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38 | THE BLACK EXPERIENCE PROJECT IN THE GTA
OverviewThisChapterexaminesinmoredetailhowparticipants’experienceshavebeenaffectedbyraceandracism.Itaddressesparticipants’perceptionsofdiscriminationtowardBlackpeoplegenerally,aswellastheirowndirectexperiencesofunfairtreatmentandanti-Blackracism,includinginspecificsituationssuchasinschoolorintheworkplace.Italsoconsidersday-to-dayexperiencesofmoresubtle,butnolessserious,formsofunfairtreatmentthatcanoccurinthepublicsphere.TheChapteralsoaddressestheissueofhowanti-BlackracismimpactsBlackpeopleintheGTA,andhowtheyrespondtotheirexperiencesofunfairtreatment.Finally,theparticipantswereaskedabouttheirperceptionoftheCanadianversustheUnitedStatescontext.
3. INSTITUTIONAL AND INTERPERSONAL RACISM IN DAILY LIFE
(1 7) Experiencing
unfair
treatment
because
you
are Black
MEN
WOMEN
Less than $20K
$20K to $40K
$40K to $70K
$70K to $100K
$100K or more 7
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Frequently Occasionally Rarely Never
(17) Experiencing unfair treatment because you are Black (by gender and household income)
Overview Report | 39
Key FindingsNotwithstandingthediversityoftheBlackpopulationintheGTAintermsofidentitiesandlifeexperiences,thereisastrikingcommonalityofexperiencewhenitcomestobeingtreatedunfairlybecauseoftheirrace.Two-thirdsofBEPparticipantssaytheythemselvesfrequently(18%)oroccasionally(49%)experienceunfairtreatmentbecausetheyareBlack,andthisistrueregardlessofbackground.AmajorityofBEPparticipantsreportshavingbeentreatedunfairlybecausetheyareBlack,regardlessoftheirage,gender,income,educationalattainmentorcountryofbirth(seeFigure17).
ThesurveyalsoaskedBEPparticipantsabouttheirexperienceofracisminmoresubtleways.Fourinfiveparticipantsexperienceunfairtreatmentbasedonraceinoneormoreformsofmicro-aggressionsonacommonbasis.Thisincludesexperiencessuchashavingothersexpecttheirworktobeinferior,beingtreatedinacondescendingway,andhavingfrequentlyhadothersreacttothemasiftheywereafraidorintimidated,ineachcasebecauseoftheirrace(seeFigure18).
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Others expected your work to be inferior
Treated in overly friendly or superficial way
Others reacted to you as if they were afraid orintimidated
Been observed or followed while in public places
Been accused of something or treatedsuspiciously
Been ignored or not given service in a restaurantor store
Treated rudely or disrepectfully
Been mistaken for someone else who servesothers (janitor, bellboy)
(18) Day-to-day personal experiences because of your race
Frequently Occasionally Rarely Never
(18) Day-to-day personal experiences because of your race
40 | THE BLACK EXPERIENCE PROJECT IN THE GTA
AlthoughmajoritiesofbothmenandwomensaytheyfrequentlyoroccasionallyhavebeentreatedunfairlybecausetheyareBlack,theirparticularexperiencesdiffer.ComparedwithBlackwomen,Blackmenaremorelikelytoreportbeingtreatedwithsuspicionandtomentionanexperiencerelatedtonegativeinteractionswithapublicinstitution,notablythepolice.ComparedwithBlackmen,Blackwomenaremorelikelytomentionanexperiencerelatedtobeingtreatedunfairlyorbeingignoredorgivenpoorerserviceinretailspaces,ortoexperiencingharassment,exclusionorbeingundervaluedintheworkplace.
WhilemostBEPparticipantssaytheyexperienceunfairtreatmentbecausetheyareBlack,experienceswithspecificinstitutionsorinspecificsettingsvary.
EDUCATION EXPERIENCES.OnlyhalfofparticipantswhoattendedhighschoolinCanadasaythattheyalwaysoroftenhadpositiveexperiencesinhighschool,suchasfeelingacceptedbyteachers(50%)orotherstudentsatschool(60%),orfeelingthatschoolwasawelcomingandfriendlyplace(50%)(seeFigure19).31
Half(49%)indicatetheyfeltthatbeingBlackpresentedchallengesnotfacedbyotherstudents.Alargeproportionofparticipantssaythey“onlysometimes”or“never”hadthesepositivehighschoolexperiences,andthattheyalsofacedchallengesatschoolthatothersdidnotbecausetheywereBlack.Specifically,aboutfourintensaytheyeithersometimesorneverfeltacceptedbytheirteachers(37%)orthatschoolwasawelcomingplace(41%).
Maleandfemaleparticipantsdiffersomewhatintheirexperienceswithrespecttoeducation.Mostmen,regardlessofage,tendtoreporttheirschoolsandteachersprovidedimportantsupporttothem.Inthecaseofwomen,however,agematters:youngerwomenaremuchmorelikelythanolderwomentosaytheyfeltsupportedbyschoolsandteachers.
ThesurveyresultsalsoshowthatBlackstudentsbenefitfromthepresenceofBlackpeersandteachers.ThemoreBlackstudentsareintheminorityintheirneighbourhoods,thelessacceptedbytheirfellowstudentstheyfeel,andthemoretheyexperiencechallengesatschoolrelatedtorace.
TheproportionofteachersinaschoolwhoareBlackisalsoassociatedwithmorepositiveschoolexperiences.ThepresenceofBlackteachersappearstoplayakeyroleinhelpingBlackstudentsfeelsupportedingeneralandmanageissuesrelatedtoraceandracisminschoolinparticular.Buttherealityisthatmost(fourinfive)BEPparticipantswereeducatedinhighschoolswhereeitherafewornoneoftheteacherswereBlack,againpointingtosystemicissues.
Atthepostsecondarylevel,fewBEPparticipantswhoarecurrentlystudentsanticipatehavingtoovercomechallengesrelatingtoracisminordertocompletetheircollegediplomaoruniversitydegree.Atthesametime,oneinfivecollegeoruniversitygraduatessayshavingBlackrolemodelsorexampleswouldhavemadeiteasierforhimorhertoachievepost-secondaryeducationalgoals.
9184 83 83
79
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58 59
5057
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6356 55 53
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Felt accepted bythe students at
school
Felt you received agood education
Enjoyed being atschool
School was awelcoming andfriendly place
Felt accepted bythe teachers at
school
Being Black haschallenges notfaced by others
(19) High school experience by proportion of Black teachers
Most/some teachers were Black A few teachers were Black None were Black
(19) High school experience by proportion of Black teachers
Overview Report | 41
WORK PLACE EXPERIENCES.BEPparticipantswerealsoaskedabouttheirexperiencesintheworkplace.Theresponsesindicatethatwhileindividualsreportbeinghappywiththeirco-workers,theyalsoreportexperiencingracismatworkandbelievethatanti-blackracismisrelevant.
BEPparticipantsreportbeinghappywiththeirworkcolleagues(92%stronglyagreeoragree),Approximatelythreequartersreportthattheyarehappyintheirworkplace(74%),findtheirworkenvironmenttobesupportive(77%),andfeelsupportedandrespectedbythosetheyreportto(74%).Feweraresatisfiedwiththeprogresstheyhavemadetowardmeetingtheircareergoals(63%)ortheirgoalsforthedevelopmentofnewskills(68%).
Whilethisstudyprovidednocomparators,otherresearchshowsthatracializedminorities,particularlythosewhoidentifyasBlackarelesssatisfiedwiththeworkplacecomparedtoothersandreportexperiencingdiscrimination.32Fullyone-thirdofparticipantsidentifychallengeslinkedtobeingBlackandtonavigatinganti-Blackracismintheworkplace,whetheritinvolvesexplicitracismanddiscriminationoranuncomfortableworkplacecultureinwhichtheydonotfeeltheyaretreatedprofessionallyoraccepted(seeFigure20).
Menandwomenareequallylikelytoexpresssatisfactionwiththeirworkenvironment,andwithhowtheircurrentjobalignswiththeirincomeandeducation.Atthesametime,anotableexceptiontothegeneralpatternistheworkexperiencesofparticipantswhoself-identifyasLGBTQ.Theyaremuchlesslikelythanheterosexualparticipantstosaytheyarehappyintheirworkplace,findtheirworkenvironmentsupportive,andfeelsupportedandrespected
byothersworkingatthesamelevel.Theyarealsomostapttoreportbeingover-qualifiedandunder-paid.
Whenitcomestofindingmeaningfulemploymentorsatisfyingwork,thechallengementionedmostfrequently–particularlybyyoungerparticipants–isthatofsearchingforemployment,includingfindingtherightjobopportunities,findingajobinapreferredfield,anddealingwithaweakeconomy.
WhenaskedhowbeingBlackhasmadeadifferenceintheirworkexperience,BEPparticipantsaremostlikelytocitenegativeexperiences,suchashavingtheirlevelofcompetencyquestioned,dealingwithracismandstereotypes,andhavingtheirqualificationsoverlookedornotrecognized.SomeparticipantsalsomentionmorepositivewaysinwhichbeingBlackhasmadeadifference,suchashavingmoreresilience,beingabletoworkinmulticulturalsettings,beingabletouseworktosupporttheBlackcommunity,andbeingabletochallengeracism.
Whatevertheirownpersonalexperienceswithintheschoolsystemandworkplace,mostBEPparticipantsbelieveBlackpeopleexperienceanti-Blackracisminthesesectors.Aboutseveninten(68%)participantssaythatBlackpeopleintheGTAarefrequentlytreatedunfairlybecausetheyareBlackwhenseekingemploymentorwork.Anadditional28percentsayunfairtreatmentoccasionallyhappensinthissituation(versusonly2%whosaythisrarelyorneverhappens).Similarly,fourinten(39%)believethatunfairtreatmenthappensfrequentlytothoseattendingschooloruniversityandasimilarproportionsaythistakesplaceoccasionally.
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Finding opportunities/job searching
Having the right qualifications/experience
Discrimination/bias due to my race
Uncomfortable workplace culture/environment
Personal challenges (health, personal life)
Social networks/lack of mentors
Financial compensation/fair wage
Other challenges
(20) Biggest challenges in finding meaningful employment(20) Biggest challenges in finding meaningful employment
42 | THE BLACK EXPERIENCE PROJECT IN THE GTA
IMPACT OF ANTI-BLACK RACISM.TheBEPsurveyfindingsalsoaddressissuesthatshedlightonhowanti-BlackracismimpactsBlackpeopleintheGTA,andhowtheyrespondtotheirexperiences.BEPparticipantsareaffectedindifferentwaysbytheirexperiencesofdiscriminationandunfairtreatmentrelatedtotheirrace.
Somesaytheyarebotheredalotbytheseexperiences,intermsofalossofself-esteemorself-confidenceinthefaceoftheseexperiences,andfeeltheneedtoconsciouslydownplaybeingaBlackperson,especiallyatworkorinpublicspaces.Otherssaytheyarelessbotheredbysuchtreatment,andsaytheirfeelingsaboutthemselvesareunaffected.Andsomemaintaintheseexperiencesmakethemstrongerormoreaware,orreinforcetheirdrivetosucceedorbringaboutchange(seeFigure21).
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19
(21) How does your day-to-day experience with discrimination bother you?
Bothers me a lot
Bothers me somewhat
Bothers me a little
Doesn’t bother me
Thepersonalimpactofexperiencingday-to-dayracismvariessomewhatacrossthepopulation,basedonage,genderandsexualorientation.Youngerparticipantsandwomenaremoreapttosaytheyarebotheredthanareolderparticipantsandmen.Thegroupthatstandsoutmost,however,arethosewhoself-identifyasLGBTQ(agroupthattendstobebothyoungerandfemale).Half(52%)ofparticipantsinthisgroupsaysuchexperiencesbotherthemalot,comparedwithonlyabouthalfasmanyasthosewhoidentifyasheterosexual(28%).
Overall,two-thirdsofBEPparticipantseithersaytheyrarelyorneverdownplaybeingBlack(30%)ordonotnameaspecificsituation(i.e.saytheydon’tknoworprovidenoanswer;37%).Still,asubstantialproportiondonamesituationsinwhichtheyconsciouslydownplaybeingaBlackperson,includingoneinfour(23%)whodoessoinemploymentsituations(atwork,injobinterviews),andoneinfive(18%)whodoessoinpublicspacesorinsocialsituations.
Inaddition,almostallparticipantsnamedatleastonesituationinwhichtheywereconsciouslyawareofbeingaBlackperson;onlythreepercentsaythisrarelyorneverhappens.Oneintwo(52%)saysheorsheisconsciouslyawareofbeingBlackinpublicspaces,includingintheirneighbourhoodoratschool,orwhentravellingormovingabout(e.g.,whendrivingoronpublictransit).Almostasmany(47%)reportbeingconsciouslyawareofbeingaBlackpersoninemployment-relatedsituations,suchasbeingatworkorinterviewingforajob.
BEPparticipantsemploydifferentstrategiesforcopingwithanti-Blackracism(seeChapter3).Somefocusondealingwithracismontheirown,whileotherssaytheyovercomeordealwiththeseexperiencesbyadvocatingagainstthem.Somealsosharetheseexperiencesortalkaboutthemwithfamily,friendsorthecommunity.Experiencesofanti-Blackracismarelinkedtoparticipants’personalwell-being.
42 | THE BLACK EXPERIENCE PROJECT IN THE GTA
(21) How does your day-to-day experience with discrimination bother you?
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Overview Report | 43
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Racism is less obvious
Better police relations/less violence
More diversity/interracial relationships
Better health care
More opportunities for success
Better/more affordable education system
Fairer legal system
Less racialized violence
History not as rooted in racism/slavery
(23) In what ways are Blacks better off in Canada than in the USA?
Forinstance,otherresearchconfirmsthattheexperienceofbeingtreatedunfairlybecauseofone’sraceiscorrelatedwithpoorerhealthandmentalhealth,andthereisastrongrelationshipbetweenbeingbotheredbyexperiencesofanti-Blackracismandlifesatisfaction,health,mentalhealthandfeelingsofstress(Figure22showstherelationshipbetweenthefrequencyofday-to-daydiscriminationacrossalltypes(fromfrequentlytooccasional)andoveralllifesatisfaction).*
AsreportedinChapter3,experiencesofdiscriminationareassociatedwithmorepoliticalandcommunityengagement.BEPparticipantswhoaremorelikelytoexperienceunfairtreatmentbasedonracearealsomorecriticalofpublicandpoliticalinstitutions,butdonotturntheirbacksonpoliticalparticipation.
ThesurveyalsoaskedparticipantstocomparetheexperiencesofBlackpeopleinCanadaandtheUSA.CoverageofissuesrelatingtoraceintheUSareprominentinthemediaandpopularculture,andtherearemanyuntestedassumptionsabouthowexperiencesinthetwocountriescompare.ManyCanadiansdefinetheiridentitiesincontrasttoAmericans.ThenotionofCanadianexceptionalismextendstothebeliefthatCanadaisadiverse,multicultural,andinclusivesocietyexemptfromtheissueofanti-Blackracismsouthoftheborder.
ResultsfromthisresearchsuggestthatnotallBlackpeopleinCanadaseethingsthesameway.Onlyathinmajority(55%)ofBEPparticipantsbelievethatBlacksarebetteroffinCanadathantheUS.ThemostfrequentlycitedwaysinwhichBlacksarebetteroffinCanadaincluderacismbeinglessovert,betterrelationswithpolice,greaterdiversityinthepopulation,andbetterhealthcare(seeFigure23).
*Frequency of discrimination is measured in an index created that incorporates the results from all eight types of micro aggression experience measured in the survey, which captures both the number and frequency of such experiences reported. These data are then categorized into three groups according to frequency: systemic, common and occasional.
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Systemic experience withdiscrimina�on
Common experience withdiscrimina�on
Occasional experience withdiscrimina�on
(22) Frequency of day-to-day discrimination by overall life satisfaction
High life sa�sfac�on Medium life sa�sfac�on Low life sa�sfac�on(22) Frequency of day-to-day
discrimination by overall life satisfaction
(23) In what ways are Blacks better off in Canada than in the USA?
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Systemic experience withdiscrimina�on
Common experience withdiscrimina�on
Occasional experience withdiscrimina�on
(22) Frequency of day-to-day discrimination by overall life satisfaction
High life sa�sfac�on Medium life sa�sfac�on Low life sa�sfac�on
Butwhilenon-BlackCanadiansmightassumethatracialminoritiessuchasBlackpeoplearebetteroffnorthoftheborder,notallBEPparticipantsareconvinced.Onethird(33%)ofBEPparticipantssaythatthesituationofBlacksinthetwocountriesisaboutthesame,whileclosetooneinten(8%)saythatBlacksareworseoffinCanadathanintheUSA.ThislattergroupismostlikelytosayBlackshaveitworseinCanadabecauseofthewayracismmanifestsitself.Theyreportthatitiseithermorecovert,orthatdiversityisa“guise”thatmaskstherealityofanti-Blackracism,ashasbeendocumentedinotherstudies.33
44 | THE BLACK EXPERIENCE PROJECT IN THE GTA
SOCIO-ECONOMIC DIMENSIONS OF RACISM. Insomecases,anti-BlackracismisfeltmoreacutelybyBEPparticipantswithlowerincomes.Forinstance,thosewithinadequateincomes(thosewhoreportitisnotenoughandarehavingahardtime),aremorelikelythanthosewithadequateincomestohavefrequentlyexperiencedoneormoreoftheeightmicro-aggressions.Theseincludebeingignored,overlookedornotgivenserviceinarestaurantorstore,beingtreatedrudelyordisrespectfully,beingaccusedofsomething,andbeingobservedorfollowedwhileinpublicplaces.Aswell,participantswhoarehavingahardtimemakingendsmeetarealsomorelikelytosaythatthelivesoftheBlackpeopleclosetothem(includingfamilyandfriends)havebeenaffectedtoagreatextentbecauseoftheirrace(seeFigure24).
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(24) Frequent personal experiences because of race by adequacy of income
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Been observed or followedin a public place
Been ignored or not givenservice in a restaurant/store
Treated rudely ordisrespe ully
Income is good enough, and you can save from it
Income is not enough, and you are having hard me
Inconsideringthesepatterns,itisimportanttonotethatthedifferencebetweenthosewithhigherorlowerincomesisnotthatonegroupexperiencesanti-Blackracismandtheotherdoesnot–rather,thefrequencyoftheseexperiencesiswhatdiffers,andsuchdifferencesdonotappearinallsituations(seenextChapterasitrelatestoexperienceswithpoliceservices).Thissuggeststhatthedisadvantagesoflowerincomecompoundexperiencesofracialdiscriminationforsomeindividuals.ButthisdoesnotmeanthatBlackindividualswithhigherincomesareinsulatedfromexperiencesofunfairtreatmentandanti-Blackracism.
44 | THE BLACK EXPERIENCE PROJECT IN THE GTA
(24) Frequent personal experiences because of race (by adequacy of income)
Overview Report | 45
What have you found useful as ways to overcome or deal
with your experiences with unfair treatment
because of being Black?
Surrounding myself with other black girls has helped my self-esteem. I had to navigate a lot of micro-aggressions
from white and Asian friends who didn’t understand why I was offended. My black friends knew and understood
what I was talking about. I became less passive and more confident being
surrounded by black friends.
Islam. I became a Muslim and it taught me to have faith in God. Islam made
me secure. I look at things as though God
will deal with it.
Education is a golden key. It strengthens your individual identity to make you better
able to analyze and even handle your experiences.
I have found that work with the black community
is also a great source of information.
For me, it is very important not to call that person a racist or say it’s (the unfair treatment) because I’m black. I let them say it so that I am not seen as wanting to be the victim. It is
more powerful when they have to acknowledge the reason they
are treating you unfairly.