Reflecting as a Black woman on Feb. 2, 2002, my emotions are truly divided. The pride and admiration for Black luminaries of the past and present overwhelm me with gratitude and humility during Black History Month.
Today, I had the opportunity to speak with MP Matthew Green in his regular #ParltothePeople chat sessions. As I spoke, a stream of consciousness took over. He inquired what the work for 2022 looks like for EN; the answers came easy:
1. The education system must be reformed. Equity should be a human right and the hub from which everything branches. The HWDSB Trustees have made a mockery of their privileged positions. The bar continues to sink with Becky Buck being named Vice Chair after findings of her words and acts of anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism. We are tired of constantly reminding this school board that they must hire more people of colour to represent the student population. We know that this will ultimately provide richer and deeper learning for all students and better prepare the next generation to be impactful citizens. We will continue to hold HWDSB accountable and be transparent in our communication.
2. Healthcare in our community is really about the haves and have nots. Accessibility and equity are once again at the heart of this issue. Closing down services like Pain Clinics across the region will only make it more difficult for marginalized people to seek and access care. We will continue to shed light on these issues and call out impacts of systemic injustice in healthcare.
3. Finally we must bring attention to the stark difference in Policing of White Supremacists vs Black, Brown, Indigenous, racialized and marginalized communities in Ontario and in our Hamilton community. The difference between what is happening in our nation’s capital in comparison with how six young housing advocates were abused, criminalized and violated is grotesque, although not surprising. We must seek justice and hold those responsible for such cruelty accountable. We will continue to demand that all charges are dropped against the 6 young (mostly Black) adults.
We at Equity Network (EN) will do everything in our power to advocate for change and support those who understand it is important to earn the trust of the community, not demand it.
Andrea Purnell (Co-founder, Equity Network)
We at Equity Network ( EN) will do everything in our power to enhance change and support those who understand it is important to earn the trust of the community, not demand it.