CONFRONTING ANTI-BLACK RACISM AND ISLAMOPHOBIA
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Event ParticipantIntroducing the conference, the keynote speaker, Dr. George Sefa Dei of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) of the University of Toronto, elaborated on the broader and structural systems that provide festering grounds for racism and islamophobia in Ontario schools and Canada at large. Dr. Dei intimated how issues of anti-Indigenous, Black, Muslim, Asian, and Semitism have been romanticized in our schools, swept under the carpets, and gone unreported. He indicated that a general understanding of tackling issues requires that all stakeholders, be it government or officials in Canadian schools, must and without any fear or favour, acknowledge and problematize both the existence and the persistence of racism in all levels of the educational systems. He stressed that leaders must have self-introspection and be honest to fight racism head-on...
PRESIDENT'S DESK
WHO WE ARE
The African-Canadian Social Development Council (ACSDC) is a non-for-profit organization based in Toronto. ACSDC is the umbrella organization for all African-Canadian community agencies and African-Canadian cultural organizations that provide services to the African-Community in Ontario.
ACSDC was registered in 2002 with a current membership of eighty-seven(87) organizations.
OUR PROGRAMS
A) Research
B) Advocacy
C) Education
D) Relief Aid Services
E) Community Development
We have full-time staff and we are located at:
4250 Weston Road, Suite 202
Toronto, ON M9L 1W9
Tel: (416) 532-2273
Fax: (416) 740-4652
Email: acsdc.secretariat@gmail.com
AFRICAN TALKING DRUM TEAM
- President – Nene Kabu Asante
- Lead Editor – Solomon Aremu
- Contributing Editor – Wofa Yaw Nyarko / Creativity and Design – Crystals Arts (Rose Mensah)
- Contributors – Jamila Aman, Vivian Yorrick & James Nyarko
PRESIDENT’S DESK
Mr. Kabu AsanteAgainst all odds the Council held its inaugural “Confronting Anti-Black Racism and lslamophobia” conference on September 24, 2022. To the dismay and disappointment of some Funders who purposefully refused to fund the conference it was a huge success beyond our imagination and it served as a reminder the black community that we have a lot of to do in educating the larger society about racism and lslamophobia.
Most importantly, it is necessary that I acknowledge the hard work the conference committee team that met every Friday for about four months to put this historic conference together. To our Keynote Speaker, work shop panelists, and the many youth volunteers who assisted us in many ways, you are all very much appreciated for your contributions. My gratitude also goes to the 529 participants – 243 who were in-person, and 286 who were online. I would also like to acknowledge the school boards that sent representatives to attend in person, including the school boards of Waterloo, Toronto, Durham, Peel and Simcoe District. Finally, I would like to thank the City of Toronto’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit for their financial support.
An overwhelming amount of research exists on how to alleviate anti-black racism and lslamophobia in our communities, yet these issues still persist. Anti-Racism efforts in our schools and workplaces don’t seem to be effective enough. However, judging by the effectiveness of our recent conference, I propose that all places of work and educational institutions require annual training to combat the negative impact on our society posed by anti-black racism and lslamophobia.
Regardless, ACSDC will continue to implore all institutions to help in the fight to eradicate anti-black racism and lslamophobia.
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