February
COMMUNITY NEWS
2021
RenfrewCollingwoodCommunityNews.com
St. Mary’s students take a stand against racism on Black Shirt Day by Mark Mogatas Theo Mogatas is an 11-year-old from Vancouver and a student at St. Mary’s Elementary School who was verbally assaulted with racist comments after soccer practice. Theo shared his story with Anti-Racism Coalition (ARC) Vancouver and took part in #BlackShirtDay held on January 15 to raise awareness of the ongoing struggle faced by Black and racialized Canadians. January 15 is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. St. Mary’s school was one of the many schools in the lower mainland that participated in Black Shirt Day. All of the students came out in black shirts to shine a light on acceptance and to support Black and racialized people. One of the best actions observed throughout the school were the conversations that took place in the class and spread through the halls out to the playgrounds and into the homes of families. Having these conversations at home may seem challenging; however, there are many resources that families can draw from. According to the PBS Teachers Lounge, here are basic guidelines when talking about race with your children: St. Mary’s students took part in Black Shirt Day on January 15. Photo by Mark Mogatas St. Mary’s students took part in Black Shirt Day on January 15. Photo by Mark Mogatas
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1. Examine your own understanding of race.
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Continued on page 2
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