Blacks and Jews: Conversations, Not Conclusions
At CSI Regent Park we will be screening the film "Blacks and Jews" http://www.pbs.org/pov/blacksandjews/ as a pwyc fundraiser for Black Lives Matter- Toronto's Freedom School!
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/blm-to-freedom-school-educational-resources#/
After the screening we will hold a facilitated conversation about how we can build and grow existing coalitions among Black and Jewish people in Toronto.
The film touches on how the two groups are definitely not always mutually exclusive but does focus on relations between light-skinned Ashkenazi Jews and non-Jewish Black people in the states.
Through watching this film together we hope to bring to surface some of the historical conflicts and coalitions that have existed among Black and Jewish communities as we struggle through the violence of racism and antisemitism in North America. We hope that in understanding some of these histories we can contribute to challenging racism that exists within White Jewish communities both towards Black Jews and Jews of Colour, as well as racism that permeates our society in general. In noticing how experiences of antisemitism have motivated Jewish desire to oppose racism, historically and in present times, we would like to move towards reigniting lost coalitions among Black and Jewish people working to end racism.
There will be a pwyc bake sale of which the proceeds will also go to BLMTO Freedom School!
Accessability Info:
- Wheelchair accessible
- We would like this to be a scent free space! For more information on this take a read below
- The organizers are hoping to create a space of respect, appreciation and openness, with the knowledge that systems of oppression that impact Black People, Indigenous People, Queer People, Trans People, People of Colour, People with Disabilities, Feminine People, and White Jewish People function very differently depending on historical and present contexts. Power differentials will exists in the space. We hope to counter this to some extent by prioritizing the voices of those who's voices are most often silenced.
Discussion will be faciliated by Tema Smith!
Tema Smith is the bi-racial daughter of an Ashkenazi Torontonian and a Bahamian New Yorker. She is a Jewish community professional and freelance social media communications specialist and is committed to making the Jewish community more accessible to everyone, especially interfaith and interracial families. She tweets about race and the Jewish community @temasmith.
About the organizers:
Jessica Miller is a queer biracial Jewish intersectional feminist high femme babe. She is also a holistic home organizer, an author and a Reiki practitioner with a passion for sharing accessible tools and practices for self-care
Hannah is a queer mixed white Ashkenazi Jewish/Irish settler living, working, and studying Social Justice Education in Toronto. She is a member of the Black Lives Matter Toronto Solidarity Group and also works with Resource Generation - an Economic and Racial Justice Solidarity group that organizes young people with wealth and class privilege towards the equitable redistribution of land, wealth, and power.
Robin is a queer white Ashkenazi Jewish settler who works with the Black Lives Matter Toronto Solidarity Group to raise awareness and increase support for the movement for the liberation of Black People. She has been organizing alternative Jewish community spaces in Toronto for three years and is excited to continue to work with Jews, in coalition with others, towards a free and safe world.
