OPIRG Peterborough and Black Lives Matter Nogoijiwanong are hosting Dr. Wilburn Hayden, PhD, Professor Emeritus and Senior Scholar at the School of Social Work at York University.

This talk challenges the ethos of Canada as a place where racial injustice, inequality and discrimination were limited and outside of the mainstream. Canadian historical records documenting the early arrival of Blacks, and White responses to their arrival reveal a different story. The interplay of the recorded history and contemporary denials are seen as key elements for challenging the Canadian Ethos. This Ethos is a factor in contemporary Canadian racism, negatively affecting opportunities for Blacks and their quality of life, and preventing Black and White Canadians from recognizing the need for change.

Dr. Wilburn Hayden has been a university professor and social worker since 1973. He teaches and writes from critical race and anti-oppression perspectives. Having grown up in the segregated southern USA and first arriving in Canada in 1975, he knows of the racial injustice struggle in the USA and Canada firsthand. His experience include being the chief social worker in a state prison, organizing within disadvantaged communities, directing a human services agency, and involvement in political campaigns in North America.

Register below.