Systemic and structural inequality have created a world that stacks the odds against Black and Indigenous communities. The effects of these inequalities are obvious in disparate access to good health, barriers to economic stability and over-criminalization.
Anti-Black racism and anti-Indigenous racism mean that our Black and Indigenous clients, colleagues, friends and community members continue to face insurmountable barriers caused by the destructive elements of systemic racism. Bottom line is that they don’t feel safe and will remain unsafe until real and sustainable change takes place.
In Toronto, the most diverse city in the world, the nonprofit sector has long fought the slow and uphill battle for social justice to bring equity within reach for all people – aiming to leave no member of our society behind. Our work has been too slow and has taken too long.
As such, the Toronto Nonprofit Network Steering Committee stands in unwavering solidarity with Black and Indigenous communities and our partner organizations. We endorse the statement made by our sister organization, the Ontario Nonprofit Network and our friends at Social Planning Toronto, OCASI, Toronto Neighbourhood Centres and Urban Alliance on Race Relations.
The Toronto Nonprofit Network recognizes that we need to work harder, more boldly and with more conviction than ever to unlearn racism in ourselves, our communities, our society and the institutions that have power over us. We commit to supporting our network in building inclusive organizations that can disrupt cycles of violence and build strong Toronto communities for all.
Signed,
Members of the TNN Steering Committee
Chris Brillinger, Family Service Toronto
Sané Dube, Alliance for Healthier Communities
Michelle Francis, Toronto Community Benefits Network
Margaret Hancock, Ontario Nonprofit Network
Samya Hassan, Council of Agencies Serving South Asians
Rob Howarth, Toronto Neighbourhood Centres
Joanne McKiernan, Volunteer Toronto
Devika Shah, Social Planning Toronto
Neethan Shan, Urban Alliance on Race Relations
Bill Sinclair, The Neighbourhood Group Community Services
Amelia Swanson, YMCA of Greater Toronto
Sue Wilkinson, Findhelp Information Services | 211 Central Region