Diversity & Inclusion

The Anti-Racism Response Training uses a witness-centered approach to disrupting racism. This training is designed to encourage participants to shift from being frozen or silent bystanders, to becoming active witnesses. In doing so, we can disrupt racism and build a safer and more inclusive community. This workshop is highly interactive and involves experiential activities to develop and strengthen active witnessing skills.

Key Learnings

• Consider the impacts of being a passive bystander vs. active witness
• Gain greater empathy regarding the harmful impacts of racist encounters
• Review the four levels of witnessing
• Explore four key categories of active witnessing
• Overview of microaggressions, the impacts and ways to respond
• Learn and practice a wide range of ant-racism responses and share some of your own

Thanh Tazumi (she/her/hers) and her family fled Vietnam in 1981 and spent 3 years in a refugee camp before immigrating to Canada at the age of 12. Once married she and her husband raised their two daughters in an intercultural family dynamic. Thanh worked for a multicultural organization for 10 years, coordinating anti-racism, diversity, and organizational change projects. She coordinated the first anti-racism walk in Campbell River in 1997 and formed a working committee to continue this annual event until 2006. Thanh has co-facilitated a variety of workshops including: intercultural communication, diversity and inclusion, and Anti-Racism Response Training for many years. Thanh also worked with marginalized youth and families for 15 years. She is grateful to live on the traditional territory of the Wei Wai Kum, We Wai Kai, Kwiakah, and the E’iksan peoples. She is aware of the history of racism in Canada and many of its impacts on Indigenous and other racialized peoples. She is committed to racial justice, and is actively working toward healing, and reconciliation.

Naomi L. Wolfe (she/her/hers) is a Canadian of mixed European ancestry, originally from Saskatchewan, who is grateful to reside on the traditional territory of the E’iksan People (Oyster River, BC). Naomi’s commitment to anti-racism began when she was a teen, as a member of an anti-racism youth group in Nashville during the desegregation of schools through crosstown bussing. After ten years in the USA, and ten years living, studying, and working in Guatemala, she moved back to Canada, and eventually to Vancouver Island. During nearly 30 years as ESL faculty at North Island College - including 10 years as Human Rights & International Solidarity Rep. - and as co-founder of the local Immigrant Welcome Centre, Naomi gained a deep understanding of the barriers faced by many in her community. She began designing and co-facilitating intercultural training in the mid-90’s, and became an Anti-Racism Response Training (A.R.T.) facilitator in 2002. Naomi facilitates A.R.T., intercultural communication, Theatre for Living, and Compassionate Listening (TCLP) workshops, and has presented at conferences in Canada and internationally. Naomi greatly values collaborating with others to bring about a more just and inclusive society.

Sanchit Mittal (he/him/his) came to Canada as an international student; he holds two Master’s degrees. He has diverse experience in working with various marginalized communities, including LGBTQ2+ and refugees. With over nine years of experience in various Indian and Canadian organizations, living as an uninvited guest on the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit peoples, Sanchit deeply values Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI), and is passionate about Truth and Reconciliation and Social Justice work, including Anti-Racism. Sanchit has co-facilitated many workshops including: LGBTQ2+ inclusion, Communications in Intercultural classrooms, Allyship, and Microaggressions. He has also served as Vice-President for SIETAR BC and as an EDI consultant to various organizations. Currently, Sanchit works in International Education at a public university in Ontario.