Black Lives Matter and Anti-Racism Resources
Last month Coquitlam Heritage Board President, Ann Carlsen, released a statement on our organization’s commitment to Anti-Racist practices and actions. If you have not yet had the chance to read this statement it can be found here.
PHOTO TAKEN AT BLACK HISTORY MONTH FAMILY DAY AT MACKIN HOUSE IN FEBRUARY 2020
Part of our ongoing commitment to this work is to provide resources for education and amplification of the marginalized voices and experiences that are found in Coquitlam and across British Columbia.
Please find below various links and resources to help you learn more and contribute to Anti-Racism in our community. Links are to organizations, reading lists, and a video. We encourage you to spend time reading, listening, and contributing financially to these organizations and individuals who are undertaking this important work. These links relate to Black Lives Matter based information and we plan to post in future with further information related to other voices in our community as well.
In February of 2020 Coquitlam Heritage worked in collaboration with The African Descent Society of BC to host Black History Month Family Day on Family Day weekend. This event began with a presentation detailing the history of African peoples in British Columbia and celebrated music, food, crafts, and finished off with a drum circle. The African Descent Society hosts a festival each year and does walking tours that share the history of Black settlement in Vancouver. More details can be found here.
PHOTO TAKEN AT BLACK HISTORY MONTH FAMILY DAY AT MACKIN HOUSE IN FEBRUARY 2020
The Hogan’s Alley Society (HAS) is a non-profit organization composed of civil rights activists, business professionals, community organizations, artists, writers, and academics committed to daylighting the presence of Black history in Vancouver and throughout British Columbia.
The Tri-Cities Local Immigration Partnership (TCLIP) is working to meet the needs of newcomers and long-term residents and make the region one of the most welcoming and inclusive places in Canada. They have recently launched a three-part series of webinars directed at educating and opening dialogue around racism in the Tri-Cities area. Please visit their website to register for the upcoming webinars in July 2020.
The British Columbia Black History Awareness Society (BCBHAS) celebrates the achievements of Black people in British Columbia by creating an awareness of the history of Black people in B.C. They host a variety of events and have several projects that document Black History across the province.
Feminists Deliver recently hosted a very informative webinar. Resistance and Resurgence: Confronting Anti-Racism in Canada webinar video is here.
Reading lists for further education:
Black Lives Matter Reading List created by the Simon Fraser University English Department
Black History in Canada: A Reading List compiled by CBC