ICA is organizing a free two-part conversation that is an opportunity for the BIPOC community (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) and people with an immigrant background to explore important questions about culture and anti-Black Racism:

• Can we be part of the problem – even if we also experience racism?

• How do we as immigrants and people of colour perpetuate White Supremacy and anti-Blackness? How are we complicit?

In recent weeks, we have seen global protests in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and many people in our community engage in dialogue about anti-Black racism. However, these conversations are focused on white people, many of whom are just waking up to the reality of racism in Canada, but is this just a Black & White problem?

It can be hard for immigrants and POC to see ourselves in the dialogue, particularly because we are often targets of other forms of racism, anti-Asian and Islamophobia to name a few. But, many of us come from countries with imperial and colonial histories and have inherited some form of anti-Blackness that we have internalized and continue to manifest and maintain. How then, do we hold these racial complexities? How do we untangle intra-group oppression between cultural groups and BIPOC?

These online conversations are an opportunity for immigrants and communities of colour to talk about our own anti-Blackness, the historical context, our personal experiences, and concrete ways in which we can address anti-Black racism and stand in solidarity with our Black brothers and sisters.

To learn more about the event’s facilitators and to register, visit the event pages. There is a separate event sign up page for each conversation:

Tuesday, July 21, 10:00am – Noon

Thursday, July 23, 10:00am – Noon

If you have any questions about these no-cost conversations, contact Paulina Grainger, Arts and Community Engagement Manager.