A young Indigenous woman is standing up for change and speaking out against racism in Red Deer, taking to the streets and raising her voice.
Cheryl-Jamie Baptise, an Indigenous woman of Blackfoot, Cree and Ojibway ancestry living in Red Deer, said she’s stood up against racism her entire life. Now, she is taking a more direct approach and has helped to organize protests in the city to stand up against racism.
On June 1st, hundreds of people gathered to speak out against racism of all kinds, and on Saturday June 6th, another protest has been organized to support Black Lives Matter (#BlackLivesMatter).
Baptise has worked with her friends and allies to arrange these events, and said she's proud to see so many people coming together to speak out for justice.
“[Racism] has kind of just been everywhere throughout my life. I’ve experienced racism in the workplace, even just amongst friends. When I was in college, I experienced different forms of racism. Discrimination is just everywhere, honestly," she said.
"I’m a young individual, and I like to still go out and have fun. I’ve had friends who will say something they mean as a joke, but I find it to be very inappropriate. I’ve heard things when we’re going out to the bar like “don’t get native drunk” and use that specific term and I have to correct them because that’s not acceptable."
She said whether its friends, family, or the community at large, she wants to speak out in hopes that future generations won't have to grow up with the same kinds of discrimination. However, she said when she does speak out, she tries to remain respectful and calm even if she's feeling hurt or angry.
"I’m a firm believer that responding with hate just generates more hate. In my heart, I feel sad for those people, and they are just one track-minded and this is something they were conditioned to believe."
Baptise said there are a lot of similarities between racism directed towards Indigenous people in Canada and Black people/People of Colour in the United States.
"I think the [justice] system itself is pretty broken. I watched a documentary about all of these presidents in the United States, and they say they want to change the incarceration system, but it never changed, no matter who was in charge. Sometimes I feel like it’s similar here with issues for different races, and it’s not just Indigenous people, it’s also anti-Asian groups and things like that."
She said, "I see that things are bad right now, but I wonder how it's going to be for me in the future? Not only just me, but for the younger generation. I have younger siblings and I constantly think about them when I'm asked about my experiences with racism...they shouldn't have to deal with things like this. It's not acceptable, anywhere."
At noon on Saturday, June 6th, protesters will gather in Red Deer's City Hall Park. There will be some music played, a number of speakers in attendance, and a charity BBQ with funds raised being donated to the Red Deer Native Friendship Society.
As well, Baptise said they will be holding a moment of silence for People of Colour who have lost their lives to police violence.
"Our group (RDAR -Red Deer Against Racism) was only made a few days ago and the group has already surpassed 1,000 members. I made a post to the group [Wednesday] to say, 'This is something that we absolutely need to keep fighting for. This isn't the latest trend, this is an on-going issue that needs to be addressed.'", Baptise said.
She added that the group has been full of supporters who are sharing resources with friends, who are connecting to groups and causes within the city, and she said she feels very proud of the work being done and every new face that joins in.
Thu, May 2, 7:00 PM
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