
Disclaimer: Although I am confident that I am not alone in my thoughts, opinions, and feelings, I can only speak on behalf of myself. I do not speak on behalf of others or, more specifically, a whole race of people.
In grade 4, students asked me if my brother was the kid you could feed in the World Vision commercials. In junior high, kids asked to touch my afro as if I was some sort of walking petting zoo, and teachers would imply that I am not capable of amounting to anything. At age 14, my pockets were searched at a convenience store, and I was routinely followed by store security after merely walking through the door. Too many police officers to count have pointlessly stopped me while driving. Fellow students, who I don’t know, have asked if I sell drugs. I have heard countless snarky comments about where I do and don’t belong. People have asked about how I purchased my car, as if I wasn’t supposed to be able to afford it.
These are just a few of the many racist incidents I have experienced in my life. Canada, Alberta, Edmonton, and our university campuses are not immune to racism. Inequalities exist in institutions such as education, health care, child care, policing, and more. Inequalities and discrimination also exist within the workplace and in our day-to-day encounters.

It’s fair to say that 2020 has been rough, but what it has done is give us 20–20 vision of the racial inequalities that people of color face routinely. There was something about watching and hearing about Ahmed Arbury, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, and the countless other lives that have been taken or ruined as a result of individual’s actions and the institutions that have allowed for such actions to happen. Watching those Black Lives Matter events unfold, and what seems to be an ongoing race war, made me wonder how disposable I am in the eyes of society as a Black person. It also got me thinking about my personal experiences and, oddly enough, it made me grateful in a way that I have to deal with such “subtle racism” here in Canada. Then I started to think about why I was grateful that I experienced only minute racism just because it hasn’t resulted in any bodily harm or even my death. But beyond my thoughts, my feelings were indescribable. I am usually very quick to form an opinion once given information, but I would get nauseous seeing and hearing about the mistreatment and even murders of the ones who look like me.
How did I cope? The truth of the matter is, I didn’t cope and I don’t cope. I keep it pushing because life goes on. As much as I want the world to stop, just for a second, it doesn’t. You see, coping to me requires processing and overcoming. I take time to process but never overcome. I can’t just overcome or forget about racism when it plays a role in the decisions I make. All I can do is find ways to either workaround, or create and occupy, space, and within those spaces ensure that there are some forms of equity by being vocal. Here are some of the ways that I processed what happened and how it helped me.
Talk in Your Safe Spaces
This one is helpful in more ways than one. It is hard to put emotions into words, but a conversation around people that allow you to speak freely about how you feel without judgment is great because you are able to say things you didn’t know you were feeling through conversation. You can also hear the perspective of others, which may trigger your thoughts to match their words with your feelings. Through empathetic conversations, you feel heard, not alone, and maybe even come up with a clearer course of action. For me, these conversations happen(ed) with my friends: discussing the public perception of the value of a Black life, our experiences, and how changes can be made. Although I didn’t agree with everything the ones in my circle had to say, it was very valuable having a conversation on such sensitive topics.
Write, Write, and Write Some More
This can look like a lot of things. It can be you just free flow writing with just words — no formal sentences or punctuation required. You can write journalistically to put your thoughts and feelings on paper. You can also write poetically. Whatever creative outlet you choose to use, write. It will take the crushing weight of being unable to express yourself away. You may also learn a lot about yourself in the process. I never considered myself a creative person, but I ended up writing a poem and sharing it with the people within my safe spaces. I somehow found a way to put my genuine feelings into words and expressed my thoughts that I couldn’t turn into words. What writing did was give me agency. Seeing people that look like me mistreated and murdered for merely existing can really mess with one’s mental health and identity. By expressing myself using creative outlets, it allowed me to free my thoughts of the captivity of my silence/my head. Writing is not the only creative form of expression. You can record yourself just speaking off the cuff, through music, dance, or exercise, or however you process. Just keep in mind that when you do attempt to process, do so in a healthy fashion (don’t harm yourself or others).
You Can Do Something About It:

Protests, social media campaigns, talking to policymakers, educating others, and so much more: there are countless ways that individuals can make small and large changes. It is important to use that passion and frustration as fuel for fighting for the cause. For me, I protested, emailed my policymakers, had empathetic conversations with those that don’t share the same opinion as me, and educated the youth I know to equip them with the tools that they need in the event of a racist encounter. By doing your part, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and are working to a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive future.
Below are some on-campus resources available to students:
- Equity Diversity and Inclusivity: https://www.ualberta.ca/equity-diversity-inclusivity/index.html
- Office of Safe Disclosure and Human Rights: https://www.ualberta.ca/vice-president-finance/office-of-safe-disclosure-human-rights/index.html
- Peer Support Centre: https://www.su.ualberta.ca/services/psc/
- Clinical and Counseling Services: https://www.ualberta.ca/current-students/counselling/index.html
Notice how there aren’t any exclusively safe spaces or resources available to support people of color (that I am aware of at least).