‘We don’t want the conversation to end’: Canadian Black association hopes anti-racism protests inspire action from Dufferin County
By Alexandra Heck
It’s not an easy time for anyone during the coronavirus pandemic.
However, in the recent weeks following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and the subsequent protests, — the intersecting of recent events is particularly stressful for Black people.
“From a Black perspective, a number of members are on the front lines,” said Shelburne resident Alethia Stephenson, explaining that minorities are disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
U.S. data shows that African Americans are more likely to catch, and die from, coronavirus than their white counterparts.
While Canada has not released race-based data on coronavirus, Stephenson says that minorities are acutely affected by the virus as they work a large number of front-line jobs in stores, health care and nursing homes.
“There’s a lot of stress, there’s a lot of trauma,” she said, explaining that mental health is a strong concern for minorities in Dufferin. “I needed something that was representative of the community.”
Stephenson is a co-founder of the Dufferin County Canadian Black Association, a registered charity with the goal of providing services for Black and Caribbean individuals in Dufferin as well as working to create opportunities and eliminate barriers to success.
The group will look at collecting race-based data to support the community’s needs, introducing more mental health support and developing leadership opportunities for Black youth in Dufferin.
“We don’t want the conversation to end after the summer,” said Stephenson, adding that she doesn’t want the group to work alone, but to partner with the County of Dufferin and other community leaders and organizations.
“My goal is to have students actively involved in the organization,” said Stephenson, who runs the Youth Advisory Committee for the Town of Shelburne. “They’re (students) so bright, and they’re so engaged.”
The group will be speaking to Dufferin county council soon, to request partnership in working to develop an equity task force, a working group to develop a plan to increase equity in the county.
The group hopes to increase visibility for Black Canadians in Dufferin, employment opportunities, leadership and integration.