How to be an Ally.”  

You will also find information on mental health and when and where to get help…. check out haveTHATtalk.ca 

 “If racism was constructed, it can be undone.”  We all have a responsibility to speak up against injustices   

Brought to you by Ottawa Public Health

Kanada iyo dadka asal ahaan ka soo kala jeeda jinsiyado kala duwan ama wadano kale

ka yimid, waxay ka warbixiyaan dhibaatoyinka ay kala kulmeen.

Haddaba, waa maxay cunsuriyaddu oo halkan looga yaqaan Racism?

Cunsuriyaddu ama Racism waa iska-nebcaansho, dulmi, iyo dhibaato lagula kaco qof jinsi kale ah ama qof midabkale ah oo laga dhigo in laga sarreeyo.

Cunsuriyadda waxaa lagula kulmi karaa shaqada, iskuulka, ama bulshooyinkeenna dhexdooda oo waa wax markasta dhici kara.

Bal aynu eegno qaar ka mid ah siyaabaha kala duwan ee dadku ula kulmaan cunsuriyadda .....

Dadka qaarkood waxay leeyihiin waxyaabo ay aaminsanyihiin oo keeni kara eex iyo iska-nebcaansho. Qaarkood waxa laga yaabaa inaanay ogeyn inay qabaan naceyb laakiin waxay badali dabeecadda qofka iyo sida ay u arkaan iyo sida ay ula dhaqmaan dadka kasoo jeeda jinsiyadaha kale.

Dhinaca kale, cunsuriyaddu waxay sababtaa faa'iido darro xagga dadka asalka ah ee Kanada iyo dadka madow sababtoo ah eexooyin ku dhex jira siyaasadaha iyo dhaqamada.

Cunsuriyadda waxay dhaawac u geyn kartaa caafimaadka jidhka iyo maskaxda ee bulshooyinka asliga ah ee Kanda iyo dadka madowba. Cunsuriyaddu waxay sababi kartaa isku-buuq iyo cadaadis, warwar, waaac, niyad jab iyo xusuus-naxdin leh. Waxay is- hortaagtaa helitaanka shaqo wanagsan, waxbarasho iyo daryeelka caafimaad oo waxay keeni kartaa nolol liidata.

Aynu eegno tusaale: 

Kani waa Cabdi. Cabdi wuxuu tagey suuqa isaga iyo labo saaxiibadii ah si ay u soo iibsadaan fiidiyoow ciyaarta iskuulka ka dib. Tukaanka dhexdiisa, Cabdi wuxuu arkay waardiye isaga iyo saaxiibadii daba socda. Markii uu tukaanka ka baxaayay, waxaa kasoo daba daqaaqey waardiyihii oo ka codsaday inuu eego waxa ku jira boorsadiisa. Lakkin cabdi saaxiibadiis lama joojin lamana baadhin. Cabdi wuu wareeray wuxuuna dareemay xishood waayo dadkii tukaanka ayaa daawanayay si uu isagu khalad galay. Dadkii kale oo dhan wax su'aal ah lama weydiin. Dhowr cisho ka dib, Cadi wuxuu bilaabay inuu gooni qolkiisa ugu jiro; inuu suuqa ubaxin; iyo inuu asxaabtiisii iska fogeeyo. Wuxuuna bilaabay inuu la kulmo riyooyin dib u xasuusinayaa wuxuu tukaanka uu kala kulmay.

Cabdi hooyadiis ayaa wiilkiisa kala hadlay isbadalada uu arkay wuxuuna waydiiyay waxa iska beddelay dabeecadiisa. Cabdi ayaa sheekadii ku dhacday la wadaagay hooyadis. Hoyadii way murugootay oo way ka xumaatay markay maqashay waxa ku dhacay wiilkeeda. Waxay qirtey dareenka Cabdi waxeyna xaqiijisey wiilkeeda inuu wuxuu dareemayo ay caadi tahay maadaama dhibaato ay soo martay. Waxay wiilkeed u sheegtay in inuusan wax khalad ah sameyn.

Kwame/Cabdi waalidkiisa ayaa kala hadlay waxyaabo uu sameyn karo si uu u dareemo wax fiican iyo sida uu u caawin karo ilaalinta caafimaadkiisa maskaxeed.

• Xusuusnow kaligaa ma tihid
• Waqti qaado si aad uga shaqeyso dareenkaaga oo kala hadal qof aad ku kalsoon tahay.
• Waxyaabahani dadka asalka ah ee Kanada iyo dadka madow way ku dhacdaa waana wax khalad ah xaqna aheyn
• Aqoonso in waxyaabhan ay dhici karaan oo waxba aanad ka sameyn kareyn. Laakiin sidaad ula dhiqmi laheyd ayay wax ka qaban kartaa.
• Tijaabi inaad nafta u sheegto waxyaabo fiican (positive) adigoo naftaada ugu fakiraaya si fiican.
• Ka fakir waxyaalihii kaa caawiyay wakhti aad walaac la kulantay; qof la hadal; isboorti ciyaarid; dibada lugee; cunto fiican cun, hurdo kugu filana seexo

Waxaad noqon kartaa waalid ka fekeraya sida aad ugala hadli karto ilmahaaga ama dhallintaada midabtakoorka. Mid ka mid ah waxyaabaha aad sameyn karto waa inaad bilowdo inaad carruurta kala hadasho cunsuriyadda ama racism markay yar yihiin iyo mar walba.

• Tani waa inay noqotaa wadahadal furan oo socda.
• La wadaag taariikhdaada iyo waaya-aragnimadii aad la soo kulantay iyo sidaad uga gudubtay xaaladahan oo kale
• Kalsoonida ilmahaaga dhis
• Isku duub qoyskaagaba ama asxaabtaada ku caawin kara inta lagu jiro waqtigan adag

Waxaad dareemi kartaa sida Cabdi.

Dareenka sidan ahi waa ok markii lala kulmayo wax naxdin xusuus leh sida cunsuriyadda ama racism. Waxaa ku caawin kara dadka ku jecel ee arimahan aad kala hadli kartin. Haddii war war iyo walaac uu kugu bato, fadlan ogow inaadan keli ahayn oo waa inaad la hadasho xirfadle daryeel caafimaad. Ka hubi xiriiriyaha dhammaadka fiidiyowgan

Hadaad garaneysid dad aanan soo marin cunsuriyad ama racism, u sheeg waxay noqon karaan tageerayaal ama “Ally” ka hortagi kro cunsuriyada. Tag xagga haveTHATtalk.ca si aad uga fiiriso fiidiyow ku saabsan "Sida loo noqdo taagero am Ally"

Wixii macluumaad dheeraad ah ee ku saabsan caafimaadka maskaxda, booqo bogga Caafimaadka Dadweynaha Ottawa ee Caafimaadka Maskaxda

www.haveTHATtalk.ca

Waxa kuu keenay Hey’ada Caafimaadka Dadweynaha Ottawa

• Living Hyphen: Indigenous Allyship Resources
• Canadian College of Health Leaders: Allyship Toolkits
• Social Planning Council: Allyship

"If racism was constructed, it can be undone” and we all have a role to play in undoing racism!

Allies are people who are not subject to racism but who actively try to stop it in solidarity with people of color.  

How can I be an ally?  

Whether you are a member of a racialized group or not, there are steps that you can take to be a better ally to people who experience racism.  

Be an ally in 3 steps:  

The first step is to Reflect:   

Question stereotypes & negative assumptions  

Be aware of your own prejudices. Ask yourself: if this racialized person was white, would I behave in the same way?  

Think about the ways you benefit from being a member of a privileged group  

The second step is to Learn:  

Listen to the experiences of people of color  

Respect the perspectives of those who say discrimination is occurring  

Ask people how they want to be identified or described  

Learn about the history of racism and how current behaviors, practices, and laws impact people of color  

Be open to feedback - learn from your mistakes & try again  

The third step is to Practice:  

Children begin to notice racial and ethnic differences between the ages of 3 and 5.  Celebrate the differences and when a child asks why someone looks different, respond with positivity. 

Help your family and friends understanding stereotypes and why they exist 

Speak out against discrimination by identifying discrimination, prejudice, and other forms of oppression while it is happening 

Confront the perpetrator, this can be done by:  

make the invisible visible, by pointing out the false assumptions in someone’s statements  

educate the person on why their words or actions are harmful  

Discourage the use of offensive words to describe people  

Create safe spaces for people to talk about racism without judging, questioning, or trying to fix anything  

Challenge practices & policies that may create barriers 

For more haveTHATtalk videos including Ottawa Public Health’s “have THAT talk about Racism,” visit haveTHATtalk.ca   

For more information on mental health resources and services available to the community, visit Ottawa Public Health’s Mental Health page www.ottawapublichealth.ca/mentalhealth  

haveTHATtalk.ca 

• Experiences Canada: Anti-Racism Resources

• Ontario Federation of Labour: Resource List

• Free Counselling at CounsellingConnect.org
• Anti-Racism: Engage Ottawa

 “Where are you from?” “Where are you really from?” 

“Were you forced to wear that and do you even have hair under there?” 

“I don’t get it. I don’t see colour.”

Did you know these comments are a form of racism? 

Let us define racism.    

Racism is a prejudice, oppression, and discrimination directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s race is superior.

Racism can be experienced anywhere.  It can be “implicit or unconscious” which means that some people don’t know they hold negative assumptions about people from different races. These assumptions affect the way they interact with other races. A person can also openly express their prejudice towards someone of a different race which is “explicit or conscious”. 

Both are unfair treatments and have negative impact on the lives of Indigenous and racialized groups.  

Racism can cause stress, trauma and can lead to physical injury such as racially motivated violence. It limits access to employment, education and healthcare.   

Let’s look at few myth busting examples! 

 Racism is about hateful actions and words. 

This is a myth 

Racism is more than someone calling a person of color by a terrible name. It is seen in differences in pay, housing discrimination, mortgage lending, school segregation, and rates of policing and incarceration.  

 White privilege does not exist  

This is a myth 

White privilege gives certain groups unearned advantages of which they may not be aware. Examples include: 

Having a positive relationship with police and school authority; and having media favorably biased toward a specific race  

 Remember…

Every life matters, but not everyone’s lives are in danger due to their skin color. Indigenous and black lives are most threatened and lost

Fact! Indigenous and Black Lives Matter

For more haveTHATtalk videos including Ottawa Public Health’s “have THAT talk About Racism,” visit haveTHATtalk.ca   

For more information on mental health resources and services available to the community, visit Ottawa Public Health’s Mental Health page www.ottawapublichealth.ca/mentalhealth  

haveTHATtalk.ca