 Good afternoon everyone and welcome, welcome back for those of you welcome to those of you who were not able to be with us last evening. We have a really interesting and full schedule for this afternoon but we would like to begin today. Continuing our conversation and around our good intentions and the unintended consequences of our understanding as of racism, race in Canada and in ourselves. As we continue this afternoon, I hope that we can listen with open hearts, open minds and open spirits, and that we will be able to hear truth spoken and speak truth to one another. As we begin, I would like to light two candles and I have a little table next to me that I'm going to place these two candles on as I light them. And the candles are our symbol of light in the darkness of our world light in the darkness of our to be fully enlightened around questions of race and understanding one another. And as I light the candles, other members of the planning committee and panelists are going to be reading names that we want to remember and reflect on. The names are some of those people who have suffered injustice and violence and some who have passed away as a result of injustice and violence. I would like the candles, if my colleagues could please begin to read the names. I would like to remember those that the system has failed due to the injustice of how the laws affect African Americans and African Canadians. So I'd like to take a moment to remember those that have passed this fear. I would like to remember the police brutality. George Floyd is one, Breonna Taylor. I would like to remember. I would like to remember those affected by the events and Sony a bill with the first nation's lobster fishery. And Jacob Blake was shot by in Washington, Wisconsin. I would like to acknowledge and remember more and Emily Wolfrey would also like to remember a mod Marquez Arbery. I'd like to remember Colton Sushi and Barbara Kentner Joyce Eswan. And we know that these are just a few of the names that come right to mind because they've been in the news but we know there are so many more. If you know of more and want to share them, please put them in the chat. And you can share them with us after you can include an explanation if like, but thank you for taking the time to help us remember. And as we continue, may we come to this time together this afternoon with compassion of heart. And charity in our speaking grace in our awareness, create courage in our thoughts and actions and generosity in our love. I invite you if you would like to I know those who were present last night did put into the chat who you are where you are located and the territory. And that you find yourself in as well as if you choose your particular pronouns that you would like people to refer to you as now I will turn it over to Diane for a land acknowledgement. And I would like to take a moment out of respect to recognize the land that we are living in and working on across Canada, which is the traditional land of a whole host of nations. This gathering originates in Atlantic Canada, which is the, which is shared by the willist to K pasta McQuaddy abonaki Penobscot, McMaw, Inuit and Inuit nations. Here where I sit is McMawgy. We try to honor the peace and friendship treaties here. The settlers realize that we have not always been respectable guests on this land or acted with justice and fairness, but we want to acknowledge with gratitude our hosts who are the original peoples of this land. We're also grateful to our creator, who has placed us here to share this land and to work towards reconciliation and peace, and to be good stewards of the land which sustains and gives us life. I just want to recap about yesterday. It was such a powerful evening. I just starting off with the video by L Jones her in her work, Canada is so polite, reminding us that Canada is keeping up appearances and sharing this world with a multicultural facade, with themically oppressing black indigenous and people of color every day. Then we heard from our panelists, Denise Cole, who Sony Raymond Tara Lewis, Brittany Drummond, and each share current experiences within racism with racism that are based on oppressive roots that go back to first contact. We talked about the lower Churchill hydroelectric project that is poisoning the river supplying the food and water to indigenous communities, and the ongoing impacts of residential schools and the children being taken in care and taken away from their homes and their cultures. We also talked about colonial experience of black people in Canada, and the deliberative exclusion of black contributions to society that is now coming up micro aggressions with things like, where are you from, and assuming this land is not their home. Tara talked about her personal experience on the front lines in Soniaville with the fishing fishers hate crimes, women acting as peacemakers and very much putting themselves in a position of absorbing the hate, and then they now have to process that to get healthy again. We spoke of her personal experiences growing up the inequities for black communities like not having funds directed for infrastructure. So communities don't have things like paved roads sidewalks street lights crosswalks. But there was a theme that went out, but through all four of the panelists last night. And that was about police in the justice system. I'm loud and clear and Denise and has only talked about police becoming corporate security and being created to protect the weight. Tara talked about the historical in injunction that the settler fishers against the settler fishers because it was the first time the injunction was actually done with the indigenous people. And that shouldn't be the exception and then bring me talked about the loopholes and the laws that are designed to harm black people. We need to challenge these systemic issues and work together toward building right relationships. So a lot of challenging stuff and but really good and really big stuff. So I'm looking forward to seeing what today brings. And I'm looking forward to seeing what the actions that are going to come out of this gathering as we move forward. Thanks, Elizabeth. Thank you, Diane. Sony welcome. Sony is just Raymond is one of our was one of our panelists last evening and he is here to guide us in the next section of our afternoon. He's going to guide us through a series of questions who Sony is, as we know is an educator, an activist, and an advocate who works for and was co founder of black lives. He's also co founder of the Black Lives Matter, Frederickton. And who Sony welcome with us back with us this afternoon and I give you the, the screen. Thank you so much Elizabeth and it's good to be back. So this exercise is based on Peggy Macintosh is she wrote something called unpacking the invisible knapsack. This is a series of questions that allow us to kind of assess the varying degrees in which, you know, being white or non black has, or non racialized has benefited us or some things that we don't even have to think about. If you don't identify with the black experience. So I'll start this exercise by reading. This is from Peggy Macintosh herself, where she says I've come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unlearned assets that I can count on caching in each day. But about which I was meant to remain oblivious. So she's understanding white privilege as, you know, assets unlearned assets that she can cash in each day to make her life easier or her life was easier because of these things. But she never realized because they're not very obvious things. So she described white privilege as an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions maps, passports codes books visa clothes tools and blank checks that she could use, and that she benefited from without even knowing. So she created a list of some questions that expose or she thought exposed her privilege as a white person. So on this slide, I'm going to just read out some of the sentences she has here. So she starts off this is probably not the first one but one of the ones that I selected is if I can if I wish a range to be in the company of people of my race, most of the time. So that's an example that she had of white privilege was that she had the ability whenever she wanted to arrange to be in the company of white people because she lived in a predominantly white area. So she says, I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me so I think before she kind of highlighted that she's able to move whenever she wanted and she's pretty sure that her neighbors in that location. So she was talking about her ability to move wherever she wanted and being a place where she know that people will be pleasant to her, or even if they were not pleasant to her, it would not be a result of her skin and this is kind of a result of the fact that you know there are a lot of folks that are not welcoming to racialized people that racialized people up to still this day face discrimination I was reading something in Ontario, where the landlord found out, you know it was all good to rent, but as soon as there was the viewing that was scheduled. And they found out that the person was black. They suddenly made up an excuse that they weren't able to rented rent the apartment to them. So, the third one is I can go shopping almost alone most of the time pretty well assured that I will not be followed for harass. So that's something that black people have to constantly worried about is that they're being criminalized it's a fact that you know just the color of their skin implies that they are more prone to criminality or they're here to steal something. So if you speak to a lot of black folks, they'll tell you about that fear of being stereotyped I actually know I elder in my community, who was racially profiled in shoppers, and she brought it. She's one of the brave people that brought it to the Ontario human rights Commission and it was proven that they were racially profiling her for skills dealing like asking to see in her bag and when she didn't do anything. So number four, I can turn on the television or open the front page of the newspaper and see people of my race widely represented. So this is another privilege that Peggy talks about it's the ability to turn on the TV, open the newspaper, and, you know, see herself representing in all these social institutions. Black folks don't have or racialized folks don't have this luxury, because they're often excluded from from participating in these in these institutions. Five, when I am told about or national heritage or about civilization, I was shown that people of my race or color made it what it is. So again, as I was talking yesterday about the live deliberate erasure of black folks from, you know, history. In this case where, you know, the contributions of black people are never taught in schools, you know the contributions of black loyalists, and how they contributed to what we now know as Canada the contributions of indigenous people. The countless sacrifices they've made are not taught in schools it's always taught, you know, Christopher Columbus came and he civilized this place and white people came and they civilize and white people are to be thank for, you know, what we have now. But the contributions of racialized people are never highlighted in that way so that's also an example of white privilege it's that you always you felt empowered or you know, just seeing yourself represented as doing good in society, rather than always always being represented as the, the, the people who you know were uncivilized or who needed help from white folks and that was actually this kind of white saviorism is actually one of the main justifications for slavery. It was the fact that they thought that black folks were uncivilized. And that, you know, they were pagans. And, you know, they were actually doing them a favor by enslaving them, because they were introducing them to Christianity so at least they'll go to heaven, and they'll learn the ways like the civilized ways. So, again, we see, you know, historically, racialized people are have been portrayed as the people in need of help or the uncivilized people but the civilized people are the white folks who came and made things what they are today. So we can now click to slide three. So question six says, I can be assured that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to their exist to the existence of their race. So again yesterday I was talking about, you know, black folks not being represented within the educational curriculum within New Brunswick, and how that deliberate erasure of black people results in, you know, violence against them today you know not seeing yourself represented in anything positive there, or that you've existed here for for centuries not, you know, being constantly described as or assumed to be a newcomer to this space. Number seven is I can be pretty sure of not having, I can be pretty sure of having my voice heard in a group in which I'm the only member of my race. So similar to, you know, the challenges that women face, you know, being the woman in the group, you know, a lot of times they're not listening to, or their opinions are seen as invalid. That's what happens to a lot of racialized people is you're the only person in the group and you're voicing your opinion and people discredit it because of your race. Number eight, I can go into a music shop and count on finding music of my race represented in the supermarket and find the staple foods, which fit my cultural traditions into the hairdresser shop and find someone who can cut my hair. The entire society. So our society was shaped around, you know, the needs of white folks so you know a lot of black folks here can't find people to get that can do their hair. Well, you know, can't find their foods represented in the grocery store it's mostly you know, Italian pasta and all that but you know what about you know traditional food from the countries they're from. And another example of white privilege and I'd also like I should have prefaced this exercise by saying that having white privilege doesn't mean you're a bad person. And it doesn't mean that you've never, you know, struggled any time in your life. It just means that there's some things that you never were never a barrier to you, or you never had to worry about so for instance just the food finding a comfort food that you know fits with your tradition. That's just something that you know you never had to worry about, or think about, and that's, you know, the lived experiences of racialized people in, you know, these predominantly white countries. Nine, whether I use checks, credit cards or cash, I can count on my skin color, not working against me in the appearance of financial responsibility. So black folks are and racialized folks in general are constantly stereotyped as being, you know, unreliable, you know, financially and their their financial status is always put into question. Again, I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them. So if you do have kids, you know, like a lot of kids face I've heard so much. All the black folks that I've actually had conversation with tells you about, you know, being marginalized because of the color of their skin within the education system. And, you know, how disempowering it is for parents to actually be seeing this and they can't really have a big say in in how can you you change this, this system. And the question number 11 says, I do not have to educate my children to be aware of systemic racism for their own daily physical protection. So we talked yesterday about, you know, state violence against racialized people and this is actually a conversation that a lot of, you know, racialized parents have to have with their children. You know, about, you know, systemic racism and what to do when you interact with the police and how a sudden movement can result in their, their harm and brutalization. So, you know, when I was coming here, my mom had to talk to me about, you know, police violence in in North America and that reality those difficult conversations, and not just in policing but also in education and health care, etc. Number 12 is, I can be pretty sure that my children's teachers and employers will tolerate them if they fit school and workplace norms. My chief worries about them do not concern others attitudes towards their race. So again, a lot of parents have to think about, you know, when they enlist their kids to school and when they send them out in the workforce, they have to think about the fact that they will face barriers because of their, their race and the attitudes that will will arise from the color of their skin. And a lot of parents have to worry about that. Number 13 is I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race. So a lot of black folks are constantly in racialized folks. Oh, you're very smart for an indigenous person, you're very articulate for a black person, you're very pretty for a black person. You know, you're, you're seeing if you do well in anything you're seen as above the standard or the average black person. Actually, I have a poem that I could share with you that by this point that talks about the average black girl, you know, she, she gets constantly complimented like saying, you're not the average black girl for doing the most simple things if she speaks standard English you're not the average black girl we are so well spoken, poised full of etiquette, all of these these things as if you know that the standard for black people is less than than average or less than less than good. Number 14, I'm never asked to speak for all people of my racial group. And that's a reality of a lot of racialized people there in university classrooms you know if you're the only or one of two black people as soon as the topic of race comes up, you're expected to be the average black person for your entire race, which can be a lot of pressure, you know what if I don't know about systemic injustices like I'm assumed to be an expert, and speed assumed to be the voice of people of my entire racial group. What I mean is I can be pretty sure that if I add, if I asked to talk to the person in charge, I'll be facing a person of my race, and this is something Peggy points out is that, you know, black folks are not given are rarely given positions of authority and promotion. So majority of the people in charge will be people that look like you are people that are white. So number 16 is if a traffic cop pulls me over, or if the IRS audits my tax returns, I can be sure that I haven't been singled out because of my race. And there's a lot of racial profiling it within these institutions like you know black folks are just seen as suspicious so the color of your skin resulting over policing and over suspicion. Number 17 says, I can easily buy posters postcards pictures, picture books greeting cards dolls toys and children's magazines featuring people of my race. So again a lot of black folks grew up not seeing themselves represented on anything you know all the dolls. Now it's kind of changing where you have racialized dolls but when I was growing up. I never saw my sister with a racialized all all the standards of beauty with the dolls were were centered around you know your center beauty standards and white people. So everything you are seeing every every image that was represented in a positive light was more than likely going to be up a white person there. So just seeing yourselves represented throughout your childhood can help yourself esteem and help your your confidence and something you never had to question. Number 18, I can go home from most meetings of organizations I belong to feeling somewhat tight to feeling somewhat tied in rather than isolated out of place outnumbered unheard or held at the distance. Or feared. So again, another example of just being able to fit in within an organization and how a lot of black folks feel out of place within these institutions, because of the color of their skin. And the fact that you know they're always seeing as the odd one out or if they mentioned something about you know racial injustice or just mentioned how a policy or a certain common and it's inappropriate. They are seen as you know, I don't know if I'm allowed to say that word what can I say. The problem maker or the person that's just you know trying to start conflict so they end up feeling marginalized and outnumbered, or it's seen as not a big issue. Number 19, if I declare there's a racial okay I go right into that if they declare there's a racial if I declare there's a racial issue at hand, or that there isn't a racial issue at hand. And the other place will lend more credibility for either position, then the person of color will have that means that you know a lot of situations is sometimes in black people point out injustices within their organizations. They're seen as overreacting or it's not about race you're overthinking it. But that's why it takes allies sometimes to call out racism, because when it's from coming from a white person it's seen as more credible, but when it comes on come from a black person they're seen as the angry black woman, or the black person or racialized person that's just seeking trouble and it's not about race. I can worry about racism without being seen as self interest interested or self seeking. So you know like a lot of times when racialized people talk about racism it's seen as, oh you're just interested in this for yourself because you can get publicity or benefit from it in in in some way. Yeah, that's also, you know, a form of privilege where you can worry about issues and not be seen as, you know, in it for your own gain, per se. And I have another slide but I think we can, I think folks get the point with 20, 20 of the questions here, or the statements here. And just recognizing the comment here saying it took us years to find an ethnic store when we first came we cried when our in law sent us a care package of Nigerian foods. It was like Christmas yeah like you, you're here and even when I came here you know like I'm just everything that I was used to my, you know cultural foods and then it was just all food that you know was not native to me you couldn't find that so imagine how isolating and how food we don't really think about it but food is a really big part of or identities as as people and coming in these predominantly white spaces that don't even cater to your needs you know even here products you know it's all products that are suitable for white hair you go to Walmart and there's a little section that does not meet your, your needs that you need to groom and sustain yourself so just being able to go into any store and find, you know, projects that suit your, your needs, and your desires is a is an immense privilege and the funny thing is, if you went to it when white people go to predominantly racialized countries, more than likely they're going to be able to find their preferred foods as well. There, because of the universality of whiteness and the global structure there. Thanks so much to Sony. So we're going to go to our panel. lid do you have any words of introduction are we passing directly to Denise. No, I think I'll say a few words. First of all, the mini session which will allow the panel to talk about these things in more detail. The speakers are, excuse me for a second. Denise Cole, who's a two spirited protector of mixed Inuit descent from Southern Labrador, who's only which have already heard of who's a graduate of St. Tom's University and a co founder of the back life matter movement in Fredrickton. Brittany Drummond, who's an African Canadian born and raised in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, and Tara Lewis, who's from the Escazoni First Nations in the Machinones Cape Breton Island. I'm looking forward to hearing what you're going to tell us. So just jump in here to say, regrets from Tara. She is sick as we could tell she was getting last night. So she is not able to be with us. Good afternoon or morning depending on I guess where you all are really glad to be back into the, just be speaking again today so I think that the question that we were talking about is, is what does being an ally or what to, you know, from my perspective as an individual person. What do we need from allies of my am I close on what the question is Shannon. Yes, yes, absolutely. All right, perfect. So, I always say this and actually Husani brought stuff as well I don't speak for all indigenous people. I can only speak for my own experience as an Inuit two spare person that lives here in Labrador. I speak with a lot of allies, and it is very important of how we do this reconciliation work together and how we build better communities and better nations. Like what I look for what if I were to put it was through that request of for from allies. It's a humility to learn. And to also to, you know, not to be afraid to challenge stereotypes when they're seen, including when they see them being expressed by themselves that were able to, you know, learn together. One of the most beautiful relationships I built, including with one of my best friends who's on here which is Diane, how we met was her as an ally, a settler coming into our community, and wanted to sit and share energy and that's built a very beautiful friendship so I think friendship is also a part of that it's not just how do we, you know, utilize each other. It really is how do we build relationship together. I do understand as well that one cannot speak for all. So the working together and finding the diversity and being able to say okay so I have this one indigenous person I know or this one person of color I know. So I'll always go ask them. And with that said, there is certainly, you know, relationships or you find those knowledge holders are those people of wisdom who can help guide you and connect you. And that's really important so it's to know that you need to be diversifying yourself to reach out so it's not just oh well this is what one told me now that's where my learning ends. To understand that we're not always going to agree. It's how we choose to find the common ground where we can work together heal together to do better together and it's going to take a diversity of approaches to do that. So there comes also that understanding that I can't have all the answers neither can you. So it's how we build the circle together. And I think if there was there was, you know, anything else it would be to understand and one of the things that I say quite often in in ceremony and in the work and the things that I do is that to remember that mother earth gave birth to us all that we are all humans. And so from from that scope, if we can remember that we are all from the same earth. And in doing that then we start to take down some of these borders and the walls that have kind of boxed us in. And I think also you know understanding colonization and being able to kind of. I mean, I'm a mixed descent right so I have English Welsh roots as well as indigenous so in you eat roots, and I've had to reconcile the trauma that came from blood memory within my indigenous side of my family, but also to learn to reconcile and sit with the truth of the trauma that was inflicted by my ancestors of the English side so we do work through a level of. I'm some people call it guilt or shame or these sorts of things so it's being able to sit with that but in a way that we start to move forward to look for peace and solutions. I know there's others who are going to speak recognizing now Tara gone, bringing an indigenous voice so I think it is. That's important that you seek out others who are first peoples of the lands that you live and work and raise your families on that you are open yourself to that that learning, as well as really important, and I think I'll stop there. Thank you Denise, we will now hear from Sony. Thank you. So I guess allyship is such a big, a big topic I don't think I would be able to go into everything within four to five minutes but I say at the core of allyship it's about understanding and respect. So, I think, if you want to be an ally I think first of all, it's not resorting to white saviorism to say, you know, I know best for you, I know how to fix these issues, and this is what I'm going to do to address it, but more listening to the other person to say, you know how would you like to be supported. How do you envision us tackling this issue together. So it's about you know listing and beyond tokenization not just you know having them there, and then not incorporating anything they say, but it's there and then listening and meaningfully enacting upon whatever whatever they they recommend. And then resisting, you know, acknowledging the privilege that comes with being white and resisting that white savior role that I'm helping or not that I'm saving, you know these people or, you know, because they don't need a savior they need people that are able to stand beside them to them and uplift them in any way they possible in any way they can and if they're not there, then someone that can be an advocate on their behalf. So I'll just go into ways in which we can be better allies. And the first thing I'd say is to recognize the intention versus the impact and I feel like a lot of people keeps think you know they say like I'm a good person so that's my excuse like you make a joke that someone says you know from marginalized group and they say that's inappropriate or you do something and they say that's inappropriate and you're like well I'm a good person. That was not my intention but not because it wasn't your intention means that it didn't have that negative impact that they're saying it does so I feel like it's important for us when we're being called in to not make the conversation about or feelings but it's about listening and empathizing and not getting defensive then recognizing that you know I made a mistake there and it had this impact even if that was not what I intended and then listening to the person acknowledging the harm apologizing and then seeing how you can do better and move forward in the future. As an East recognize that you know we can't speak for all racialized people. And that's another thing that allies get frustrated if you know one person says, this is how I'd like to be supported but then another group is like I don't care. This is how I'd like to be supported in another way and allies kind of get frustrated they're like well you're giving me so many different demands but it's recognizing that not all people what allyship won't look the same for all people. So recognizing that and being an ally to different folks in ways that they want to be supported. And the last thing I'd say to with allyship from an organizational perspective is that listen to grassroots people listen to the people who are on the ground a lot of times we get people who you know have all these accolades or the successful black person to speak on behalf of black person who allyship should be like, but they're out of touch they have a socio economic protection from the realities of majority of racialized people so making sure that your allyship and what you're doing is kind of grounded in, depending on the context of course but if you can involve grassroots community organizers, make sure that you're building those relationships with with community. And I think that would be, I think I'm, I think I'm over time so I'll just cut it there. Again, he's only thank you so much for your wisdom, and given us a lot to think about. And now we'll move on and have Brittany speak to us. And I would say my, my view of allyship is the one thing that I would like is in uncomfortable situations, I would like those around to just speak up and use their voice. And I don't mean to offend anybody when I say this but for those who have the white privilege to use it to put yourself out there and give a vote like give a voice. I'm trying to undo what the Sonny said either, but like give a voice. If it's needed if if you're in the mall and anybody a BIPOC is being accused of stealing. Let them know their rights like let them know that they don't have to show their bags when it's being demanded. They can request to have the police there they can request to have a manager present like that they have those rights available, because one thing for sure is in the moment you forget your rights. And I can say it probably has happened to me where for a split second I forgot and then I'm also very stubborn that I've just said no. It's, we need more people out there to voice what is going on in the world what is going on in our backyard. It's not right. And the more that people question it the more eyes will be brought to the situation that, you know, especially with police security, it may lead them to second guess themselves, and it could stop a situation. So for me, that is that is what I asked for an ally is someone who is willing to speak and saying that this is wrong. And I'm not saying that means leading to violent protesting. And then there is a protest, get out there show your support. If you, if you don't understand question it so that we can help you understand. It's the best way I can explain it. But my mom has something to say to well just if you happen to witness any violence, especially police brutality, make sure you ask the victim for permission to film it but float your phones and film it. Yes, so that we have proof that this has happened. Legally, you do have to get consent of at least one person within the video, so that if your video is sequestered to be in court, it will hold up in court. So as long as you have you can identify yourself, you would be considered one person in the video. But you should also get the person who is either being it or whatever it may be, just explain that you are doing this to shed light on the situation for them. And ask if you have their consent to film them. They will most likely say yes anyways. But that way it will legally stand up in court. Certainly an awful lot to absorb and to think about. Thank you all for what you've shared. And now I believe we're going to move on to working through scenarios and small groups. Thank you so much panelists and now it's everyone's turn to talk and to share. So we all received some scenarios you should have received some scenarios via email last night. So the idea here is the scenarios are actually written very clearly to explain just what would you do in this situation. There's some three different everyday situations. And here's the, here's the part to remember when you are placed in a group, look at the screen and look at what group number you're put, you're put in. And your group should look at the scenario that has the same number. Okay, group one looks at scenario one, etc. Thank you everyone. Hope you had a good vigorous discussion in your groups. Now I am in was in group one so I'm going to say a little bit about what we talked about because I was the note taker as well as the person who's doing the facilitating the discussion. So this was a, you enter a clothing store, a staff member is following a group of teenagers who are black. And so they're asked to show that they haven't stolen anything. And you're watching. So there was an interesting group of comments. The first was that we might feel that this was a normal thing to keep an eye on teenagers. So I would ask for help. The second person said, I would look at the sales work and would assume that they would have seen something because they're caught. Another one was, because this person knows about racialization, they would ask what justification you have. But then what is interesting is the discussion came up. Was this about racialization, or was it about an ageism where they were actually identifying teenagers who they suspect. So there's kind of a double image there. A comment was made about a former Nova Scotia lieutenant governor who falls often follows when she's shopping. And finally, this whole thing of reverse discrimination and another example of someone in the store was called shoplifting a young mother with children, but another person had video so they were able to see what it actually was and see that it actually was this kind of racialized experience. So it was a wide ranging and very interesting discussion. We had a different scenario. Our scenario was you're waiting in the wait, you are in the waiting room of a hospital emergency department, you've been there for quite some time now, and there are quite a BIPOC, black, indigenous or person of color enters and they are disoriented, stumbling over their words and actions. While they approach the clerk station asking for help, you hear the hospital clerk call for security. Security comes and approaches a person lably stating that this is not the homeless shelter and they need to leave. The individual is saying they need medical help and their words are slurred and they have are having trouble standing. Security intern instructs the clerk to call the RCMP as they grab the person's arm and begin to walk them out into the hallway away from the waiting room. So what would you do? The generic answer that we all came up with was he deserves to be triaged to find out if there is actually something wrong. If he is drunk or on drugs, then test his blood to confirm. One question was, well, who would you, if you were to speak up and say something, who would you say it to? And so we discussed, you have to say it to both the security guard, but as well as the clerk nurse, the nurse at the clerk desk or the nurse within the triage that they deserve to be treated. And I even said, like, at some point, you might even have to stand between the security guard and the patient to make sure that the security guard doesn't continue to take the patient out of the hospital. But that was generally that we would speak up and say that they need to be treated. Thank you. It's a really provocative scenario. And now we'll hear from group three. Yeah, so our, the scenario that our group was talking about was a traffic stop that basically escalated to the point where the police were attacking the driver who was a person of color, and eventually tasered this individual. And so we talked a lot about how we would feel first in that situation. And, you know, that it would be kind of overwhelming. But then started to talk about some different strategies and Denise had lots of great experience and ideas to throw in there. So thinking about things like filming the event, and then asking questions so asking police officers. What is your badge number or what is your name, who is your supervisor, things that, you know, will help you but also will sort of regroup their brain and help them remember that they're part of a system that can hold them accountable. And the bystanders who are there so asking people to check on the other people who are in the vehicle. And asking them, you know, to call 911 because someone has been tasered and so they're going to need an ambulance and medical care. So we talked, yeah, just a lot about asking different questions and getting lots of different people involved. So that hopefully this is the situation deescalate. Again, thank you very much. Now we'll finally hear from the fourth group. Only had three. Wow. That's wonderful. So now wonder if there are any other anybody else wants to add anything. Oh, okay. I see Elizabeth there. I want to say one more thing. Okay, Brittany. So when I said that I would step up and step in between the security guard and the patient, I do want to clarify, I'm never going to tell someone to step into the way of what could be a possible dangerous situation. However, I am also fully trained with St. John ambulance and I trained for like for that specific situation so I would feel comfortable to do it. But again, never as much as we would like you to stand up and yourself in a position that could be dangerous to yourself. That's all I want to say. PSA kind of thing. And now Elizabeth. As I've listened to all of us in the various conversations scenarios, I, I'm struck with how I don't know what word is brave, we think we'd be. It feels like because we're kind of sitting in a circle where we're, you know, I'm always aware that if I'm in a group and everybody agrees, we're in trouble. And one of the things that I appreciated that I think Denise you said is that allies, we have to know we're not all going to agree. But one of the things that struck me as I as I've listened listened is I wonder if we really like the conversation in our scenario and I was in group two. We didn't get to the root of why the person felt the need in the first place to call the security guard. Like we responded to the situation, but we didn't dig deep enough and perhaps it was because we didn't have enough time in our group to kind of ask that kind of question of, you know, why, why would the hospital clerk in the very which started the scenario, find it necessary when this person arrived that instead of doing the job of checking them in so to speak that they bothered to call security. Or, you know, in, in the situations like we're here to be talking and wrestling with our, our own journey around how we understand each other and how we understand. And many, I think we should move on to other speakers. There's two others on the list. Shegun. Oh, I just wanted to address what Elizabeth said, you know, I think my own upbringing training and everything is stop the flow first. Stop the blood flow. And then look for the causes later, just make sure that the emergency is applied. In this situation, this fellow is going to be on the streets very soon or wherever. And I have to step in at that very moment, I'd rather white mud off my face afterwards. If I was wrong. So that was what I wanted to say. We've assumed the person that we came in was male. You're right. But let's move on to Denise. She, she's on the list. Yes. And it is interesting to different sort of the natural assumptions and this is what I said, challenging sometimes those inner things that we have. And I think what I wanted to bring there was this idea of And I've run it up in the group this idea of learning to create calm, like to understand like your like to keep your calm is become sort of really critical in situations like this and it's interesting because like what I'm hearing here and what happens. And it's natural this is a part of why I believe we're doing this together is individuals who would could never imagine a situation like this or having something like this happen to them, as opposed to those of us who have not only imagined but have probably seen their witness or actually experienced situations like this these scenarios came from us. That are, you know, that wrote these. I wrote the hospital one in particular because I have had that happen many times where I've been in the waiting room and I learned how I would do things differently. So it's, and I don't want to be like the doom and gloom, because our first natural reaction to hearing things like this there's a comfortableness that we will use humor or we will use something so that we don't feel what we're feeling. Just like when you learn first aid part of learning first aid is learning how would you react so that you could role play you could imagine you practice these things so that if the real thing happens you're prepared for. And as we talk about how we become good allies, it's, it's that because these moments that we're talking about they might not be always extreme as seeing somebody gets a certain but I tell you these things happening around us all the time. It's a little enzyme to learn how we're going to handle a response to them when they happen, because I like with our scenario there was a secondary thing which is what if you are watching this on the news and people around you started saying things that you were inappropriate. Like how would you deal with that. But anyway, I don't want to go into a big long piece of it but it's kind of remember the essence of what we're doing and almost looking at things as a first aid approach because that's really for some of us this is like that. And we can't forget that as someone who worked in a hospital situation. That situation is not that uncommon. And the first rule that security guards are taught is you reduce the anxiety, you simplify, you try to minimize the frustration and the anger. And that's what we try to do by opening the discussion and it says pulling it back a bit. Then bad things are less likely to happen. But to certainly go in the middle of a discussion like that is not a good idea because that escalates and that will cause one or the other side to lash out. Yeah, I've been in a situation similar as well. So, I mean, I do think it's, yeah. Anyway, that's just, I think that we're learning what it means to be. allies what it what it we're learning what it means to be human to really I mean for me that's what I where I am kind of landing in all this is I'm learning what it means to actually love my neighbor. You know, there is start from a place of under accepting this accepting the other and then I'm going to understand them if I don't accept the other as they present then I'll never understand. I think as as those who live in white bodies that we have a particular responsibility and these times to, to take these things like the list that the sunny gave us and the these scenarios like constantly we need to retrain our brains are our bodies to be able to like to come alongside to create safety right like to, to, to, we want to go to our heads to, to do the analysis of the why but I really got to train our minds to see a wait who's really vulnerable here who's the most vulnerable person in this situation. Right, how do we, how do we use this privilege of living in a white body to, to be, you know, and sometimes it's like I wanted to say earlier one of the greatest descriptions of allyship that I heard recently was constantly learning to to figure out when to come alongside. When to stand in front of like so to be protecting and when to get behind to get the heck out of the way of BIPOC folk, you know, in their own in their own strength so when to when to really get to have their backs and when to, to step in for their protection and and when to just be alongside so that and that takes relationships and make mistakes sometimes. Sorry, I just put an extrovert I've been quiet too long. I, I think that we're reaching a point in discussion where we could carry on for a long time, or maybe it's time to take what was learned, and to bring it home with us, and to ponder what we're going to do with it, because this has been a very rich discussion. So now I'll move it on to Diane who's going to be. Sorry, Elizabeth is going to be closing. Yeah, here I am again. I, I think that what you've just said ladies is really kind of summarize what you said and Laura said and, and what everyone has said together this afternoon and last evening is been rich. And we all have to hear with head and heart. And now I'll say, so what, what, you know, what difference does it make that I took the time to be present in these in this gathering with each of you, and what am I going to do now. And I think we each in our own heart and being have ideas, and so please don't let this time go as something that you check your list and say, Well, I did that. That's good for me. I hope that we've been pushed a little farther than that. And as I have the privilege of looking at you all now, I know that we are going to go away from this time together and say, look at what, how will, how will we be different. I just got a note to ask that if any of you have any local or regional justice events you're aware of that you would like the rest of us to know about, please put those in the chat. So that we all can become aware of that those things I have asked Denise to lead us in a closing but Diane I know has one more thing I think to do before Denise you close for us. So, so what that was the great words Elizabeth I like those so what. So if you're looking for what. Why don't you join us at Carlos Atlantic. If you're in this region, you are always welcome to join the, the committees that are trying to bring work and racial justice in all sorts of different areas, indigenous justice mining justice to light in Atlantic Canada so in any of the four Atlantic provinces, if you are interested in doing that I'm going to request that you email me, and I will put you in contact with the person closest to you, geographically to connect with so I put my email address in the chat. It's a very long name, I apologize. Just copy and paste it so that you've got it and contact me anytime. We can also find me at MCC online, Diane Atlantic is my MCC Facebook page so if you want to you can connect with me there as well. Denise. Thank you. I'm holding the candles Denise. Yeah, you must be feeling my mind you're reading my, my energy. Thank you, and thank you to all of you I'd like it just before and I will. I will close in prayer. It's, it's a little gifted to me but in a moment I was just like everyone just put your hand to your heart or where you believe your heart to be. Take that that internal challenge of five to feel your heartbeat to feel grounded that we all feel grounded with each other. Let us all be centered here together in the work that we've done, how we share the energy and the trauma is the memories, the healing, the troops that we all hold within us and we hold it together. And I'm going to say a short prayer for those who wish. Creator I thank you for bringing us together in this moment. I thank you for the ancestors for sitting here with us and helping speak to us. I say prayers for the next generations. That's really the work that we do. It's about what the world is that we leave for them. Thank you for everyone who's come here I asked if you keep them safe I asked if you wrap that love and healing and truth and energy around all of us in the circle, collectively and individually, as we leave from here today. Whether we travel home or just move from one room to another within our own homes that we hold this healing with us and this becomes how we walk a journey together. The allies I thank you for the people who have come and shared their pain and their stories and their realities, as those of us who are from being black or indigenous or people of color. I pray for a deep deep healing and also for it to move to action creator and action that we make things better and do things in a better way and we know we can do that together. And with you and through this mother earth. That's her line when we come to place that we can all be more proud. Not to make all my relations. Thank you, everyone. I don't want to blow these out. So if we say in solidarity one of the things there's a ceremony I do called fire and water. And it says that sometimes keeping the balance of both, you know, so that when you allow your breath to put out that flame that's moisture that's water. It is part of the healing work is we can't keep a fire burning all the time. There has to be balance. So it's okay. Thank you for giving me the permission I needed.