Various rallies were held in Toronto and all across Canada on August 29. One of the rallies in Toronto, which was organized by the Coalition for BIPOC Liberation and Not Another Black Life, was met with hundreds of people in Downsview Park.
Demonstrators occupied Sheppard Avenue West at Keele Street before peacefully marching up Keele towards York.
“It is encouraging to know that the movement to defund the police across the country is taking place right here in our community,” says third-year theatre student Becky Ablack.
Ablack further states that these organizations held these rallies “as a way to call for the defunding of the police and reallocation of those funds to the community.”
In a statement released on August 31 by York President Rhonda Lenton and Vice-President of Equity, People and Culture Sheila Cote-Meek, they both gave a progress update on addressing anti-Black racism at York.
The university has undertaken a series of consultations with students, faculty, instructors, staff and other community leaders at York on identifying ways to address systemic barriers within York.
Over the past months with the help of community members, York has intensified efforts to improve and expand initiatives that aim to address anti-Black racism, and further our principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion across the entire University,” said Lenton.
Trinity Lloyd, a third-year theatre student, states: “With all the rallies we have seen so far, I think it’s important to remember that protesting is really the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fighting for the justice of marginalized people and communities.”
“Protests can be extremely cathartic and awe-inspiring, like the rally held at Keele, but we have to keep that same energy going with more mundane tasks like researching, emailing, calling and working newfound knowledge into our day to day,” says Lloyd.
In support of this work, the university has undertaken a series of consultations with students, faculty, instructors, staff and other community leaders at York on racism and identifying ways to address systemic barriers within York.
Lenton further said, “The honest dialogue, insights, and guidance received to date will inform the development of a draft Anti-Black Racism Framework. The dialogue must continue, and we will welcome ongoing conversations through a second series of consultation meetings that will focus on the draft framework.”
York’s goal is for students, faculty, instructors and staff to view concrete steps that will improve their lived experiences and further strengthen the university’s efforts to be a more equitable, diverse and inclusive educational institution, according to the statement.
