International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

In 1979, March 21st was declared by the UN General Assembly as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which commences a week of solidarity with all peoples struggling against racism and racial discrimination. Millions of people and many Governments, agencies and institutions will be conducting activities reiterating that all human beings are equal in dignity and rights and seek to dismantle doctrines and policies of discrimination based on false beliefs of “racial superiority”.

LINGAP-Canada is commemorating this day with an online forum on the theme Systemic Racism: An inter-generational Conversation. The Forum will begin with a short YouTube film "Is Systemic Racism in Canada a Problem?", produced by CPAC (Canadian Public Affairs Channel) (6 mins long) URL     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Olv_QBVA_f4

The conversation will share personal stories and experiences of two Filipino-Canadians who have migrated to and lived in Alberta for many years and two Canadian youth who have experienced growing up in Alberta. The panel will provide an interesting inter-generational perspective on the issues of systemic racism.  The panellists will share their personal and social experiences and stories of racial discrimination and “systemic discrimination”.   How have they constructively overcome such discrimination? After this sharing of the panellists, a Q & A and dialogue  will be facilitated.

Panellists:

Dr. Josie Pallard emigrated from the Philippines to Edmonton in 1967 and has taught in Alberta public schools (K-G12) for 38 years. She holds a B.Ed ( University of Alberta) and  a MEd (San Francisco State University), a doctorate (Honoris Causa). Josie has been extensively involved in numerous associations for promoting multiculturalism and empowerment of migrant women, including the Filipino-Canadian Saranay Association, Changing Together, and the International & Heritage Languages Association. She is presently Vice-President of LINGAP-Canada.

Lito Mendoza Velasco is a Filipino migrant to Canada and  Editor-in-Chief of the Alberta Filipino Journal. He has contributed for many years to promoting the well-being of the Filipino-Canadian community in Alberta, including serving as Internal Vice-President of the Congress of the Philippine Associations of Alberta (COPAA). Lito describes himself as “a Philosopher, homoviator, and a catalyst of change (who) moves in the light of his philosophical, psychological, and Theological background”.

Erica Cawagas migrated from the Philippines to Canada as a child. She attended elementary and high school in Edmonton before gaining a Diploma in Music Composition from Grant MacEwan University.  Erica has played with the Filipino Canadian Saranay Rondalla group, and participated in Kiwanis Music Festivals. She received a 2017 Cultural Diversity in the Arts project grant as Musical Director and co-writer of the play, Emma. An active member of LINGAP-Canada, she is presently a researcher for CBC Edmonton news.

Shanil Ranasinghe grew up as an Indo-Canadian in Edmonton. After elementary and high school, he enrolled in  Human Resources at the University of Alberta.  Shanil has been an English language teacher in China and Japan. He has contributed to LINGAP-Canada programs, including writing and presenting the story on racism in the  Human Rights Monologues online play to commemorate Human Rights Day in 2021. He is presently working in the field of Human Resources for a firm in Edmonton.

Following the panelists’ presentations (10 mins each), Forum participants will be invited to share their comments, ideas, questions and experiences on the issues raised by the panelists.

Join our Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89295050955

Meeting ID: 892 9505 0955