Working Definitions for the Anti-Black and Anti-Indigenous Racism Toolkits

A collection of strategies, theories, actions, and practices that operate to address systems of oppression on the individual, institutional, and systemic levels.¹ Anti-oppression work mitigates oppressional effects to eventually dismantle power imbalances.

Policies and practices rooted in systems such as education, health care, and justice that reinforce beliefs, attitudes, prejudice, stereotyping, and/or discrimination towards Black people.¹ Anti-Black racism is deeply ingrained in systems, institutions, and individuals. It is rooted in experiences of enslavement and colonization faced by Black people. The term anti-Black racism was first expressed by Dr. Akua Benjamin.

Is a systematic method of analysis and a course of action that acknowledges the existence of racism and various forms of racism, including systemic racism.¹ An anti-racism approach aims to actively identify, minimize, and remove the power imbalances sustained by existing structures between groups.

Anti-Indigenous Racism is the ongoing race-based discrimination, negative stereotyping, and injustice experienced by Indigenous Peoples within Canada due to the downstream impacts of settler colonialism.² It includes systems that perpetuate ideas and practices that establish, maintain, and perpetuate power imbalances, systemic barriers, hoarding of resources, and inequitable outcomes that stem from the legacy of colonial policies and practices in Canada.²

A process, policy or set of policies and practices where a political power from one territory exerts control in a different territory, involving and resulting in unequal power dynamics.³ The processes, policies and/or practices result in the acquiring of full or partial political control over other people or territory, settlers occupying and economically exploiting the territory.³

A code of conduct sets out clear guidelines for how employees should behave in the workplace. It defines standards of professional conduct, business ethics, and company values that employees and managers must adhere to. The purpose of a code of conduct is to minimize legal risk, protect employee well-being, and ensure compliance with all applicable international and local laws.

A written or verbal expression of concern that has been raised by a worker or leader in an institution.

An iterative, transdisciplinary, race-equity methodology rooted in social justice that originated in legal studies.⁴ Critical Race Theory draws on theory, experience, and critical consciousness to investigate and combat the root causes of structural and systemic racism.⁵ Dr. Derrick Bell's Interest Convergence Theory is a core foundational tenet within Critical Race Theory and argues that advancements for racially marginalized groups are only permitted when benefitting the dominant oppressive group.⁶ This highlights the intentional rather than aberrational permanence underlying racially discriminant systemic structures.⁶ Critical Race Theory is a tool to conduct research and practice to expand knowledge to discuss complex racial concepts and challenge racial hierarchies.⁵

The process of reflecting, accounting for, and understanding how an individual's own culture impacts their perceptions.⁷ It is a lifelong practice which may be undertaken at both the individual and organizational level. The process encompasses the recognition of one's own biases and limitations, and commitment to perpetually learning about other cultures. Cultural humility emphasizes openness, self-awareness, and the building of respectful partnerships, particularly with those of other cultures, rather than assuming expertise. The approach of cultural humility promotes a learner mindset which enables providers to create culturally safe environments.⁸

An outcome determined by those receiving care or services. It is based on respectful engagement which recognizes and strives to address power imbalances inherent within an organizational system.⁸ Cultural safety is achieved when those made marginalized feel respected, are free of discrimination, and are free to express their cultural identity without repercussions or fear thereof. This outcome is achieved when organizations and individuals recognize and address power imbalances, institutional discrimination, and the ongoing acts of settler colonialism. Cumulatively, cultural safety progresses beyond cultural awareness and sensitivity, to enacting systemic change and accountability.

Discrimination is an action or a decision that results in the unfair or negative treatment of person or group because of their citizenship status, race, disability, ethnicity, religion, gender expression, gender identity, place of origin, sex, and sexual orientation.⁵

Encompasses a range of visible and invisible qualities such as race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, physical or mental abilities, religious or spiritual beliefs, or political ideologies.⁹ Diversity also includes variations of different personalities, capabilities, thought and/or perspectives.⁹

It is the promotion of fairness and justice for each individual that considers historical, social, systemic, and structural issues that impact experience and individual needs.¹⁰ To achieve equitable outcomes, differential treatment and resource redistribution are required to result in balance among individuals and communities.

Refers to information collected about individuals that relates to their personal and social identities. This data typically includes characteristics that are central to how people define themselves and how they are perceived in society. In the context of workforce data collection, identity-based data is used to understand the composition, experiences, and needs of a diverse workforce, and to support equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives.

Common Categories of Identity-Based Data:

• Demographic Information: Age, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality
• Cultural Identity: Language, religion, Indigenous status
• Socioeconomic Background: Education level, income bracket, parental education
• Disability Status: Physical, mental, or cognitive disabilities
• Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI): LGBTQIA+ identities
• Immigration or Refugee Status

An incident report is a formal document that serves as a reference after an unexpected event or incident happens. The primary goals of an incident report are to capture critical data about what happened and keep a record of who, what, when, where, injuries/damage sustained, equipment/property affected, actions done, and more. It can be used for event investigation and analysis, which includes determining the root cause and corrective steps to eliminate risks and prevent recurrence. Incident reports can also be utilized as safety documentation to identify potential risks and uncontrolled hazards for future evaluations.¹¹

Inclusion is an active, intentional, and continuous process to address inequities in power and privilege and build a respectful and diverse community that ensures welcoming spaces and opportunities to flourish for all. Workplace Inclusion is an atmosphere where all employees belong, contribute, and can thrive. It requires deliberate and intentional action.¹¹

Indigenous peoples is a collective name for the original peoples of North America and their descendants.² The Canadian Constitution recognizes 3 groups of Indigenous peoples: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit.² These are 3 distinct peoples with unique histories, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.²

This refers to the ability of Indigenous peoples, communities, and Nations to engage in, safeguard, and govern data generated concerning themselves. The term "sovereignty" refers to the inherent authority of Indigenous Nations over their governance, extending to their data and knowledge domains.¹²

Indigenous rights are protected under the Constitution Act of 1982, specifically under Section 35, which recognizes the rights of Aboriginal peoples.¹³ These rights encompass land rights, the right to self-determination and self-government, cultural rights, and the right to maintain and develop their own institutions, among others. Article 1 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples notes that Indigenous peoples have the right to the full enjoyment, as a collective or as individuals, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms as recognized in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights law.¹⁴

The acknowledgement that exposure to extremely adverse events impacts individuals to such a severity that their offspring inherit and grapple with the effects of their parents' trauma and associated adaptations.¹⁵ Historically intergenerational trauma has had profound impacts on Indigenous individuals through the downstream effects of settler colonialism, residential schooling, land dispossession, and forced displacement.¹⁶ Black individuals also experience the debilitating influences of intergenerational trauma due to injustices such as the trans-Atlantic slave trade and systemic anti-Black racism.¹⁷

Describes how race, class, gender, disability, sexuality, and other aspects of one's identity overlap to inform how individuals simultaneously experience oppression and privilege in their daily lives interpersonally and systemically. Originally termed by Kimberlé Crenshaw, intersectionality first arose to describe the specific oppression Black women face due to the combinative effects of anti-Black racism and misogyny.¹⁸

Any academic/educational institution that has a formal affiliation agreement with the Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN).

Referring to an executive director, senior leader, manager, advisor, supervisor and/or authority figure in the institution with influence over an individual, team or department/division.

The firsthand experiences of people on whom a social affliction or combination of social afflictions has had a direct personal impact.¹⁹ This impact is direct rather than being constructed through representations theorized by other individuals.¹⁹

Pervasive systemic and institutionalized forms of bias and oppression that overtly impact societal programs, policies, practices, procedures, and structures of organizations and larger systems.²⁰ Practically, this form of discrimination propagates inequity in governmental institutions, businesses and industries, legal, judicial, health care, and educational systems, amongst others.²⁰

An interaction that is commonplace, frequent, verbal/nonverbal, behavioural, or environmental which communicates hostile, derogatory, or negative biases towards groups made marginalized.²¹ These encounters occur at the interpersonal level between a perpetuator and the individual, or group, being discriminated against.²¹

The social act of placing severe restrictions on an individual, a group or an institution which occurs at all societal levels and is reinforced by social norms, institutional biases, interpersonal relationships, and personal beliefs.²²

Access to privileges such as information/knowledge, connections, experience and expertise, resources and decision-making that enhance a person's chances of getting what they need to live a comfortable, safe, productive and profitable life.²³

Unearned power, benefits, advantages, access, and/or opportunities that exist for members of the dominant group(s) in society. It can also refer to the relative privilege of one group compared to another.²³

A form of discrimination within the workplace environment in which individuals are negatively impacted by discriminatory work actions from either fellow coworkers or supervisors. This may be caused by a single incident or through the cumulative impact of words and discriminatory behaviours.

Negative prejudgment or preconceived feelings or notions about another person or group of persons based on perceived characteristics.

A socially constructed classification system used to distinguish groups of individuals based on their phenotypical characteristics such as skin tone, hair texture, and facial features. As race is socially constructed, dominant White oppressive groups have historically informed and weaponized racial categorization. This exploitation is used to maintain discriminative hegemonic systems of power over groups deemed racialized and made to endure subjugation.²⁴

Attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions consciously or unconsciously.

Attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions consciously or unconsciously.

Differential consequences are created for different racial groups individually, culturally, institutionally, and systematically.^1,11 Racism is grounded in white supremacy, whereby whiteness is deemed superior to non-white groups.^1,11 Racism is enabled by the combination of prejudice and power. Different types of racism:

• Individual racism: Racial discrimination stems from the conscious and unconscious bias held by the individual and includes psychologically harmful practices like name-calling and derogatory language.
• Systemic/Institutional racism: refers to the arrangements and practices that maintain racial hierarchies and racial inequality. It comprises policies, behaviours, and practices that are part of the social, cultural, or administrative elements of an organization and which produce or maintain positions of disadvantage for racialized individuals.
• Structural racism: refers to inequalities rooted in the system-wide operation of a society that excludes substantial numbers of members of particular groups from significant participation in major social institutions.²⁵

Refers to any distinctive, exclusionary, restrictive, or preferential behaviour, which is based on race, ethnicity or ethno-religion, cultural descent, or nationality.²⁶ These behaviours impair the recognition, enjoyment, or ability to exercise fundamental human rights and innate freedoms within the political, economic, social, or any other field of public life.²⁶

Refers to an incident or a series of incidents having the effect of intimidating, offending, or harming an individual or group because of their perceived race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, ethno-religious or national origin. This includes verbal and/or physical abuse, insults, name-calling, bullying, threatening behaviour, damage to property, displaying and/or sharing racially offensive material, and encouraging others to commit racist acts.

A legal term that describes the fundamental dimensions of healing following an incident by the aggressor. Reparative justice encompasses every step throughout the justice process to the conclusion of the case/investigation and allows an opportunity for healing and reintegration back into the community/society. Reparative justice may precede restitution or rehabilitation.

Restorative Justice (RJ) is a way of addressing conflict and crime that enables the person who caused the harm, people who were affected by the harm, and the community to create a meaningful solution.²⁷ It is not a specific model; instead, it is a set of principles that can be flexibly applied to a variety of situations of conflict, crime, abuse, etc.²⁷

A complaint is made by the worker to the organization. Reporting is when information about an individual's conduct is conveyed with the intent that the institution formally reviews and potentially acts upon the information.

A form of social organization in which settlers create an independent version of their home society in another land through the genocide, displacement, and perpetuated destruction of its Indigenous peoples.

Setting universal goals and using targeted processes to achieve those goals. Within this framework, an organization or system sets universal goals for all groups concerned. The strategies the organization/system develops to achieve those goals are targeted to different groups based on how different groups are situated within structures, cultures, and across geographies to obtain the universal goal.²⁸

A form of anonymous reporting where someone who has experienced mistreatment can report it through someone else, who then accesses one of the established reporting mechanisms to report the experience.

Recognizes the intersectional impact of racism and racial discrimination amplifies the perspective and experiences of victims of racial discrimination.⁹ Using a trauma-informed approach requires constant attention, awareness, sensitivity, continuous internal assessment and quality improvement, engagement with community stakeholders, and a willingness to change at an organizational level.¹¹

As defined by the Guidelines for Working with a Trauma-informed Approach:

1. Realise the widespread impact of trauma
2. Recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma and the varied responses to trauma in both individuals and cultures
3. Respond to trauma by integrating knowledge of trauma into all policies and practices
4. Actively seek to resist re-traumatization through organizational policies and environments

Truth and reconciliation

The actions of being accountable for the truth of historical injustices, its holistic downstream effects, and developing strategies to mitigate racism. Truth and reconciliation encompasses establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.²⁹ Truth and reconciliation necessitate an awareness of the past, an acknowledgement of the harm that has been inflicted, and atonement for causes and actions to change behaviour.

Truth and reconciliation is:

• Critical
• Complex
• Multi-faceted
• Responsibility of every Canadian
• Honoring Treaties, Inherent Rights
• Acknowledging and respecting the rights and titles of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit homelands
• Disbarring negative stereotypes
• Expanding knowledge of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit contributions to Canada and the world
• Combatting anti-Indigenous racism
• Respecting cultural beliefs, worldviews, and cultural ways
• Supporting the reclamation of land and resources
• Building and strengthening relationships with Indigenous peoples

An employee at the institution that does not hold a position of power.³⁰

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