AFTERNOON SESSION: Anti-Racism Response Training (A.R.T.)

This webinar has reached FULL capacity.

At this point, registrations are not being accepted for a wait list also.

What can I say or do when I hear racist or discriminatory remarks?  What are my response options when I witness discriminatory behaviour?  How can I participate in creating a safer community for everyone?   Over the past months, and particular over the past weeks, racism has become front and centre in the news. Many people are expressing shock and outrage regarding incidents of racism and hate right here in BC. At the same time, while we know that victims or targets of racism can be traumatized by the inaction of bystanders, most people freeze up when they witness incidents of racism, largely due to a lack of skills.   The A.R.T. Program, developed by Dr. Ishu Ishiyama – and recently enhanced by your facilitators – is a skill-based training that uses a witness-centred approach. In this webinar, we will review four levels of witnessing: 

(1) dis-witnessing

(2) passive witnessing

(3) active witnessing, and 

(4) ethical witnessing. 

We will then focus on four key categories of active witnessing, and participants will have the chance to learn and practice a wide range of anti-racism responses, as well as share some of their own effective strategies for responding to racism.   This training is designed to encourage participants to shift from being frozen or silent bystanders to becoming active witnesses. In doing so, we can disrupt racism and build a safer and more inclusive community.

 Please note that space is limited. Registrations accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

FACILITATORS:

THANH TAZUMI is a refugee, immigrant, Canadian citizen, daughter, wife, mother, woman of color, Christian, Rotarian, foodie, hopeful optimist, and an empty nester, among other things. She was born and spent the first nine years of her life in Vietnam. Her family fled after the American-Vietnam war along with nearly one million other “Boat People”. She lived in a refugee camp for over 3 years before immigrating to Canada in 1984. In 1987 her family discovered beautiful Vancouver Island and moved to Campbell River, and they have lived here since. Thanh completed her Bachelor in Psychology and Sociology in 1996. She and her husband, Mark Tazumi, have two beautiful daughters. Mark is a third generation Japanese Canadian whose family lived in and through the Japanese interment experience. As a family, they ALL have lived experience with racism, including their parents, siblings, cousins, nieces nephews, and their own children. At the same time, Thanh also recognizes the many privileges that she has. Thanh hopes to contribute in a small way to making our community a little safer for those who have been and/or are marginalized and discriminated against.

NAOMI L. WOLFE is a settler Canadian who greatly values any opportunity to share her skills, learn from others, and collaborate in ways that enhance intercultural understanding, deepen our connections to one another, and create a more just and inclusive society. Over the past 25 years, she has facilitated workshops on various topics, including intercultural competencies, diversity/inclusion, power and privilege, anti-racism and Reconciliation. Naomi has also been an active part of the SIETAR communication, facilitating workshops at at Global SIETAR, various SIETAR USA conferences, and several SIETAR BC events. Through 29 years of working with and advocating for immigrant, refugee and international students as an ESL faculty member at North Island College, and as co-founder of the Immigrant Welcome Centre (Campbell River), Naomi has a deep understanding of the challenges and barriers faced by our diverse community. Originally from Saskatchewan, and having lived many years in the USA and Guatemala, Naomi is grateful to have spent the last 30 years living and raising her sons on unceded First Nations traditional territory near the banks of the Oyster River on Vancouver Island