Equity and Inclusion Committee Report

The Equity and Inclusion Committee is hoping to add new members who would like to contribute to this important work at Fern. Last year saw many initiatives undertaken by the administration and staff that were supported by the committee. We worked with a group of neighbourhood schools to apply for a PRO Grant*. Through these relationships we facilitated a combined anti-Black Racism workshop for the Howard Park and Fern Avenue communities. Speaker Leroi Newbold** presented the first of two planned workshops, and this year Ayan Kailie*** will facilitate the second. We also supported the students with their Pride celebration last year. 

Our goals for this year are to:
1) support student equity initiatives 
2) provide workshops, speakers, and resources to support anti-oppression, reconciliation and anti-Black racism training for parents and the Fern community at large, and, 
3) support teachers with their anti-oppression, reconciliation, and anti-Black racism curriculum in whatever way they identify would be helpful. 

We will do this by liaising with the staff equity committee, students, and administration, fundraising for materials, and on the ground organizing at events. If you would like to help with this work, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact Rachel Muehrer: rachel.muehrer@gmail.com, committee lead.

*Ontario's Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Grants are designed to support parents in identifying barriers to engagement in their own community and to find local solutions to involve more parents in support of student achievement and well-being.

**The Freedom School, where Leroi Newbold works, is a youth and parent driven initiative that intervenes to fight against anti-Black racism in the school system and provides creative educational alternatives for Black children. It is a TDSB Alternative School. 

***Ayan Kailie is reported to be the first ever Black Muslim school council chair. She organized an anti- racist march in her Swansea neighbourhood to raise awareness of the need to stand together to fight racism and to support Black Lives Matter’s efforts.