RECAP OF THE SUMMIT
From March 15th-17th 2024, 59 youth from grades 8-12 all across the province came together at l’école André-Piolat in North Vancouver for a Summit centered around the topic of antiracism and communities of belonging. A powerful moment of sharing and learning for all those present!
The chosen theme for this edition: antiracism and communities of belonging This year, the Summit was organized with the theme of racism within communities of belonging in mind in an effort to highlight the different lived experiences one has within their communities. All of the workshop material was prepared using an intersectional approach, allowing for different experiences and identity factors to be taken into account.
Learning and sharing experiences During the three days spent together, youth present were able to participate in a variety of activities in order to actively learn about the topic at hand as well as speak on the subject. Participants had the opportunity to explore their identity through a painting workshop, to further their understanding and reflect on racism in sports, media and music, to share and compare their experiences during open forums, to learn how to act in instances of racism through improv, and to equip themselves in order to become allies through a workshop organized by Jeunes Leaders des relations saines, a program offered through Réseau femmes B.C.
The Summit was so special in part due to rich conversations that allowed for strong bonds to form among participants. In addition, a surprise concert by Francophone artist TPoints who came all the way from Montréal to join in on the fun made for a particularly memorable weekend!
From the latest edition of the Summit, participants left equipped with skills to combat racism present within their everyday lives, but also broadened perspectives on diversity and the lived experiences of those around them. An unforgettable experience that allowed for youth all across B.C. to come together and build lifelong friendships!
A big thank you to our working group for their involvement throughout the planning of the Summit. Thank you as well to our partners for their support: the Francophone School Board of British Columbia, Jeunes Leaders des relations saines and the Michaëlle Jean Foundation.