Next week, March 20-24, OCSB students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 will participate in our board’s first-ever Standing Against Racism Week. A week of interactive activities and workshops run by experts and educators aims to engage students in the fight against racism.
The purpose of the week is to
- Engage our students and community in rich, age-appropriate conversations about bias awareness and anti-racism;
- Celebrate the contributions of Indigenous, Black and racialized people to Canadian society;
- Learn about the experiences of other races.
A week to focus on human dignity and anti-racism
Our theme of the week is Ubuntu, which champions the Catholic social teaching of human dignity. Each day will have a different focus. On Monday, we’ll explore the meaning of anti-racism. Tuesday will examine stories of challenges that different racial groups have faced in Canada throughout history. Wednesday will focus on human dignity – celebrating our uniqueness and that of others. Thursday’s discussions will centre on practical anti-racism strategies we can leverage to make a difference. We’ll cap off the week on Friday by celebrating the achievements of racialized Canadians.
Standing Against Racism Week Highlights
| Grade | Activities and events | Date |
| 5-12 | Keynote – Rev. Dr. Anthony Bailey will speak to students about the steps to become allies against racism. | March 20 |
| K-12 | MASC artist Stuti Mukherjee’s performance and workshop on Classical dance of East India | March 20 |
| K-3 | Livestream event with Canadian-Guyanese Author Yolanda Marshall. She will answer student questions, as well as read to us from one of her latest children’s books | March 21 |
| 4-6 | Student panel video – students will hear the experiences of OCSB racialized high school students and the leadership they’ve provided to their school. | March 21 |
| 7-12 | What’s Your Story panel – First Nations illustrator/animator Jay Odjick, documentary filmmaker Preston Chase, journalist Judy Trinh, and Holocaust survivor Leonard Vis will share their stories about “sharing stories.”Students will learn more about anti-racism and how some people make a difference through art and work. | March 21 |
| 4-67-8 | Presentations on Indigenous Perspectives from the National Gallery of Canada. Students in registered classes will be introduced to themes of Indigenous artwork so that they may appreciate the worldviews of First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists, past and present. | March 22, 23 (gr. 4-6)March 24 (gr. 7-8) |
| 9-10 | “P is for Privilege” workshop – an anti-bullying presentation with activist and actor Omari Newton that encourages students to recognize and understand their privilege. | March 22 |
| Parents & Educators | Roots of Hate & Intolerance – a virtual event presented by Elena Kingsbury from the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre. Racism, antisemitism and other forms of prejudice are examined and how these issues impact students and their communities. Real historical and contemporary examples of hate are used to create awareness and promote dialogue and positive action within the school and community. Registration link. | March 227:00-8:30 pm |
| 5-12 | Equity/Diversity Career Panel – Students will hear from panelists who have developed careers around equity, diversity and inclusion in various industries, including tourism, social services, education, and automotive. The panelists will share their career and education pathways, information about their field of work and the barriers they have overcome. | March 23 |
Participate and follow along on social media!
Whether your child learns in-person or online, you and your child can experience Standing Against Racism week at the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Share your photos and experiences online using our hashtags: #ocsbStandingTogether, #ocsbEquity #ocsbBeCommunity