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I was prevented from saying all the things that needed to be said in relation to these incidents. I’m a co-chair of AARAC, and although I have the ability to speak for the Council, these aren’t their thoughts, they’re mine. Thread: https://bit.ly/3p2fhjA
I don’t do “thoughts and prayers” or unemotional, impersonal, dispassionate statements. Racism is personal, painful, & emotional. Appalled, horrified & disheartened are further amplified by terrified. I’m a Black woman who says what needs to be said, are they coming for me next?
I’m grateful for the work the EPS Hate Crime and Violent Extremism Unit in this investigation. Only a small percentage of hate crimes are reported to police. One of AARAC’s priority areas of work is preventing & responding to hate crimes.
This priority includes recommendations from the "Taking Action Against Racism" report which, amongst other things, suggests fully funding the Alberta Hate Crimes Committee and establishing a provincial hate crimes unit.
These two hate motivated incidents are sadly not solitary ones for Alberta in 2020 – hate crimes and incidents have been documented in Calgary, Ponoka, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Wood Buffalo, and Grande Prairie in just the last six months.
The Government of Alberta to provide leadership and strengthen its commitment to make this province racism-free. The Ministers and the Premier might start with removing the racists from their office staff.
The victims, who are layered with intersectionality (not a kooky academic theory at all!) have an additional lived experience of racism, systemic racism, and marginalization at the forefront of their minds as they go through every day life in Edmonton.
I hope that there is sufficient care, medical attention, and mental health service available to these three community members to help their healing from the racist violence and assaults they experienced.
Historically, racialized women, when they are attacked and marginalized facilitate and lead change for entire societies. This shouldn’t have to be the way societal change is delivered.
As we work towards the development of an anti-racist environment in Alberta, I firmly hope that these incidents will be historic, eventually being known as the last and final violent assaults of racialized Muslim women in Alberta. /end
