One of the groups working on a Lego building kit in today's workshop. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Removing barriers

Breaking down systemic racism involves long-term work

Apr 30, 2024 | 3:59 PM

Change won’t happen overnight.

That’s one of the messages people heard who took part in an anti-racism workshop in North Battleford today, April 30.

The event called the Anti-Racism Collective Project for Change-makers recap session, organized by the Battlefords Regional Community Coalition (BRCC), aims to make changes to help fight racism in society.

The initiative was developed through the Anti-Racism Network and the Prairie Centre for Racial Justice.

Becky Sasakamoose Kuffner of the Prairie Centre For Racial Justice leads the workshop. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

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Many people taking part had already taken the anti-racism workshop, so this session aimed to build on that work.

Some of those participating included members from the City of North Battleford, the Rural Municipality of Meota and Living Sky School Division, to name a few.

During part of the morning session, participants took part in a Lego building project. People were divided into two groups, but they didn’t have a level playing field. One group was given a number of restrictions, and was not able to use their instruction booklet, which put them at a disadvantage in trying to finish the project. The first group was able to successfully complete their project, while the disadvantaged group was not. The disadvantaged group faced challenges similar to what Indigenous people dealing with systemic racism must contend with, all the time, every day.

City of North Battleford Coun. Kent Lindgren, who took part in the event, said he believes it was a good learning experience. He previously took part in an anti-racism workshop, so this event was a follow up to that.

“It’s based on really creating small manageable steps. I think for myself, personally, often the ways to address [racism] seem sometimes really not achievable. They are so large,” he said. “For me, it’s hard to create those steps. So, it’s really been great to have this [event], where we are able to break it down into small steps of what we can do every day, and build on those [efforts]. What I like about this is we are bringing in a wide range of agencies, the business community, large sections across our community to really create those meaningful steps. I think that will create other ripples. If we’re all creating small little steps, it adds up to something.”

Becky Sasakamoose Kuffner, owner and president of a learning co-operative called Prairie Centre For Racial Justice, led the workshop.

“What I see happening is extreme confusion around what are appropriate responses to the deeply entrenched systemic racism, not only in this region but in other areas, and across the country,” she said of the challenges in trying to eliminate systemic racism.

Participants in the workshop talked about trying to break down the problem of systemic racism, hoping to make gradual steps in progress, to try to find a solution.

“The idea is that racism as a concept is incredibly difficult and complex,” Sasakamoose Kuffner said. “It manifests itself in our organizations in ways that we can’t recognize. So, slowly understanding by changing our organizations with incremental change we can create long-term [positive] outcomes. Knowing that we have to take steps slowly [is important], baby steps, but we have to take steps in the right direction.”

In the afternoon session, participants worked on building a work-plan going forward.

“We’re building incremental, manageable steps for change-makers and influencers who are in organizations who are attending today,” Sasakamoose Kuffner said.

Coming up next, a celebration event is planned on May 23 to recognize the work people are doing by taking these workshops to help tackle racism in the community.

“People are understanding and have a very much more profound recognition of being able to see what racism is, and the harm that is being caused here [by racism],” Sasakamoose Kuffner said of the importance of these workshops.

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angela.brown@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @battlefordsNOW