Thursday, March 21 marks the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the City of Grande Prairie is commemorating this day with a free, community event at Teresa Sargent Hall in the Montrose Cultural Centre.

Community members are invited to attend from 1:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. for a keynote speaker, presentations by local community groups, performances by local groups Threza Schlenkrich and the Red Feather Metis Dancers and light refreshments.

The keynote speech kicks-off at 1:30 p.m., by Carla Cuglietta, the Co-Founder of YoungLeaders.Word, a global non-profit organization that focus on engagement, equity and leadership. Cuglietta’s speech will use her experiences, stories and research from across the world to show how we can embrace diversity, overcome stereotypes and engage our communities to enhance opportunity for all.

Local community groups presenting include:

• Ejibola Adetokunbo-Taiwo and Juliet Onun of W.E Hustle in Heels, a platform that provides women entrepreneurs and new immigrant women with an avenue to connect and grow as leaders
• Natalia Madden, Chief Innovator of Change Avenue, who will share her story of immigrating from Mexico and the importance of being curious about differences rather than judgemental
• Madi Wrzosek of Odyssey House, presenting on how different racial and ethnic backgrounds may relate to violence, what different types of violence are considered abusive within Canadian Law and what healthy relationships and balanced gender roles look like

The event is brought to the community by the City of Grande Prairie, Grande Prairie Local Immigration Partnership and Grande Prairie Friendship Centre.

Background

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was declared by the United Nation as a way to encourage people worldwide to continue to make strides to eliminate racial discrimination in all forms. The theme for 2019 is mitigating and countering rising nationalist populism and extreme supremacist ideologies.