Black History Month 2023
Black History Month in Canada is an important reminder of the accomplishments, sacrifices, and milestones achieved by Black people in this country. Like the US, Black History Month has a theme each year. In the US, the 2023 theme is Black Resistance. In Canada, the theme is Ours to Tell.
The 2023 theme for Black History Month is: “Ours to tell”. This theme represents both an opportunity to engage in open dialogue and a commitment to learning more about the stories Black communities in Canada have to tell about their histories, successes, sacrifices and triumphs.
You may be accustomed to treating Black History Month like any other month, but there are plenty of good reasons not to, especially if you have influence—and specifically if you have an opportunity to use this month to further the cause of equity of Black Canadians.
Not only is Black History Month an opportunity to learn about and celebrate Black Canadians—it’s also an opportunity to take an honest look at how we, and our society at large, are doing when it comes to combatting anti-Black racism.
AWARENESS
How much you know about Black history depends on a variety of factors, such as your own background and ethnicity, where you received your education, the type of organization you work for, and the media sources you follow. For some people, Black History Month isn’t even a blip on their radar screen. Others may make a conscious effort to find out more about it. Others may spread the word about it or even get involved in celebrations and activities.
[Select the image to read our “Let’s be Anti-Racist” blog post.]
What can you do to raise your awareness and that of others?
- Start by reading about it. There’s a great list of books in our Let’s Be Anti-Racist blog post.
- Pay attention to newscasts, podcasts, and other media this February. You can expect to see and hear plenty of features.
- Visit websites such as the Anti-Racism Coalition Vancouver to download educational materials featuring Black Canadians in history.
- Share what you learn. It’s easy to send someone a link to a podcast or news article.
- Continuously analyze yourself for bias.
PARTICIPATION
What can you do to get involved in Black History Month?
- Depending on where you live, you may be able to find community events and celebrations. For example, Victoria has a thriving organization, the BC Black History Awareness Society, that’s running six events this month, all affordable and some free.
- Visit municipal websites to see if they are running Black History Month events. You may find this is a bit of a patchwork, with larger municipalities hosting events but usually not small communities. If you’d like to see an event, request it at your local library or town hall.
- If you have the know-how, start an event of your own! It can be a virtual event or an in-person event—whatever it takes to spread the word.
IN THE WORKPLACE
Never has the internet been more divided over topics such as equity, diversity, inclusion, racism, and anti-racism. Twitter feeds and YouTube channels are often awash in hateful materials, fake “debunkings,” and one-sided debates designed to shut down the conversation about anti-Black discrimination.
If you encounter misinformation, do your best to combat it. If you encounter an obvious untruth, find the real facts to counteract it.
If you have a friend, relative, or colleague who’s gone down a social media misinformation rabbit hole, gently urge them to develop a more well-rounded
information diet. YouTube has a way of funnelling people toward increasingly extreme viewpoints, and the average person may lack the critical thinking ability to pull themselves out of the funnel. You can help by sharing well-researched articles.
Be patient. When someone is in the grip of misinformation, it’s tough for them to hear that they’re wrong, that they’ve been naïve, or that they have ill intentions. Be patient, listen to what they have to say, and ask good questions. This will help them examine their own statements. When someone changes their opinion on their own, it’s much more powerful than when they’re told they’re wrong or stupid. This is hard to do, and it can be fatiguing to educate others (especially when they’re not receptive), but it’s valuable.
WHY IS ALL THIS IMPORTANT?
Through awareness, participation, building an anti-racist workplace, and fighting misinformation, we are taking steps to make Canada a more welcoming, inclusive country where Black Canadians can thrive.
- Currently, Black Canadians earn an average of 25% less annual income than non-racialized Canadians.
- Black Canadians are more likely than the general population to be unemployed or underemployed—despite high education rates.
- About 20% of Black Canadians are considered low-income (twice the rate for non-racialized Canadians).[1]
- Fewer than 1% of Canadian corporate board members are Black; 91% are white.[2]
- Black Canadians miss out on opportunities to advance at work because they have less supervisor support, experience less representation, and experience daily instances of discrimination.
[1] Source: Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population – Based on income data for 2015
[2] Black North Playbook.
We Acknowledge
