Diversity committee ‘very angry’ at being kicked out of Windsor’s new $ 200,000 anti-racist project

[ad_1]

Windsor Diversity Committee Chairman says he is furious that City Council chose to award $ 200,000 to the Windsor and Essex County Multicultural Council (MCWEC) for an anti-racism initiative given the committee was already working on a similar project.

“I am angry. I am very angry,” said Peter Ijeh, chair of the diversity committee.

“The carpet has been pulled under us.”

Ijeh explained that a few months ago, the committee received the green light from City Council to set up an anti-racism initiative in partnership with the Windsor-Essex Local Immigration Partnership (WELIP).

It is basically discrediting or dismantling everything that we have worked on. – Riham AlSaadi-Attia, member of the Diversity & WELIP Committee

The official wording of the board’s approval on May 3, 2021 was that WELIP and the Diversity Committee could undertake a community consultation in conjunction with the Diversity and Inclusion initiative “to fight racism in the community”.

Ijeh said the two organizations were in the process of establishing strategies and methodologies when they learned about MCWEC’s proposal which was approved by the board last week.

“It was a bit of confusion and shock at the same time,” said Riham AlSaadi-Attia, a member of both the diversity committee and WELIP, who played a key role in the partnership between the two entities.

“It’s basically discrediting or dismantling everything we’ve been working on,” she said, explaining that the initiative just approved is almost a “replica” of what the committee had already started.

CBCNews reached out to WELIP, but officials who could speak on behalf of the organization declined to comment.

Collaboration and consultation

Andrew Teliszewsky, chief of staff to Mayor Drew Dilkens, said the goal was for MCWEC and the diversity committee to work together to move forward.

The funding came from the mayor who got approval to be allocated in the 2021 budget following the murder of George Floyd.

But AlSaadi-Attia wondered why, if the goal is collaboration, the diversity committee was not consulted or informed about the MCWEC proposal until it was made public.

“How do we put these two things together? “

Riham AlSaadi-Attia says she is discouraged by the city council’s decision. (SRC)

She said she did not discredit the work MCWEC does for the community, nor was upset with the allocation of funds.

“It’s about the lack of presence we have as a diversity committee in this decision.”

Questions regarding the lack of consultation were also brought up by Ijeh, as well as Leslie McCurdy, the acting president of the Black Council.

During last week’s meeting, McCurdy expressed his frustration that the Black Council had not been adequately consulted, even though it was listed as a group that had been.

Ijeh, who is also a member of the Black Council, said the diversity committee was also not consulted, although it was also listed.

“The city lied,” he said. “They lied very, very seriously.”

Teliszewsky points out that over the past year, the mayor’s office and city administration have held dozens of meetings with a number of different groups, including the diversity committee on anti-racism.

Windsor City Council voted to allocate $ 200,000 to the Windsor and Essex County Multicultural Council for an anti-racism initiative on Monday, July 19, 2021. (citywindsor.ca)

“What was heard from those discussions ultimately fueled this process and this vision,” Teliszewsky said.

He defended the decision to give the grant to MCWEC, noting that the organization is doing a “huge” job in regards to newcomer settlement and multicultural programming.

“Because this is such a well-established, well-known product with a proven track record, this is exactly the kind of organization that should undertake this kind of activity.”

Multiculturalism versus anti-racism?

But Ijeh also questions the MCWEC’s ability to take an anti-racist initiative.

“The MCC has no knowledge of what anti-racism is, as completely in the dark,” Ijeh said, noting that multiculturalism and anti-racism are two separate issues.

Ijeh also questions the ethics of awarding funding to MCWEC, when Councilor Fred Francis serves as Director of Programs and Organizational Development for MCWEC.

Francis declined to vote at last week’s meeting. He did not respond to CBC’s request for comment.

“These are obviously questions that people will raise,” Teliszewsky said. “But it’s actually a bit unfortunate that people are trying to slander MCC because that’s where Fred Francis works today.”

Threats of resignation

Ijeh explained that the experience left members of the diversity committee feeling “disillusioned” and as if their efforts to date had been in vain, with some, like AlSaadi-Attia, considering resigning.

The mayor’s chief of staff said that MCWEC is the ideal organization to take on the anti-racism initiative project. (Jonathan Pinto / CBC)

“This committee is not mandated to do anything tangible,” Ijeh said.

“We are the most ineffective and toothless committee you can find, because the city set it up that way and intended to ignore this committee from day one anyway.”

Ijeh said that although he is furious, he will not be stepping down as chair of the diversity committee.

“It allows me to at least get a glimpse of what’s going on in the city,” he said.

Fight the decision

He plans to discuss next steps with the committee, but says individually he wants to oppose this decision.

“I will also encourage the Black Council to oppose it with all its might, because I am a member of this group.”

Council passed a motion last week asking MCWEC to report to the diversity committee on its anti-racism action plan.

[ad_2]