RICHMOND – New Democrat MLAs Aman Singh, Henry Yao and Kelly Greene say multiculturalism grant funding will help local organizations fight systemic racism throughout Richmond. This year, priority was given to projects addressing anti-Indigenous, anti-Asian and anti-Black racism.

“The rise in reported incidents of hate and violence over the past year reminds us of the work still to be done to tackle racism,” said Singh, MLA for Richmond-Queensborough. “By supporting these local multicultural projects, we are giving people in Richmond more tools to speak up and make our community safer.”

“There can be no room for racism or discrimination anywhere in B.C.,” said Yao, MLA for Richmond South Centre. “I’m proud of the important work that the people and organizations in Richmond are doing to make our community stronger and more resilient, and these grants will allow that work to continue.”

Multiculturalism grant funding is provided to non-profit and charitable organizations for projects that build intercultural interaction, trust and understanding, or challenge racism, hate and systemic barriers. The MLAs said that through these projects, people across B.C. will soon have improved access to tools and resources to help them learn about the diversity of cultures that make up their communities.

“These projects will promote more cross-cultural dialogue and understanding in our community,” said Greene, MLA for Richmond-Steveston. “We are empowering people to speak up and challenge racism when they see it or experience it.”

Projects in Richmond receiving a grant include:

• Richmond Public Library– $5,000 – Amplify: Highlighting BIPOC Youth Voices Through Podcasting – This project will support and celebrate the underrepresented voices of BIPOC youth by providing access and training on how to create their own podcasts.
• Richmond Multicultural Community Service– $5,000 – Storytelling: How we are made to feel like we do not belong – This project includes creating a short film and website about anti-racism, holding monthly workshops, and creating social networking groups to discuss anti-racism.

For 2020/21, the Province is providing a $944,000 one-time boost to the grant funding as part of anti-racism initiatives through Stronger BC: BC’s Economic Recovery Plan.

This grant program is just one way the BC New Democrat government is working to subvert systemic racism and protect human rights. The province has taken further action to tackle racism, including: reinstating the B.C. Human Rights Commission after it was dismantled by the former BC Liberal government, launching an investigation into allegations of racism in B.C.’s health-care system, and developing a comprehensive, multi-year anti-racism action plan for B.C.’s K-12 education system.  A special committee of the legislature is currently undertaking a review of the 45-year-old Police Act to modernize it, with a specific focus on addressing systemic racism. The BC New Democrat government is also committed to introducing a new anti-racism act and legislation on race-based data collection.

Learn More:

For a full list of grant recipients: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021AG0044-000651

For more information about the BC Multiculturalism Grants program, visit:

www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content?id=05BC37ECB1AC4C87AF86BC303937F6EF

For more information about Resilience BC, B.C.’s Anti-Racism network visit: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/multiculturalism-anti-racism/anti-racism/resiliencebc