One year ago today, following the announcement of George Brown College’s (GBC) new anti-racism strategy, the Student Association of George Brown College (SAGBC) sent an open letter to the administration, calling on the college to take more meaningful action in its anti-racism efforts. Outlined in it were eight key demands of support for students vulnerable to racism on campus.

One year later, only one of these eight key demands have been met, says Michelle Pettis, Equity and Advocacy Manager of the SAGBC. 

The SAGBC funds the Dialog. 

“Why is the expectation for Black and Indigenous students to learn through anger, grief, sadness being normalized?” said Pettis. “The demands are do-able; GBC can start with its own educational institutional privilege toward dismantling racism”

The eight demands listed in the open letter from July 2020 included making available a full and complete review of GBC’s Truth and Reconciliation and Anti-Racism/Diversity, with status reports, establishing an Office of Anti-racism, the reopening of first-aid offices with a commitment to culturally competent care, academic accommodations for Black and Indigenous students, and condemning injustices for what they are – systemic and targeted anti-Black racism. 

At this time, only a full and complete review of GBC’s Truth and Reconciliation and Anti-Racism/Diversity has been successfully met. Pettis says that the open-letter sent a year ago was the SA’s attempt to voice their concerns for the college’s lack of progress in their anti-racism efforts, although little progress is still being made to this date. 

“Consider the open letter a student plea for GBC admin to take meaningful action against anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism on campus. The open letter puts students’ collective frustrations to paper.”

Demands number four and five of the report, including a call to establish an office of anti-racism and establish a GBC-wide Anti-Racism Council with the involvement of faculty, students and staff, have been “unmet to satisfaction” according to Pettis. Rather than honouring student demands for an office dedicated to anti-racism, GBC instead renamed the previous Diversity, Equity, and Human Rights Services Office to the Office of Anti-Racism, Equity, and Human Rights Services. Moreover, regarding the GBC-wide Anti-Racism Council, the student demands are for a transparent and participatory council able to influence the college together. Instead, GBC established the Anti-Racism & Equity Advisory Committee – a closed committee. 

“Equity issues are still marginalized all to one under-resourced office,” says Pettis. 

Out of all demands included in the open letter, however, the one facing the most resistance from GBC administration is the reopening of GBC First Aid Offices and providing culturally competent care. For students, this closure means students seeking aid are referred to security or referred out.

“Tying care and wellness to security and policing is not an option. Now is not the time for the college to eliminate any care access points. Recall, the Toronto Board of Health unanimously declared anti-Black racism a public health crisis,” said Pettis. 

“The expectation would be to see this taken up by GBC in all safety committees. Ending anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism is a health and safety issue. The care work is being downloaded on students to provide for each other. There’s a strength to that – but there’s also a toll. How can we transform how crisis care happens on campus?”

On March 1, 2021, George Brown College announced that Jennifer Grant would be moving into the new position of director of anti-racism, equity, and human rights services in a part-time capacity. Grant’s position was created in the summer of 2020 alongside the director of Indigenous initiatives to satisfy objective two of GBC’s anti-racism strategy which is to increase Black, Indigenous and racialized student and employee community representation, engagement and capacity.

In April 2021, GBC released a letter to the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Chief Commissioner summarizing the actions that GBC is “taking to prevent discrimination, and to promote and advance human rights.” In the letter, it is said that so far, the college has delivered anti-racism training to over 339 employees, established an anti-racism committee with over 25 members, and completed an equity and inclusion survey to support anti-racism in the workplace. 

On April 21, 2021, OPSEU Locals 556 and 557, the unions representing George Brown College’s (GBC) faculty and support staff, sent a letter to the GBC board of governors forcefully criticizing the college’s anti-racism efforts.

“10 months later a number of issues have been observed that seem to give strength to the voices expressing fear that the GBC administration’s commitment may not be quite as strong as broadcasted, and that it may not result in the substantive change that the administration promised,” says the letter.

When reached for comment, a GBC spokesperson said the board was “working on their reply” but did not provide a timeline for issuing a response. No response has been received up to this point. 

The union representatives are becoming increasingly concerned that GBC is falling behind on meeting these goals and that the lack of momentum is impeding future changes. The fight against systemic racism at GBC must be led from the top of the administration, and with a new incoming president, hopefully progressive change is on the horizon. 

“I hope part of what attracted the in-coming president to GBC is the potential held here, and a welcomed commitment to accept an ending anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism mandate. The students will be with you in that,” said Pettis.

The college will be releasing an updated report on the status of their anti-racism strategy this July 2021. 

“Why change takes so long is a good question to sit with. Ending racism is an unending campaign. It’s long-term work. And simultaneously, the hope is that students can see some wins and change at the college level in their time at college,” said Pettis. 

“To team long work with urgency and priority. Ending anti-Black racism can’t wait for the days when all other workload is complete. Ending anti-Black racism is the work.”