Help address anti-Black racism in Vaughan

Members of the Black community are invited to share their lived experiences with the City

If you identify as a Black citizen living in Vaughan, bring your voice to the table. Virtual focus groups are taking place starting next week to help identify and address anti-Black racism in the City of Vaughan – and you’re invited to attend. Your input can help improve City programs, policies, procedures and services.

There is rich diversity within Vaughan’s Black community – with people from different backgrounds, identities and experiences. These different lived experiences and perspectives are vital to the City’s continued efforts to advance a culture of inclusion.

Here’s how you can get involved:

Attend community focus groups throughout March

Members of the City’s diverse Black community are invited to participate in a series of virtual focus groups taking place between Monday, March 13 and Thursday, March 30 with like-minded individuals to identify key issues, challenges and opportunities for change within the City’s programs, policies and procedures.

The following sessions will take place virtually:

• Monday, March 13 at 6 p.m.: General Session – perspectives of the Black community
• Tuesday, March 14 at 6 p.m.: Black immigrants
• Wednesday, March 15 at 6 p.m.: Black seniors
• Monday, March 27 at 6 p.m.: Black youth (ages 16 to 24)
• Tuesday, March 28 at 6 p.m.: Black members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community
• Wednesday, March 29 at 7 p.m.: General session – perspectives of the Black community
• Thursday, March 30 at 7 p.m.: Black business owners

Register for a session at vaughan.ca/AntiBlackRacism. If accommodations are required, please indicate at the time of registration.

Take an online survey until Wednesday, March 29

Black community members are encouraged to share their lived experiences facing anti-Black racism in Vaughan, as well as their experiences with City services, programs, events and communications through an online survey. The purpose of the survey is to understand:

• barriers or challenges the Black community faces and what processes, if any, should be reviewed or introduced by the City.
• what gaps in services and programming exist, if any.
• what opportunities are within reach.
• what aspirations, ideas or recommendations the Black community envisions that will further the mission of addressing anti-Black racism, and fostering greater inclusion and belonging in the City.

The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete and is available at vaughan.ca/AntiBlackRacism until Wednesday, March 29.

Through the Addressing Anti-Black Racism Community Engagement and Action Plan project, the City is collaborating with Black individuals, organizations serving the diverse Black communities living in the city and community leaders to identify and address barriers preventing the full and meaningful participation of the Black community when it comes to services, programs, events and city life.

All feedback collected will be used to help inform a multi-year action plan to address and work to eliminate anti-Black racism in the City, including improving municipal policies, community programs, City services and more. For more information, visit vaughan.ca/AntiBlackRacism.

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