An Update on Our Work To Confront Anti-Black Racism

The YMCA of Greater Toronto continues to progress in our commitments to dismantle anti-Black racism and barriers to access and inclusion for Black individuals across the Y. Here are updates about our ongoing work.

•    Over 5,000 employees have completed dismantling anti-Black racism training since it became available for all employees on May 2, 2023. This required training for new and existing employees is part of our goal of ensuring all employees and volunteers are trained and equipped to name anti-Black racism, call it out, and act to dismantle it at the Y and in the communities we serve.

•    The YMCA Black Achievers Mentorship Program is now in the second half of its third year. This year, the program expanded to two weekly offerings, with meetings on Thursdays and Saturdays. Currently, 43 mentees are supported by 18 mentors. There is room for more Black professionals and community leaders to join the program and share their knowledge and experience, so please sign up and spread the word. For more information about Black Achievers and participating as a mentor or mentee, please visit the Black Achievers Mentorship Program.

•    In February, we celebrated Black History Month. Our theme this year was Ubuntu, a South Nguni principle that means: I am because you are, you are because we are. The Black Experience Staff Advisory Committee (BESAC) and Brampton YMCA Health and Fitness Centre team led the planning of the learning and celebrations. We started the month by publishing a Black History Month blog with information about Ubuntu and Black-created content lists curated by BESAC and the Black History Month planning committee members. 

We had a virtual event — UBUNTU We Rely on Each Other: Creating Community Connections — during which Black panellists who established or currently deliver Black-led and Black-serving programs shared how they incorporate the principle of Ubuntu in their work. The panel included Jhanelle Peters (Jhanelle Peters Psychotherapy), Ron Stoddard (TAIBU Community Health Centre), and Zakiya Tafari (AfriCan Food Basket). You can view the recording of this virtual event here (Passcode: ^hI8A#$9). 

On February 24, we hosted an in-person finale event at the Brampton YMCA. This was a day of community connections and celebration. Highlights included poetry, dance, drumming and steel pan performances, and teachings of Ubunto by guest speaker Fatima Gould. Also, the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra string quartet gave an amazing performance accompanied by YMCA Black Achiever's graduate Saraphina Knights. 

•    The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) team continues to work with departments across the charity on addressing systemic issues that contribute to the perpetuation of anti-Black racism and to ensure DEIB strategy principles are embedded into daily operations and the YMCA’s practices and policies.

•    We will continue to provide updates as our work progresses. If you have any questions, please contact diversity@ymcagta.org.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto continues to make progress in its commitments to dismantle anti-Black racism and barriers to access and inclusion across the Y. Here are important updates about our ongoing work.

• Our dismantling anti-Black racism training became available for all employees on May 2, 2023, through the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s new internal learning platform. This required training for new and existing employees is part of our goal of ensuring all staff and volunteers are trained and equipped to name anti-Black racism, call it out, and act to dismantle it at the Y and in our society.
• The YMCA Black Achievers Mentorship Program had a successful second year. Fourteen students graduated from the Black Achievers program this year and 24 new youth joined. Thirty-one youths are registered for the third year of the program, which begins in September 2023. There are 17 full-time mentors and 13 part-time mentors supporting the youth with room for more Black professionals and community leaders to join the program and share their knowledge and experience. For more information about Black Achievers and participating as a mentor or mentee, please visit Black Achievers Mentorship Program
• The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) team continues to work with departments across the association on addressing systemic issues that contribute to the perpetuation of anti-Black racism and to ensure DEIB strategy principles are embedded into daily operations. The DEIB department also works closely with Human Resources on implementing the recommendations of the KOJO Institute’s anti-Black racism review of the YMCA of Greater Toronto by updating internal policies, practices, and procedures.
• August is Emancipation Month, and the Black Experience Staff Advisory Committee (BESAC) is hosting an event on Tuesday August 22, 2023. Guest speaker Rosemary Sadlier will talk about the journey to the declaration of Emancipation Day and explore the intangible cultural heritage carried by enslaved Africans, including how their invaluable knowledge, creativity, and contributions are woven into the fabric of our lives today. Visit our YMCA blog post to learn more.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto continues to make progress in its commitments to dismantle anti-Black racism and barriers to access and inclusion across our Y. We'd like to take this opportunity to share new updates about our ongoing work.

• In December we had Black community leaders Louis March and Lindis Collins-Bacchus present on the meaning of Kwanzaa during a virtual event hosted by the Y titled A Kwanzaa Celebration for All. We were very inspired by the principles of Kwanzaa and they were reflected in our Black History programming and we will continue to use them to inspire our continued work in dismantling anti-Black racism and supporting the advancement of Black Communities. Please access the recording of this event here (Passcode: 0C5dc#f$).
  • In February, we continued our annual celebration of Black History Month. Our theme this year was Sankofa: Moving forward guided by the past. The Black Experience Staff Advisory Committee (BESAC) in partnership with the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) department led in the planning of multiple and diverse events that focused on holistic wellness on an individual and community level. Each event was named after the Kwanzaa principle that aligned with the event topic including Sankofa! Black History Month 2023 Kick-off Event, Ujamaa! Cooperative Fiscal Wellness in Black Communities and Kujichaguila! Body Stories: Where History, Race and Queerness Intersect with Dr. Jill Andrew. After two years of exclusively virtual events we were very happy to conclude our Black History Month festivities with an in-person event at our Central YMCA titled Ujima! The Collective Work of Community Wellness. Please visit our YMCA blog post to learn more about our theme and to view the event recordings and resources.
  • The YMCA Black Achievers mentorship program continues to serve Black youth in the Scarborough Region with plans to expand in more neighborhoods in the GTA. Please see the 2nd annual newsletter for the program that came out in with some inspiring highlights. For more information or if you are interested in participating as a mentor or mentee, please visit Black Achievers.
• Our dismantling anti-Black racism training for staff and volunteers will be moving into its next phase in April, moving towards our goal of ensuring all staff and volunteers are trained and equipped to name anti-Black racism, call it out and act to dismantle anti-Black racism at the Y and in our society. The training has now been virtualized so it can be completed with the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s new internal learning platform.
• The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) team has been working with departments across the association in addressing systemic issues that contribute to the perpetuation of anti-Black racism and ensuring DEIB strategy principles are imbedded into daily operations. The DEIB department is also working closely with the Human Resources department in continuing the work of implementing the recommendations of the KOJO Institute’s anti-Black racism review of the YMCA of Greater Toronto by reviewing and updating internal policies, practices and procedures.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto continues to make progress in its commitments to dismantle anti-Black racism and barriers to access and inclusion across our Y. We'd like to take this opportunity to share new updates about our ongoing work.

• The YMCA of Greater Toronto remains committed to dismantling anti-Black racism and this commitment has been demonstrated in its inclusion in the Y’s new Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Strategy launched on the 3rd of August, 2022. Incorporating the recommendations and input provided through the extensive employee and community consultations, anti-Black racism will continue to be a priority under the focus area of Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity. The main goals of this focus area are:
• To ensure the Y is intentionally anti-racist, and makes continued efforts to dismantle anti-Black racism.
• To ensure the Y is intentionally racially and culturally diverse.
• To ensure the development of consistent equitable practices, programs and education that address inequities related to race, ethnicity, religion and intersecting identities.

• The YMCA Black Achievers mentorship program had a successful first year. 8 students graduated from the Black Achievers Program this year. 27 youth remain in the program as we prepare for the second year beginning in September 2022. We also have 30 mentors supporting the youth with room for more Black professionals and community leaders to join the program and share their knowledge and experience. Please see the latest newsletter for the program that came out in July 2022 highlighting the accomplishments of the first year. For more information or if you are interested in participating, please visit Black Achievers.
• This month we will continue with the annual recognition of Emancipation Month and educating communities on Canada’s 200-year long history of enslavement of Black and Indigenous Peoples and the terrible legacies of that time that still inform systemic racism faced by Black Communities today. Please visit our YMCA blog post to learn more.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto remains committed to identifying and confronting anti-Black racism and barriers to inclusion across our Y. We continue to make progress on these commitments and we'd like to take this opportunity to share updates about our ongoing work.

• The KOJO Institute, an equity consulting company, is in the final stages of a charity-wide assessment focusing on anti-Black racism and equity. Once the report is reviewed, we are committed to acting on recommendations.
• We are finalizing the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Strategy which includes a focus on Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity. Anti-Black racism will continue to be a priority in this strategy under this focus area. We will be incorporating recommendations and input provided through the extensive employee and community consultations that were held in January.
• The YMCA Black Achievers mentorship program currently has 35 youth participants and 30 Black mentors and these numbers keep growing. Please see the first newsletter for the program that came out in December 2021 with some inspiring highlights. The Program Co-ordinator, Samantha Adebiyi was highlighted by one of the program donors, Rogers Communications, for her work and the impact of the program. For more information or if you are interested in participating, please visit Black Achievers.
• In February, we celebrated Black History Month. Our theme this year was Black History/Black Future: Recognizing and Celebrating Those Who Pave the Way. The Black Experience Staff Advisory Committee (BESAC) led in the planning of the multiple and diverse events that focused on Mental Health, Education, the Black Immigrant experience, Building Financial Wealth, Black 2SLGBTQIA+ champions and Exploring the Afro-Indigenous Connection and a panel discussion on the Black Achievers program. Our opening event and closing events respectively were, a Cultural Talent Show that showcased many talented Black individuals within the GTA and a panel discuss on our Black Achievers program with the program mentors and mentees as the panelists. You can view the opening event and the finale panel discussion (Passcode: 4sTK3r^y ).
• We will continue to provide updates as our work progresses. If you have any questions, please contact diversity@ymcagta.org.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto remains committed to identifying and confronting anti-Black racism and barriers to inclusion across our Y. We continue to make progress on these commitments and we'd like to take this opportunity to share updates about our ongoing work.

We have completed the second phase of our Confronting Anti-Black Racism (CABR) training. Management staff with direct reports including managers, supervisors, and directors in all areas of our charity have now gone through the training. We are planning to move to phase three of delivering the Confronting Anti-Black Racism training to all remaining levels of staff and volunteers.

The KOJO Institute, an equity consultant company, has begun the charity-wide assessment focusing on anti-racism, equity, and anti-Black racism. The results of this assessment will inform and enhance the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work that is already underway within our charity.

The YMCA Black Achievers mentorship program that was launched in August 2021 currently has 30 youth participants and 26 Black mentors and these numbers keep growing weekly. For more information or if you are interested in participating, please visit Black Achievers.

We recently announced The Shane Stanford Youth Bursary, an annual bursary that provides one Black youth community leader with $2,000 to further their post-secondary education. This bursary was created in honour of the memory of Shane Stanford, who was a long-time and beloved YMCA of Greater Toronto employee.

We became a signatory to the BlackNorth Initiative, an initiative committed to the removal of anti-Black systemic barriers negatively affecting the lives of Black Canadians.

We will continue to provide updates as our work progresses. If you have any questions, please contact diversity@ymcagta.org.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto remains committed to identifying and confronting anti-Black racism and barriers to inclusion across our Y. We'd like to take this opportunity to share an update about our ongoing work.

• Our Black Experience Staff Advisory Committee (BESAC) continues to inform our plan of action. BESAC is a Black-led committee comprised of front-line staff and leaders. Thank you to each of our BESAC members for their ongoing contributions.
• We are actively sourcing an external consultant to lead the review of our systems, policies, programs and organizational culture. This work will take time as we engage with a broad range of staff, volunteers, and community members.
• An introductory workshop, “Understanding Anti-Black Racism," which was developed by members of BESAC with support from the City of Toronto’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit, was co-delivered to over 80 YMCA leaders, our Board of Directors, and our Youth Advisory Committee. Our next step is to continue rolling this training out to front-line supervisors.
• We are currently developing a new program dedicated to the advancement of Black youth including through mentorship opportunities.
• BESAC is planning internal and external events as part of our long-standing Black History Month celebrations. These activities provide an opportunity for us to shine a light on Black members of our Y and broader communities and the importance of efforts to confront anti-Black racism.

We will continue to provide updates as our work progresses. If you have any questions, please contact diversity@ymcagta.org.

Our YMCA has made a long-term commitment to confronting anti-Black racism and our path forward has been endorsed by our Board of Directors and senior leaders. We'd like to take this opportunity to provide an update on our work.

Listening to the lived experiences of Black staff, volunteers, and community members is critical. Since June, our senior leaders have had conversations with colleagues who shared experiences of anti-Black racism and their expectations of the Y’s role in removing systemic barriers impacting Black communities.

Our Black Experience Staff Advisory Committee (BESAC) increased the frequency of its meetings to inform our plan of action. Thank you to each of our BESAC members for their ongoing contributions.

We organized a session for YMCA leaders about leading with empathy through trauma and crisis, with an introduction to understanding anti-Black racism.

Our long-term strategy will be based on a review of our systems, policies, programs, and organizational culture and will be conducted by an external consultant. There will be opportunities for staff, volunteers, and community members to participate.

An introductory workshop, “Understanding Anti-Black Racism," which was developed by members of BESAC with support from the City of Toronto’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit, will be delivered to all staff and our Board of Directors beginning in November.

We will continue to update you as this work progresses.

This is a very difficult time in our communities and within our YMCA. We are facing the painful reality of interpersonal and systemic anti-Black racism. Words cannot convey the trauma felt due to the recurring loss of Black lives, not just in the US but also here in the GTA.

Our YMCA recognizes that many communities face painful racial discrimination on a daily basis and we condemn racism in all its forms. At this time, we're shining a light specifically on anti-Black racism because it is historic, deep-rooted, pervasive, and requires our immediate and focused attention.

By historic, we’re referring to the legacy of slavery in Canada, to name just one example. By deep-rooted and pervasive, we mean the many explicit and implicit ways this specific type of racism is expressed. Violence and hate speech are explicit. Other symptoms are less overt. The white candidate who lands the job over the equally qualified and competent Black candidate. The faces we see on TV. The ones whose stories are told in history books. Those growing up behind bars while their schoolmates walk free with a slap on the wrist.

Some statistics brought forward by our YMCA’s Black Experience Staff Advisory Committee (BESAC) illustrate why anti-Black racism demands our focus.

*8.9% of Toronto’s population is Black, yet:

• 85% of reported hate crimes target Black people
• 42% of children in care of Toronto Children’s Aid Society are Black
• 27% of Torontonians carded by police are Black
• 48% of children living in low-income homes are Black
• 48% of students expelled from TDSB schools are Black
• 13% of Black Torontonians are unemployed (twice the provincial unemployment rate).
• 65% of Black youth do not have access to a family doctor

We must put our individual and collective energy into recognizing and righting these problems so everyone can be safe, feel valued, and reach their full potential. We cannot allow another generation to grow up knowing pain, fear, and disadvantage.

This is a starting point that will be refined and added to over time, because we are committed to long-term change:

1. Programs and public policy
   Our YMCA's Diversity and Social Inclusion team, including BESAC, are looking at the programs and public policy work we can undertake to make our communities safer, fairer, and more inclusive. In particular, we need to look at programs specifically designed with and for Black communities.
2. Partnerships
   Black communities show tremendous strength, resilience, and leadership. We see it as our responsibility to take our lead from those who have been working on these issues for years. So we're reaching out to Black community leaders and partners to learn how we can do better. Together, we want to provide more meaningful offerings that uplift all members of our communities.
3. Representation in the workplace
   We at the Y have a responsibility to look inward, confront our own shortcomings as a workplace, and take action to fix them. We recognize how important diversity and representation are at the most senior levels of every organization, and we've made good strides over the last decade in attracting a strong and diverse Board. But we have more work to do at the senior staff level. After all, it’s by seeing others like us represented among smart, strong leaders that we learn to imagine bright futures for ourselves. We need to show Black children, teens, and adults that they can and should aspire to leadership positions.

Our YMCA's future holds a renewed, long-term commitment to supporting diversity, social connection, and belonging. We won’t stop until everyone in our region gets their fair chance to shine — at work and in life.

*Sources:
City of Toronto
Toronto District School Board
Pathways to Care