South Okanagan Immigrant and Community Services is putting together a free anti-racism forum “Confronting the White
Elephant” on Friday, May 12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Penticton Lakeside Resort.
The forum aims to address systemic racism in our communities and promote solutions for a more equitable and inclusive society.
The event will feature a diverse panel of experts and leaders who will share their experiences and insights on confronting and addressing racism in our communities.
“We believe that it is important to bring our community together to have open and honest conversations about racism in our region, learn about the history of racism, how to recognize and divert online hate, how to engage youth in anti-racism work, how to address racism at the workplace, and what actions we can take to become anti-racist,” said Cherry Fernandes, the executive director of SOICS.
“We invite everyone to join us for these important conversations,” said Fernandez. “There is more that unites us, than what divides us. Together, we can stand up against racism and discrimination to build a community that is more welcoming, inclusive, and equitable.”
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Like a White Elephant, racism and doctrines of white supremacy are extremely costly to our society. The longer we hold on to these concepts, the longer we wait to confront the White Elephant of racism and white supremacy in our communities, the more we all stand to lose, she added.
Register online through the SOICS website at soics.ca.
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