Community-based organizations across B.C. that aim to address racism and discrimination are getting a helping hand from the province.
A total of 192 projects have now received support through the BC Multiculturalism Grants program, splitting around $1.2 million in funds to deliver more anti-racism initiatives.
Priority for these recent grants was given to projects addressing anti-Indigenous, anti-Asian and anti-Black racism.
A handful of Vancouver Island-based organizations made the cut, including Campbell River’s BC Elders Communication Center Society.
It was given $5,000 for its ‘2021 Annual Elders Gathering Anti-Indigenous Racism Project.’ Through the project, it’s seeking local elders’ solutions and recommendations on how to eliminate racism against Indigenous Peoples.
You can find the full list of recipients here.
“Racism is pervasive and it reaches into every corner of our province. The COVID-19 pandemic has only made the situation worse,” adds Rachna Singh, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives.
“That’s why these grants prioritize projects addressing anti-Indigenous, anti-Asian and anti-Black racism. These grants will not only help organizations across the province to address systemic racism, but also provide learning opportunities to foster better understanding and encourage intercultural conversation in B.C. communities,” she says.
