Blog
When Speaking Up Works!A Success Story (And How You Can Speak Up Too)
You may recall our blog post from a few weeks ago discussing how colouring worksheets can uphold bias, reinforce stereotypes, and erase racialized children from the curriculum. Here’s an update on what happened after speaking up about that worksheet. My…
How to celebrate Halloween WITHOUT cultural appropriation or racist stereotypes
This week is Halloween, which means it is time to talk about costumes, racism, stereotypes, and cultural appropriation. We are using this week’s blog post to amplify some excellent voices that have spoken beautifully to this issue already.”Dressing up as…
How kindergarten colouring worksheets uphold stereotypes and create bias (and what to do about it)
We are fortunate to live in a city where our school board offers French and English language instruction beginning in kindergarten. There are so many advantages to being multilingual, and I’m grateful that my daughter has access to this kind…
Life of an immigrant woman with four kids
My mother came to this country Victoria Day weekend 1999, with four children and no understanding of the English or French language.We were placed in a government housing neighbourhood, subsidized, while my mother was in school to learn English. All…
Islamophobia in Our Schools
Islamophobia in Canada is increasing at a concerning rate; Muslim students are particularly vulnerable to Islamophobia. There is no shortage of stories about Islamophobic incidents both physical and verbal in our communities. Students are on the receiving end of hateful…
How Blackface can be a teachable moment…in the Classroom and at Home
When Theodor Seuss Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) stepped into an elevator in 1955 on his way to a meeting with his publisher, Houghton Mifflin, he encountered Annie Williams, the elevator operator. She was “an elegant, and petite woman who wore…
Where are you REALLY from?
How many of us have been asked this question and have felt a sense of anxiety and discomfort but feel obliged to respond? The mere essence of the question reinforces social stratification. Every time I have been asked about my…
Why White Moms Like Me Need to Reject Misogynoir Against Black Moms Like Serena Williams
At Parents for Diversity, tennis isn’t usually at the top of our agenda, but parenting and solidarity with marginalized parents is always one of our top priorities.We are delighted for Bianca Andreescu and congratulate her on the astonishing achievement of…
What is Equitable and Inclusive Learning? A Parent’s Perspective on the First Day of School
Thousands of students in many of the English school boards will begin the new school year tomorrow. Like all beginnings, the school year welcomes new possibilities, opportunities and ways to think more critically about how to engage diverse identities and…
Touching Black Hair as Micro-Aggression
By Simone Aba Akyianu Micro-aggressions are like bee stings.We can recover from the sting, but we never forget how it feels.Maybe you rock an Afro, maybe you have curly ringlets, or wear Senegalese twists, box braids, cornrows, locs or Bantu…
