Anti-Racism at RRC Polytech
Anti-Racism: It’s Not a Grey Area
As a College community, we have a responsibility to stand up, speak out, and push back against racism in all its forms.
We know diversity is one of our greatest strengths and the College is home to thousands of employees and students from all different backgrounds. Every one of us brings a unique perspective, experience, and connection to our workplace and classrooms.
We are proud of our diversity and while we continue to take important action in our shared fight against racism, we know we have more work ahead of us.
Even within the College, we’re not immune to the systemic racism and unconscious bias that continues to be prevalent throughout our communities and across the country – it still exists in our classrooms, hallways, and meeting rooms – and it’s why we must continue to do more. To say we as a College value diversity and inclusion is not enough – we must be anti-racist in our leadership, policies, and actions.
Committing to anti-racism is committing to action. The College is working to dismantle racist policies and actively creating equitable opportunities for all members of our community, and at the same time, we are encouraging the College community to engage in their own anti-racist work.
Anti-racism is not distancing yourself from racism, it’s recognizing the roots of where unconscious and learned biases come from and extracting those from thoughts and behaviours. While anti-racism can be engaged on a personal level, it’s not a matter of blame or claiming guilt – it’s a matter of course-correcting and learning.
- Anti-racism is a conscious choice – it’s not the absence of racism, but rather the decision to actively condemn racism and recognize the impact it has on the people around us. There is no room for racism in any of our spaces and everyone is held with the same expectation to respect all people.
- Institutional racism is racism that is woven into policies and functions at the organizational and governmental levels – which affects people and opportunities broadly and to varying degrees.
- Intersectionality is recognizing how the identities of an individual can affect their experiences in different ways, particularly in matters that are impacted by discrimination.
Anti-Racism Strategy: Putting Our Commitments Into Actions
The College’s Strategic Plan 2022-26 is built on principles of equity, diversity and inclusion, and is explicitly outlined in RRC Polytech’s Commitment #2: Commit to Truth and Reconciliation. Pursue equity, diversity and inclusion in everything we do.
This guiding principle is the foundation on which we construct our anti-racism strategy, and threads through several College-wide initiatives that actively root out racism and other forms of discrimination at the institutional level.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
We believe diversity is one of our greatest strengths and makes us stronger and drives innovation, but we also believe we can and must do more to expand and enhance initiatives supporting our College community, as well as to acknowledge and celebrate the unique differences that makes Red River College Polytechnic so special.
Promoting a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion is one of the pillars foundational to anti-racism.
Read more about RRC Polytech’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy ›
Self-declare to help us assess our current EDI initiatives, programs and policies and help us make meaningful progress in our shared priorities.
Truth and Reconciliation at RRC Polytech
Like equity, diversity, and inclusion, Truth and Reconciliation at RRC Polytech is inherently anti-racist in its pursuit to remove barriers to education for Indigenous learners and uplift Indigenous excellence. Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement is leading the way in changing RRC Polytech’s institutional and cultural identity to fit the needs of the people within and beyond our walls.
Learn more about Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement ›
Get Involved
Find out how you can do your part to make sure RRC Polytech is a safe space with no room for racism.
Anti-Racism Commitment Pledge
Publicly declare your status as an anti-racist by pledging. The Anti-Racist Commitment Pledge is an agreement that when you become part of the College community, you are committed to ensuring that every space you share with other members of the community is welcoming and safe, with no room for racism. You and the people around you will hold each other and yourselves accountable for your words, actions and behaviours. You intend to demonstrate that commitment in your work at the College and the importance of life-long learning.
The Anti-Racism Action Committee
The Anti-Racism Committee is made up of volunteers from all around the College to organize ideas and initiatives related to anti-racism and leads the College in its commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. The Anti-Racism Action Committee is divided into subcommittees that tackle projects in-depth with different focuses to ensure that our approach to anti-racism is broad and diverse and is informed by the lived experiences of the people who work and learn at the College.
The Anti-Racism Action Committee meets once a month with an open invitation for all College community members – staff and students – to participate in discussions and assist with organizing events and series in which the rest of the community can join to learn more about what it means to be anti-racist and integrate anti-racism into everyday practice.
Truth and Reconciliation Community of Practice
The Truth and Reconciliation Community Program (TRCP) is an engagement initiative offered through the Anti-Racism Action Committee that spans approximately 10-12 hours over the fall term. It’s structured to foster meaningful dialogue through group and partner discussions. The TRCP is more than just an educational program – it’s a transformative experience that encourages participants to immerse themselves in a process of self-reflection and cultural appreciation. Build a foundation of understanding that can support actions towards a more equitable and conscious society. Participation in the TRCP is not only a commitment of time but also a commitment to personal and communal development in the pursuit of truth, reconciliation, and the dismantling of racism.
Training and Learning Opportunities
Explore anti-racism training and learning opportunities available to students and staff at RRC Polytech.
Anti-Racism: A Journey to Allyship
The College offers mandatory training for all staff through LEARN that covers topics like unconscious bias, microaggressions, systemic racism, and privilege. By engaging in this program, staff members can gain insights into identifying racist behaviors and attitudes, both in themselves and others. This course provides strategies for self-reflection on unconscious biases, enabling you to recognize and address preconceived notions and provides tools to safely confront and address instances of racism, so you can create safer and more supportive spaces.
Take the Anti-Racism: A Journey to Allyship course on LEARN ›
4 Seasons of Reconciliation
4 Seasons of Reconciliation follows Indigenous principles and was formed under the guidance of the First Nations University of Canada Indigenous Advisory Circle. This resource will introduce you to baseline concepts around Truth and Reconciliation and why it is important for all people in Canada to engage respectfully with Indigenous communities. Ten modules cover pre-contact civilization, treaties, the Residential School system and its Intergenerational effects, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), modern Indigenous relations, and more.
Anti-Racism Speaker Series
In 2020, this panel discussion unpacked the ways in which racism and discrimination present themselves in our society. Panelists discussed how each of us can be stronger allies and anti-racist on and off campus. We delved into ways to safely talk about race and discrimination and explored how post-secondary institutions can transform themselves into more inclusive spaces for staff and students.
Anti-Racism Resources
We recognize that everyone is at a different point in the journey into anti-racism – let us give you the tools to address unconscious and learned biases that could affect the people around you.
Library Collections
Anti-Racism Learning Toolkit
Expand your anti-racism education at your own pace with the Anti-Racism Learning Toolkit. It’s a great starting point to familiarize yourself with key terminology, the history of racism in Canada, and community resources.
Intercultural Competence and Diversity
Putting anti-racism into action is also learning how to inform your conduct in a way that’s accepting and open-minded to different cultures. This Intercultural Competence and Diversity guide offers a starting point in understanding our cultural identities and building the skills to bridge cross-cultural differences.
Communication Guide
The Communication Guide includes sections on Inclusive Language and inclusive language related to disability, which often intersects with anti-racism.
Intersectionality
Understanding intersectionality is key to understanding how racism impacts peoples’ lived experiences in relation to other identities.
RRC Polytech campuses are located on the lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininiwak, Anishininwak, Dakota Oyate, and Denésuline, and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.
We recognize and honour Treaty 3 Territory Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, the source of Winnipeg’s clean drinking water. In addition, we acknowledge Treaty Territories which provide us with access to electricity we use in both our personal and professional lives.