The Afro Women and Youth Foundation have launched a new campaign in Sudbury to address anti-Black racism.
Youth Voices Against Anti-Black Racism (ABR) is an anti-Black racism video and action campaign to educate the public and engage policy makers about ABR from the perspective of Black youth. In the video, Black youth share their lived experiences of racism and make recommendations to reduce Anti-Black Racism within schools and communities.
The Afro Women and Youth Foundation (AWYF) is a non-profit organization providing leadership, empowerment, and mentorship programs for Black immigrant women and youth. AWYF works in collaboration with community organizations and relevant stakeholders to deliver their programs.
“I have experienced anti-Black racism and my children have also experienced it in the school system,” said Adebola Adefioye, founder of Afro Women and Youth Foundation. “While we continue to navigate the systemic structures that perpetuate racism, it is my strong belief that more advocacy, public education, and equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives can help to eliminate ABR and its mental health impact on Black children and families.”
The video highlights recommendations from local youth. AWYF has called for an equity diversity and inclusion action that includes the creation of diversity clubs in elementary, middle, and high schools, strengthening the existing diversity clubs with Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) resources and training of group leaders; an investment in continuous EDI training for teachers, counsellors, librarians, and other school staff as well as funding for school library books that reflects diversity and integration of cultural awareness subjects into school curriculum for school-aged children.
You can view the video here and if you wish, you can use the one-click tool below to recommend immediate interventions that local policy makers can engage to reduce ABR in the school system.
