The Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto (CCC) is joining Asian community in solidarity to combat and counter anti-Asian hate and bigotry. CCC is adding our voice in response to the growing number of racist incidents directed at people of Asian descent.
Hate crimes have risen in Canadian cities since the start of the pandemic is concerning. The deadly violence that happened south of the border could also happen in Canada.
In April, 2021, CCC launched a 2-year program, “Stronger Together”, funded by the Safer and Vital Communities from the Government of Ontario to combat the issue through a series of education programs – on-line Live Stream seminars, town hall meetings and development of toolkits.
These efforts were to empower self-protection in order to attain the objectives of making community members feel safe through educating the communities, enabling collective actions against hate crimes, supporting victims, and empowering self-protection.
To foster an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming multi-cultural environment, a coalition of 15 multi-cultural organizations including Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council, the local police force and education institutions while forming a Special Committee consisted of educators, community, and government leaders.
CCC project team, together with the Coalition Partners, will deliver a series of virtual and in person activities, when the city allows, the project will also strengthen the understanding and trust between public institutions i.e. policing service, justice system, various community sectors, and the people for the building of a strong and sustainable cooperation platform in the community against hate and other adversities. To co-exist in Harmony through understanding and respect.
Objectives of project:
- Toinitiateand maintain a multi-sectoral partnership among vulnerable communities, policing service and government agencies against the trends of stereotyping and stigmatization of Asians leading to hate crimes.
- To enhance sustainable trust, understanding and contact between Asians and the public with community institutions including law enforcement, justice system, educational institutions, social and community support.
- To conduct activities raising the awareness of the community on the facts and impacts of hate motivated crime targeting Asians and other communities in Ontario.
- To empower the community to support victims of hate motivated crime.
- To enhance community members’ feeling of safety through joint efforts to educate, motivate, facilitate, and support Asians to prevent, report, and mitigate negative impacts of hate crime.
Activities:
- Toidentifyproblems, connect people and formulate action plans to prevent hate andmitigating its impacts. The coalition will be composed of representatives from police force, justice department, social services, local community organizations, mental health organizations, students, local media, past victims, and community members.
- Online webinars and in-person workshops. These will be delivered with the support from police, other first responders, and professionals.
- Town hall gatherings for community members and representatives from various public and community institutions getting together to talk about hate motivated activities and crimes on Asians and the actions to be taken collectively.
- Building andmaintaininga Safe Community Website to let community members know that they are not alone when facing hate motivated activities and crimes, facilitating reporting, connecting them with public and community.
- A community educational event for the public on awareness of hate crime and how community can work together to prevent and mitigate the negative impacts.
- Producing educational videos to be posted on the new project website, partnerships’ website, social media, and news media.
- Publishing and distributing copies of “Toolkit against Hate Activities and Crime” to selected vulnerable people in the community. Digital copy of the toolkit will be free for download.
By Alan Lam
Chairman, Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto
Related links:
Stronger Together website: http://strongertogether.cccgt.org/
CAMSC Feature Video – Gold Ribbon Campaign – CAMSC Feature on Asian Gold Ribbon Campaign with Sheila Wong and Trevor Lui – YouTube
Asian Gold Ribbon Day website – https://asiangoldribbon.com/
Trevor Lui’s website – https://highbellgroup.com/