The Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan is trying to eliminate racism through awareness and education. Executive Director Rhonda Rosenberg says there isn’t more racism in Saskatchewan than there used to be, it just seems like it because we are in a political climate where there is greater permission to express hatred. The best way to defeat it is to recognize it for what it is and speak up when you see it.

One challenge, Rosenberg explains, is that if we carry privilege we are almost never aware until we connect and learn from those who don’t have these privileges. March is anti-racism month and March 21st is the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Day. Leading up to that, the Multicultural Council has organized youth leadership workshops for high schools, community forums, and in Saskatoon, the Saskatchewan Intercultural Association hosts its annual reel-to-real anti-racism festival at the Broadway Theatre March 17th and 18th.

Rosenberg says there are 4 forms of racism. What most of us picture is individual racism between people. A few examples would be refusing to rent to someone or receiving poor treatment at a store. There is also cultural racism which gives us the stereotypes that we react to without even being aware, systemic racism in our institutions and social systems and internalized racism, where those being targeted believe the stereotypes about themselves.