Tri-Cities is not Free of Racism

A recent report out of Vancouver indicates that the number of racially motivated incidents overall was 280 in 2020, up from 142 the year before. This in an increase of 97% overall in Vancouver last year, and anti-Asian hate crimes was up 717%

In late May, Vancouver police reported a spike in anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic, with 29 investigations opened since the beginning of 2020, compared to just four over the same period in 2019.

Recent incidents of racism and violence across B.C. during the COVID-19 pandemic are deeply disturbing. These violent acts are rooted in ignorance and discrimination against marginalized communities, specifically Asian, Indigenous and Black communities. B.C. is experiencing dramatic increases in hate associated police files, in addition to the many acts of violence that are not reported.

In 2018/2019, Tri-Cities Together supported planned initiatives around social inclusion, such as the Welcoming Neighbourhoods forum and public campaign on the characteristics and importance of welcoming communities. The Network also collaborated with the City of PoCo in their Kindness Counts Breakfast initiative to engage youth around the topics of inclusion, anti-bullying and anti-racism.

This does not mean that the Tri-Cities is free of the scourge of racism. While the RCMP have indicated that there were no charges laid in the Tri-Cities in 2020 for racially motivated assaults and no reports of any hate crimes, this does not mean that many of our residents are not exposed to racism in one for or another.

Recently Tri-Cities worked with S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Immigrant Services here in the Tri-Cities to help some of our residents to tell of their experiences with racism.