By Maud Weaver

Conversations and actions around anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism continue as post-secondary students strike this week with faculty and staff to commemorate Orange Shirt Day and highlight how post-secondary institutions are complicit in and perpetuate racism.

Kien Azinwi, president of the York Federation of Students and an organizer for All Out September 30 (AOS30), asks “How are we empowering students to keep these conversations going, so that we can continue to hold administrators and the government accountable for justice?”

The strike, entitled All Out September 30^th, was inspired by the recent strikes carried out by athletes and the scholar strike. The strike wants to continue putting pressure on institutions to combat their complicity and perpetration of anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism.

“The strike is not a stand-alone action. The strike is part of this larger conversation that has been ongoing, and we know it’s not going to end with the strike,” says Azinwi. “We have had enough of the disingenuous tweets. We have had enough of the closed-door meetings. Now we need action. Now we want change.”

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All Out #S30Strike & #OrangeShirtDay! We have seen a wave of organizations, corporations, and institutions claim to support Indigenous and Black lives, and “pride” themselves on equity, diversity, and inclusion while simultaneously targeting, harassing and oppressing Indigenous, Black, and Racialized bodies on their campuses. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. We have led and organized many campaigns, actions, and protests against racism over the years – but now we believe it is time to STRIKE. Join us for an Orange Shirt Day Commemoration and Virtual Strike from 11am – 7pm EDT. Sessional details dropping soon – link in bio for registration. Share & circulate widely. We strike for Indigenous and Black Students, Staff and Faculty We strike against anti- Black and anti- Indigenous racism. Why are you striking?

A post shared by 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟎𝐭𝐡! (@allouts30) on Sep 21, 2020 at 4:22pm PDT

The strike will involve several educational events. The day includes an Orange Shirt Day teach in, a session on defunding the police and removing cops from campus, a session on barriers to education, and a webinar on racism in the classroom. Anyone interested is welcome to RSVP to the strike events through their social media, and can also support by using the hashtag #AllOutSeptember30th.

“Being involved could simply be about educating yourself. Educating yourself on issues that are relevant and affecting racialized, Black, and Indigenous students,” Azinwi said.

The events will be led by Black and Indigenous students and speakers including Azinwi as well as Nenookaasi an Afro-Indigenous community organizer, Alannah McKay the treasurer for the Canadian Federation of Students National, Dr. Andrea A. Davis, associate professor of Black Cultures of the Americas at York University, and more.

“In this fight against anti-Indigenous racism and anti-Black racism, it’s important that we have folks from these communities leading these conversations,” said Azinwi.

The strike has several demands covering the need for accessible education, further support, and continues popular calls to defund the police and remove racist statues. Their demands are as follows:

1. Free and accessible education for all
2. Recognition and implementation of Orange Shirt Day
3. Defund the police and remove cops from campuses
4. Removal of Egerton Ryerson statue
5. Implementation of race-based data
6. Decent work and pay on campus and in communities
7. More Black and Indigenous faculty, teachers, and staff
8. More services, programs, and support for Black and Indigenous students
9. The implementation and prioritization of specialized programs

“When I was not part of organizing, as a student I always felt helpless,” said Azinwi. “Where it’s like you can ask and ask, but what is going to change. But we need to recognize that our institutions are nothing without students.”

Taranjeet Singh Manchanda, director of education and equity at the Student Association of George Brown College (SAGBC), says the SAGBC is not officially endorsing the strike publicly but notes that he will be attending and encourages others to get involved.

“Students have come together to hold our administrations on campus, our provincial, federal, municipal governments accountable, that students deserve better. Racialized and marginalized students deserve better. Anti-Indigenous, anti-Black racism should be abolished from campuses, so I believe students and faculty across George Brown should join this strike,” says Manchanda.