In a two part episode this week we speak to Abisola Asha and Malik Scott of Students Speak Up YCDSB, and Greg Dongen of Hamilton Students for Justice.
Abisola, Malik and Greg have been at the forefront of recent stories about widespread and institutional racism in Hamilton Wentworth and York Catholic District School Boards. In York, Students Speak Up organized a student strike to protest racism in November. Last week in Hamilton, after the allegations of racism by trustees by a former student trustee Ahona Mehdi were substantiated by an independent investigation, the trustees who the report criticised astonishingly voted not to censure themselves (they have since been forced to backtrack, but no formal censures have yet been announced).
For people who have never been on the receiving end of racism, the powerfully argued and eloquently expressed words of Abisola, Malik and Greg may well ask uncomfortable questions – about our assumptions, about the society we have created and about our views of Canada. We have a duty to start listening and not telling, on matters of race and so much more. Please listen to these three extraordinary young adults – who have so many important things to say to people willing to listen and learn.
Very interesting and good to hear from the students.