The Town of Newmarket wants to engage the local Black community as it works toward the completion of a new multi-year action plan to dismantle anti-Black racism.
Consultant EMPOWER Strategy Group will be holding two town halls Aug. 4 and 8 to get public input into the town’s plan to address anti-black racism. The plan stems from a report from the community-led anti-Black racism task force, which made 117 recommendations for addressing inequalities.
Speaking at a task force meeting July 26, task force chair Jerisha Grant-Hall said it is vital work.
“I echo the voice of one of our community members: ‘This is an existential crisis. Anti-Black racism is an existential crisis and it means that it’s serious and it needs to be addressed. And that’s what we’re doing here.'"
Town council backed the report last December and agreed to work to fulfill the recommendations, with the report highlighting issues from representation to housing to community culture. Internal changes were also recommended, such as an employment equity plan.
“As a town, we must commit to acting against anti-Black racism to ensure that all people in our community feel welcome and safe,” Newmarket Mayor John Taylor said in a news release.
Task force members met July 26 to discuss the progress on the action plan and the forthcoming public consultation.
Council had directed staff to bring back an implementation plan in the second quarter of 2022, with the report now expected in September. EMPOWER CEO and founder Evelyn Myrie said they are working with all staff departments to bring forward a plan.
“The multi-year plan will seek to make Newmarket a place where people feel they belong,” she said.
Task force member Gavin Gunter said it may be difficult to get an in-depth response in the short timeframe before the town halls. He added that he understands they are bound by time constraints.
Still, he said they are getting to a stage where the major issues have been captured, which he is happy to hear.
“We’re reaching a very good confidence level in terms of identifying, specifically, what is a concern in the community," he said.
The town halls will include one virtual and one in-person event. Organizers are primarily seeking Black voices for the town halls, Myrie said. She added there is a concern that racists could break into the virtual Zoom event and disrupt it, meaning they want to strategically target the local Black community for the engagement.
"We want to centralize those voices," Myrie said. "We have been Zoom bombed by racist individuals, so I'm always kind of mindful of that. It's a reality we face when we do this work."
The virtual town hall will take place Aug. 4 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm., while an in-person town hall will take place Aug. 8 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association Community Centre at 449 Eagle St. You can get details and RSVP at heynewmarket.ca/dabr.
"Newmarket should strive to be one of the most inclusive communities in Canada, but that will not happen without hard work and action," Taylor said. "This work is an important step on that journey."
