Several black community groups have stated they donsa国际传媒檛 support the Black Lives Matter rally scheduled for noon on June 5.
The rally was co-organized by two Kelowna residents Paige Harrison and Kermisha Pereira, to support black communities in the U.S., as well as giving residents a chance to share their experiences of discrimination.
As a black woman, Pereira said she regularly experiences racial discrimination while doing what would be considered normal things.
sa国际传媒淲hen I go into stores, I get followed around even when I donsa国际传媒檛 look suspicious or anything like that. People, whenever they want to have an argument with me, will always end up using a racial slur as a way to hurt me,sa国际传媒� she said.
Harrison said she has different experiences as a half-black woman but still hears foul language about her race.
However, some black community groups released statements on social media stating they donsa国际传媒檛 support the rally because they donsa国际传媒檛 amplify black, Indigenous and minority voices.
Hearth, an association of black and Indigenous women, posted they didnsa国际传媒檛 support the rally because sa国际传媒渋t was founded without the consultation, consent, or leadership of the larger black community in the Okanagan and also the First Nations who govern these territories.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淏y firsthand experiences, we know that black and Indigenous peoples were added as an afterthought in organizing this event and those people were later told to leave after expressing their concerns,sa国际传媒� Hearthsa国际传媒檚 statement continued. The organization asked its followers and members not to attend the rally.
sa国际传媒淲e believe it caters to the settler consumption of black trauma, depicted in the sale of cupcakes decorated without consent of the faces of black Americans who have been murdered.sa国际传媒�
Hearth said they believed the rally was poorly planned.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 an example of inexperience in properly and strategically executing a movement of this global magnitude. There is no sustainability in the agenda of this rally because it is exploitative of our pain and our stories, without implementing meaningful structural and systematic support and decolonization in this country.sa国际传媒�
Hearth said they are currently planning to put in place more sustainable programs to help the black and Indigenous communities thrive, and have been since 2018 and that they are now working within the community to implement the programming.
Harrison and Pereira said they didnsa国际传媒檛 know the specifics of what triggered the backlash.
sa国际传媒淚t could be a couple of reasons, but we donsa国际传媒檛 want to insinuate anythingsa国际传媒� the only thing I can say, and speaking on behalf of Kermisha (Pereira), is that we really wish that they were all here and supporting,sa国际传媒� Harrison said.
sa国际传媒淭hey wouldsa国际传媒檝e been a part of it just as much as anybody else wouldsa国际传媒檝e been.sa国际传媒�
Another event, this time a virtual one, will take place on Saturday, June 6. Titled sa国际传媒淏eyond the Discomfortsa国际传媒�, Hearth is encouraging people to attend as there will be discussions on how to actively promote change.
Fridaysa国际传媒檚 rally was attended by hundreds of people in Kelownasa国际传媒檚 Stuart Park. Residents had the chance to go up to microphone and share messages of encouragement, acceptance, as well as share their experiences.
READ: Kelowna mayor issues statement on Black Lives Matter rally
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