This is a statement shared at our most recent Council meeting in support of the town formally adopting the work of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Diversity & Inclusion And becoming a formal Staff Working Group.
Please take a moment to read some thoughts from Camille (our Education Sub-Committee Chair)
Good Afternoon.Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. My name is Camille Henry. My family and I have lived in Stouffville for 13 years. This is the only community my children know and they call Stouffville home. I am an elementary educator and have taught in both Stouffville and Markham. I have been working on the Mayor’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and I hope that today you will see the value of the work we have been doing and vote to make it an official Town Committee.
When the Mayor announced that he was forming a Diversity and Inclusion Committee for Stouffville I jumped at the opportunity to serve and I was overwhelmed and encouraged by the number of residents who also saw this as important work that needs to be done.
As a black woman, educator and wife, and parent, this committee is important because although we do not individually see as many issues of oppression, discrimination, and brutality in Canada as seen in the US, those systems do exist here.
BIPOC, the differently abled and lgbtqqip2saa (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, pansexual, two-spirit (2S), androgynous and asexual) do face these challenges here in Canada and here in Stouffville. I joined the committee because I want to do the work that will result in all people being accepted, represented, respected and truly included.
The events over the last year in the United States have accelerated the need for this work. As a black mother of a black boy who is 8 years old, I hate that I have to put so much pressure on him to be good so that he is not labeled as a troublemaker- because I know that the penalty for him could be harsher because of his skin color. Based on the comments from his teacher that he’s so serious at school I wonder if he feels like he’s allowed to have fun because his parents put so much pressure on him to be good for the sake of his safety. My daughter is 14 and Autistic. I often worry about what can happen as she walks to school talking and singing loudly to herself with no concern of public perception. Is someone going to call the police because a black girl is acting erratically out in public? To others these scenarios that occur in my mind may seem like nonsense, but they are real to me and to many BIPOC. As an educator I have watched many BIPOC families in Stouffville feel like they don’t have a voice in their schools or communities because although they fully participate in society they still feel like outsiders.
This committee is important and can be an example to the other communities in Ontario and Canada as a whole. I commend Mayor Lovatt for being bold and taking action to make this happen. The members of the Education Subcommittee, all come from different perspectives, careers, social locations etc and yet we have all witnessed the impacts of discrimination and racism in our community either personally or professionally.
Purpose Statement:
“The purpose of the education sub-committee is to amplify the voices of marginalized populations. This committee will work to provide education and resources to the Town of Stouffville with the goal of creating a community that celebrates inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility for all. Our goals will be met through active listening, mutual respect, accountability, consultation, and collaboration.”
The work that we do is dedicated to improving diversity, equity and inclusion in all activities of our Town’s government and assist in mobilizing community resources for the same.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
