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

4

3

9

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46

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16

20

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

65

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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(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.