YYC Colours
A documentary addressing Racism in Calgary
Racism is a system in which one group of people exercises power over another on the basis of race. It is a set of beliefs, false assumptions, and actions based on an ideology of the inherent superiority of one racial group over another. It consists of policies and practices, rooted in established institutions, that result in the exclusion or advancement of specific groups of people. Ex - discriminatory laws, residential segregation, poor health care, inferior education, unequal economic opportunity and the exclusion and distortion of the perspectives of racially non-dominant Canadians.
YYC Colours is a documentary that was created to start discussions about racism in Calgary and Canada in general. The film took over a year and a half to produce. We spoke to hundreds of people and over 100 interviews were recorded through a community call to action that contributed to the content of the film. The goal is to have people view the film and start having honest conversations about racism and privilege in our society. The subject of race can be very touchy, but if we as a society don't engage in the conversation, understand the problem and start with solutions at the systemic level that involve BIPOC Canadians, racism will never end.
The documentary also touches on hate crimes, privilege, white fragility, bigotry, xenophobia and islamophobia.
The documentary also touches on hate crimes, privilege, white fragility, bigotry, xenophobia and islamophobia.
How to use this documentary in your workplace or educational institute
Start with the initial thoughts and comments folks have about the film, and what stood to the people watching.
Some questions for conversation and debrief:
1. People in the documentary refer to the different spheres, systems, and areas of life where racism occurs.
2. What do you notice about the diversity of racist experiences shared in the documentary?
4. Does it surprise you that racism starts so early?
5. White privilege is an unearned social, economic, cultural advantage that white people are afforded as a result of living in a world that is built on white supremacy. Privilege is invisible, which means white people do not experience racism or systemic disadvantage based on race.
6. In your context (workplace, school, camp, etc), consider the ways in which racism shows up?
7. Within your agency or organization, notice who is in positions of leadership or who sits on your board.
8. How are you personally engaging in decolonization and anti-racist work?
Some questions for conversation and debrief:
1. People in the documentary refer to the different spheres, systems, and areas of life where racism occurs.
- Did you know this?
- Have you noticed someone being treated differently?
- Have you considered how you might have participated in racism?
- Consider what stereotypes and biases you hold about different groups of people.
- What do you think you need to do to shift this?
2. What do you notice about the diversity of racist experiences shared in the documentary?
- Experiences of racism are frequently minimized and dismissed. How do you think this impacts people as they navigate different systems and avenues of life?
- Ie. Accessing medical care, government support, applying for jobs, etc.
- Ie. Accessing medical care, government support, applying for jobs, etc.
- Consider mental health impacts, disruptions in trust with different systems that are meant to be helpful (medical, police), etc.
4. Does it surprise you that racism starts so early?
- What does this tell you about how quickly these biases about people are internalized?
- Consider what needs to shift in schools in order to educate on and create accountability for racism early on.
- What does this tell you about the work adults have to do in actively unlearning racism?
5. White privilege is an unearned social, economic, cultural advantage that white people are afforded as a result of living in a world that is built on white supremacy. Privilege is invisible, which means white people do not experience racism or systemic disadvantage based on race.
- Have you considered how this privilege shows up in your life?
- If you are BIPOC, have you considered how you might internalize white supremacy and hold racist beliefs about your own racial identity, and other racial identities?
6. In your context (workplace, school, camp, etc), consider the ways in which racism shows up?
- What have you done to challenge it?
- What can you do to challenge that?
- What do you need to learn in order to be more actively anti-racist?
- Are there policies or procedures that disproportionately create barriers for BIPOC?
- How accessible are your services to different ethnoculturally diverse groups?
7. Within your agency or organization, notice who is in positions of leadership or who sits on your board.
- Consider what barriers your organization/agency or people have created for BIPOC in taking on leadership or having more power or voice.
8. How are you personally engaging in decolonization and anti-racist work?
- How can this be integrated into your everyday life?
- How are you showing up in solidarity with racially diverse groups?
- How do you engage with your local, provincial, federal government representatives to ensure they are actively working towards anti-racist change?
- What existing initiatives, programs, organizations, etc can you amplify or be a part of?
This documentary is produced by Iman Bukhari, CEO of Canadian Cultural Mosaic Foundation. This documentary was made possible with the Take Actions Grant from the Arusha Centre.
The film is rated PG due to language that involves racial slurs.
The film is rated PG due to language that involves racial slurs.
