Thread by @P_Ratchford

Long Thread #2. The CoV sits on the precipice of institutionalizing racial discrimination as part of adopting an intersectional approach in their “climate emergency response”. #vanpoli #bcpoli #cdnpoli

Embedded in Appendix H of the administrative report, staff recommendations state, “The City will strive to ensure the group has a majority of black, Indigenous, and people of colour among participants.”

council.vancouver.ca/20190424/docum…

The only way to “ensure” majority representation of specific racial groups is to discriminate against individuals on the basis of their race.

Here the definition of racial discrimination.

“Racial discrimination refers to discrimination against individuals on the basis of race.”

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_di…

And here the definition of institutional racism.

“Racial discrimination that has become established as normal behaviour within a society or organization”

en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ins…

Should CoV council approve staff recommendations to decide participants in a publicly funded forum solely on the basis of race they would be normalizing racial discrimination within a governmental institution.

Institutionalizing racial discrimination is corrosive to the social fabric and potentially dangerous.

The fact that city staff made recommendations to racially discriminate in participant selection for publicly funded workshops is deeply troubling.

However, some fault also rests with city council for previously including “intersectional lens” language in this approved motion. This motion led to the climate emergency response recommendations.

vancouver.ca/files/cov/clim…

Worth mentioning, power is not a prerequisite for racism.

Racism can be both individual and institutional.

We shouldn’t indulge racism simply because people may not have power to systemically discriminate

Worth noting, power is not mentioned in the definition of racism.

en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/rac…

Please join me in reaching out to city council on this issue. I will be drafting a letter to council.

Recommendations go to Council on April 24th at 9:30am. Find out about speaking here.

vancouver.ca/your-governmen… …

Request to speak here.

vancouver.ca/your-governmen…

Encouraging minority groups to find their voice and participate in the public conversation is something we should do.

Racially discriminating to “ensure” a "majority" of participants in publicly funded workshops are members of a particular racial group is a mistake.

Final

@threadreaderapp "unroll"