Walk With Me is a networking opportunity for service providers to expand their referral networks, educate themselves, and promote their own work in an effort to improve the overall service delivery and client/customer care of the people they serve daily in their respective places of employment. Many clients are unaware of the scope and variety of services offered in St. Thomas and Elgin County, and a strong referral network can go a long way to correct that.

Walk With Me 2021 was delivered online. Find the presentations and resources below for you to access or revisit at any time.


Human Connection: connecting while disconnected

Pete Bombaci, Founder of GenWell Project, the Human Connection Movement


Confronting our Biases: a glimpse into Islamaphobia

Imam Abd Twakkal, Intercultural Community Relations Coordinator, Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration


Leveraging Power for Change: exploring allyship

Petrusia Hontar and Leta Keating St. Thomas Elgin Local Immigration Partnership Team

Presentation

Worksheets

Definitions

Ally – Verb not a noun. Not a trait, it is what you do. Anytime you are in the position of power and recognize the history behind marginalization and understand its fruition in today’s society.

Privilege – A system of advantages or rights that are available to members of a group solely on the basis of their being part of that group. Access to these benefits may vary depending on how closely they match their society’s ideal norm.

Equality – Each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities.

Equity – Recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.

Justice – Takes equity one step further by fixing the systems in a way that leads to long-term, sustainable, equitable access for generations to come.

Ethnocentrism – Evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one’s own culture.

Performative allyship – Bandwagoning – Engaging in activities labeled as allyship with the main outcome being self-gratification in lieu of a positive impact on the community in need of an ally.

Reciprocity – The practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit, especially privileges granted by one group or organization to another.

Authentic allyship

  • Educating yourself
  • Committed to antiracist work
  • Examining on privilege
  • Sitting with discomfort
  • Be willing to take criticism and apologize if others are hurt or offended
  • Demonstrating grief, empathy

Additional Resources for further allyship learning

Books

Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

Indigenous Writes: A Guide to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit issues in Canada by Chelsea Vowel

Websites/Videos

Guide to Allyship – Amélie Lamont

Podcasts

Be Antiracist – Pushkin Studios Ibrahim X Kendi

Inappropriate Questions – CBC Podcasts

All My Relations – Matika Wilbur & Adrienne Keene

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