Five Edmonton groups eyed for city-funded $1.2M anti-racism and safety programs

“Our women are getting brutally assaulted and impacted outside on the streets predominantly by racist rhetoric … and then inside of the house from domestic violence. This is what we’re dealing with. It’s sensitive and it requires a lot more resources,” Nur said Friday.

“There’s a lot of shame around (sexual violence) and they don’t have the ability and resources to navigate all of those nuances of how do I deal with the (racial) hate-motivated violence, but at the same time protect my children from experiencing physical violence and harm.”

ACCEC’s program would also help Black 2SLGBTQ+, Muslim, refugee, non-status Edmontonians. It includes “court navigators” to supporting emergency protection orders and legal referrals, a “resource navigator” to help domestic violence victims find housing and cultural safe spaces, and “promote community empowerment capacity building,” among other goals.

Nur is glad ACCEC is being considered for the grant but says long-term stable funding is important to keep programs like this going — which meets the needs of a community that other more generalized programs often cannot.

Supporting undocumented Edmontonians and educating the public

The Alberta Workers Association also hopes its $246,000 proposal will help undocumented people in Edmonton and educate the wider community.

Chair Jason Foster said undocumented people are often racialized and very vulnerable workers whose legal status creates major barriers to things many Edmontonians take for granted.

Creating a toolkit for helping access basic needs, family and youth support groups, and support from mental health professionals are all part of the program.

“Lots of aspects of life become very difficult when you don’t have legal status,” Foster said Friday.

“Something like an emergency room is a place of danger for an undocumented worker. We know there are cases where a staff member, like a nurse or doctor, will call the Canadian border agency or police to say this person is undocumented, even though their job is to help them.”

AWA also plans to run educational programs for Edmonton school staff, leadership, and students. Foster said they hope further education will help tackle prejudices facing this community: “We asked them to come here and do work many Canadians don’t wish to do, and then certain things happened and they find themselves without status.”

If approved, the Canadian Mental Health Association plans to use $250,000 to help the Edmonton distress line crisis responders give mental health support to racialized Edmontonians who are victims of race-based hate.

Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers plans to use $250,00 to create a program to help LGBTQ+ newcomers facing racial discrimination, homophobia and transphobia.

Developing “innovative and transformative anti-racism and intercultural experiential learning” with grassroots BIPOC organizations and the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues is also recommended for $178,000 in funding.