Wyle Baoween: Why does it take an incident to trigger a broader conversation of racism in our society?
Credit to Author: Stephen Snelgrove| Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2019 01:00:39 +0000
This past week Canadians across the country were pulled into complicated discussions of racism and inequality — and many of us are still struggling to make sense of it all.
In the comments section of this very publication you’ll see statements regarding Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s brownface incident that run the gamut from, “This was no ‘mistake’ it is blatant racism” to “This whole PC thing has gotten ridiculous. Might as well just cancel Halloween.”
It’s no wonder many Canadians are left confused about what racism is and what needs to be done.
For starters, it’s important to differentiate between a racist person and a racist act. A person who commits a racist act isn’t necessarily racist.
To differentiate, we can use the concept of ‘intent versus impact’. While the impact of a specific action could offend a racialized group, we also need to consider the intention of the person committing the act in order to judge if they’re racist or not.
Understandably, judging a person’s intention is difficult, but we can look for patterns of racist behaviours that are often suggestive of intent.
As one of the millions of Canadians who were insulted by the brownface act, debating the intentions of a single person isn’t my greatest concern. My concern is that it seems to require these types of incidents to trigger a broader conversation of racism in our society.
My concern is that, before this incident, none of the platforms of our major Canadian parties highlighted racism as a strategic priority.
My concern is that if we don’t talk about it we won’t see change. How is it that party platforms address important policies related to child care, pipelines and climate change but neglect to include anti-racism policies?
There is a spotlight on racism in Canada right now and political leaders have a chance to lead a meaningful conversation about change. It’s not the time to shy away or point fingers.
First, leaders need to acknowledge that institutional racism and systemic inequalities exist in our society. For example, we need to raise awareness about issues such as how racialized communities are impacted by police carding, how several face an income gap as high as 25 per cent compared with the average Canadian or how wearing a turban or hijab in Quebec can cost you your job.
At the same time this a unique opportunity to help educate Canadians about important topics such as why using brown- or blackface paint is harmful. It has become very apparent over the past week that many Canadians don’t understand the history or impact of this act.
In addition to awareness and education, leaders need to commit to action. Canadian politicians need to show the 20 per cent of us Canadians who are visible minorities — and everyone who is concerned about the state of racism in Canada — how their parties will address these issues of systemic racism.
Topics such as Quebec’s Bill C21, police practices, income disparity and social mobility need to be on their election platforms.
As the CEO of a company that has worked with some of Canada’s largest employers, I often advise leaders to surround themselves with diverse teams not simply because it’s the fair thing to do, but also because it brings different experiences and perspectives.
In the case of Trudeau, while I applaud him for his diverse cabinet, I question whether everyone was given a voice. It’s not just about the numbers. When the voices of Canada’s racialized communities are heard, their issues will be reflected in our country’s plans for change.
So, as attractive as it may be to “just move on” — a statement we’re already hearing only one week after the brownface incident — that doesn’t serve anyone.
This isn’t about one person “getting in trouble,” because if we focus our energy on determining whether an individual is racist or not, we are missing the bigger picture and a chance to act.
Wyle Baoween is CEO of HRx Technology, a Canadian consulting firm providing data analytics to address inequality in our communities and workplaces.
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