The Burnaby School District is supporting Black Shirt Day on January 15 – a positive initiative that will provide students with an opportunity to use their voice.
Only recently announced by the Anti-Racism Coalition (ARC), Black Shirt Day is new this year. ARC created the day to raise awareness of the challenges faced by Black and racialized Canadians, as well as to help foster solidarity against all forms of racism and hate.
Students and staff throughout the District are invited to wear black shirts on January 15 to show support for anti-racism. Several school staff and students are initiating participation in their buildings. Vice-Principal Sheila Rawnsley at Marlborough Elementary School describes the leadership of students at her school:
Our Grade 7 students have taken up this work with passion and pride. They are also doing daily announcements over the week leading up to the day, itself, that highlight Black leaders and their works.”
The District Vice-Principal of Equity, Beth Applewhite, has also shared resources with all schools to help facilitate additional conversation and learning for participating classes, including resources curated by ARC.
Inspired by the effect of awareness days such as Pink Shirt Day and Orange Shirt Day, ARC has stated it hopes to get more conversations started about racism and civil rights leading into February, which is Black History Month. The date of January 15 was chosen by ARC as it is also the birthday of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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Posted January 2021