After launching Anti-Racism Week with community partners in 2021, the important initiative continues to grow. It has expanded to a yearlong focus on building bridges within the community and working to address systemic and institutional racism within our organization.
This year, Anti-Racism Week runs March 20 – 24 to coincide with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21. There are a few ways you can participate during the week.
Lawn signs
We have once again produced lawn signs you can display outside your home. They include messages about wanting to live in a city without racism and how racism isn’t welcome here.
They are available for pick up at any Winnipeg Public Library branch during the week as supplies last.
Continue your learning
When you’re at the library to pick up a lawn sign, spend some time taking in the anti-racism displays. These special displays will be at all libraries during the week.
You can also explore the library’s Racism and Anti-Racism Info Guide with resources to help you learn about the forms of racism, racial privilege, and what it means to be anti-racist.
Since we launched Anti-Racism Week in 2021, we’ve held a number of Awareness and Action Speaker Series events. These webinars were recorded and are available for you to watch anytime on our website. The sessions are led by guest speakers from the community and cover a variety of human rights topics.
In partnership with the Human Rights Committee of Council, the Awareness and Action Speaker Series will be continuing through the year. Future events will be added to the website once details are confirmed.
Anti-Racism Art Contest
Our popular Anti-Racism Art Contest is back. This is an opportunity for children and youth to be creative and share their knowledge and feelings about how to be inclusive and create welcoming spaces for their peers.
It will open to anyone in Kindergarten to Grade 12 later this month. The selected artwork will appear on the cover of the Spring Priceless Fun Guide. Make sure to review the rules before entering. The deadline to submit artwork is April 14, 2023.
Bridges to a Better Tomorrow
During the week, our employees will have opportunities to participate in anti-racism, anti-oppression, cultural competency, and Indigenous Spring Equinox training. Additional learning opportunities on these important topics will also be held throughout the year for employees to take part in.
Earlier this month, we hosted a focused City job fair for Indigenous and Racialized youth. Last fall, a youth anti-racism event, a Human Rights Forum, and an Indigenous and Newcomer bridge building event were hosted. Our employees are continuing to work on community outreach, engagement and capacity building activities for later this year.