Skate Canada - Commitment to Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

[Elizabeth]

See today's statement to read about the actions that have been taken and are planned since their anti-racism statement of June 2nd, 2020: https://skatecanada.ca/2020/10/our-comm ... inclusion/

Note the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Working Group which has been meeting weekly since July, as established by organization by-laws, and which reports to the organization via the President. The current members include:
* Elladj Baldé (Skate Canada Digital Host, President of the Figure Skating Diversity and Inclusion Alliance (FSDIA), and Skate Global Founder),
* Emma Bowie (Skate Canada staff – Director, Safe Sport and Strategic Communications),
* Patrick Chan (Three-time Olympic medallist and Skate Canada coach),
* Tina Chen (Distinguished professor, University of Manitoba and Skate Canada coach),
* Patty Klein (Skate Canada board member and official), Paul Poirier (Olympian and current National Team member),
* Eric Radford (Three-time Olympic medallist and Skate Canada board member),
* Khorana Séa-Alphonse (Skate Canada staff – NextGen Coordinator),
* Kaitlyn Weaver (Three-time world medallist and Olympian), and
* Dr. Shae Zukiwsky (Skate Canada staff – Senior Director, Performance Excellence).

[fred]

This is a good start, and I believe it's well intended. A good committee as well.
I left a message and I'll include part of it here. It's that we should all occasionally, or more often if you've a mind to, wear a BLM T-Shirt in public, and watch for the looks you'll get if you're White. It'll give you an idea of what Black people experience full time. It also gives other White people the knowledge that some of us *do* support BLM, and it makes them think. Thinking is good. Thinking leads to change, and that's what we need to do, as a society.

[Elizabeth]

A related change in terminology

[Elizabeth]

From: https://skatecanada.ca/2021/01/skate-ca ... inclusion/

Skate Canada has committed to addressing systemic racism and to creating a diverse and inclusive environment for all to embrace the joy of skating. This commitment requires educating ourselves and listening to the voices of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC).

Through education, we learn to be uncomfortable and vulnerable, and learn to see how privilege is established and sustained within organizations and society. Educating ourselves on systemic and institutional racism enables us to understand racism is more than individual acts of discrimination. This education is a necessary basis for action, and it informs our commitment to positive ongoing transformation of sport and society.

Skate Canada is pleased to launch our Education Plan for Anti-Racism and EDI. This is a collective, active, and sustained educational plan that seeks to establish shared engagement with anti-racism and EDI resources at all levels across Skate Canada. The Skate Canada Board of Directors, senior management and national office employees, as well as the section leadership teams have dedicated time for their education and have begun the process. We invite all Skate Canada members and registrants to join in this shared educational journey.

Go to the link above for more details on the "roll out" of the modules.

[Elizabeth]

Tonight: Talking about Race in Skating Panel

From: https://skatecanada.ca/2021/01/tonight- ... ing-panel/

Dear members and registrants,

Recognizing the need to have open dialogues about race, to listen to the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC), and to keep our community engaged. Join us tonight, Tuesday, January 19, 2021, for Skate Canada’s first Talking About Race in Skating Panel at 7pm ET. This virtual panel will be available for all community members to watch and will be recorded for later viewing.

The virtual panel will feature BIPOC voices in skating discussing why talking about race will strengthen our community. The virtual panel will feature:

Uzoma Asagwara (they/their) – Asagwara will act as the moderator for the panel. They are a former basketball player with the University of Winnipeg and the Canadian National Basketball team. They are currently an elected MLA in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and a leading activist and voice for social justice.

Elladj Baldé (he/him) – Baldé was a member of the Canadian figure skating team from 2007 to 2018 and was the 2008 Canadian Junior Champion. He retired as a competitor in 2018. Baldé is founder of Skate Global, and co-founder and President of the Figure Skating Diversity & Inclusion Alliance (FSDIA).

Patrick Chan (he/him) – Chan is the most decorated male figure skater in Canadian history with three Olympic medals, three world championship crowns, and 10 Canadian titles. He retired from the competitive sphere in 2018 and currently provides coaching and choreography services in the Vancouver area.

Vanessa James (she/her) – James is a French-Canadian pair skater. She has represented France at two Olympic Winter Games, most recently placing 5th in 2018. James is a Global Ambassador for the Figure Skating Diversity & Inclusion Alliance (FSDIA).

Andrea Satar (she/her) – Satar is an active member of the synchronized skating community for the last 20 years. From 2005-2007, she competed with Black Ice, one of Canada’s most decorated synchronized skating teams. She currently works in the finance industry and is also a Skate Canada coach and section volunteer.

Megan Wing (she/her) – Wing is an Olympic ice dancer and was prominent on the Canadian ice dance scene for more than a decade, finishing on the Canadian podium for ten consecutive years from 1997 to 2006. In 2006, she retired from competitive skating, and remains active in the sport as one of Canada’s top ice dance coaches.

During the premiere of the panel, the YouTube Q&A chat function will be available for viewers to join the conversation and representatives from Skate Canada’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group will be available to respond to written questions and comments.

We look forward to the conversation tonight at 7pm ET. Click here to watch on YouTube!

[Elizabeth]

The YouTube recording of the "Talking about Race" panel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HxWP29 ... e=emb_logo