WHITENESS STILL PREVAILS. WHAT COLOUR IS YOUR BOARDROOM?
In antiracism trainings and conversations, I often get asked what systemic racism is.
THIS. THESE photos represent systemic racism.
WATERLOO REGIONAL CITY COUNCIL.
Responsible for making decisions about funding for public health, community services, housing and public transit in a region where 20% of the residents self-identify as Black, Indigenous or racialized.
WATERLOO REGION POLICE SERVICES BOARD.
Responsible for overseeing policing and for ensuring that police meet the needs of the community, including the safety of Black, Indigenous and racialized residents.
GRAND RIVER HOSPITAL board of governors.
Responsible for making decisions about health equity and funding for medical services in Waterloo Region where 100, 000+ people self-identify as being racialized.
conrad grabel university college board of directors.
Responsible for making decisions about University courses, such as “Refugees and Forced Migration” and “Music in Cultural Contexts”.
SINAL HEALTH board of directors.
Responsible for decisions about funding for medical services in Toronto where 1.3 million individuals self-identify as Black, Indigenous and racialized.
waterloo catholic DSB Board of trustees.
Responsible for advocating for public education, student wellbeing and education equity in a region where 15%+ individuals self-identify as Black and 2%+ individuals idenify as Indigenous.
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, PRESIDENT, VP’S + CHANCELLORS.
Responsible for implementing academic priorities and resources in a city where 53% of individuals self-identify as being racialized.
TTC board of directors.
A team of 90%+ white board members and senior executives responsible for determining which neighbourhoods in Toronto receive public transit routes.
Scarborough Transit in Action wrote an article about Anti-black racism being deeply ingrained in the TTC. Much needed rapid transit neighbourhoods where the highest concentration of Black residents reside has been continuously overlooked. The lack of routes in neighbourhoods inhabited by BIR (Black, Indigenous, racialized) residents leads to overcrowding and puts racialized communities at risk.
REPEAT for hospitals, school boards, universities, city councils & police service boards. THIS is how the system holds injustice firmly in place. No matter how much we talk about lifting up our BIPOC communities, if we cannot access upper management + decision-making powers in healthcare, education, transport, criminal justice + housing, our communities will not be heard. THIS is the definition of the glass ceiling for racialized individuals.
Who is making the decisions about which programs get funded at hospitals + community health centres? Why is it so hard to find BIPOC mental health practitioners at local hospitals?
Who is making decisions about which programs get funded at our universities? Why don’t we have graduate studies majors in Black and Indigenous History at every university?
Who is making the decisions about policing? Who determines the police budget and whether funding goes into body cameras vs de-escalation training?