Abid Jan

What a Day before Canada Day – for which Thank Yous are not good enough. June 30, 2019. What a day it was! How lucky is Ottawa, and how fortunate it is to be in Ottawa. The day when OPS released the latest hate crime stats, showing hate crimes in Ottawa had risen by 32.9% between January to June 2021, community leaders, service providers, health professionals, elected officials, law enforcement officers and funders got together in a rare show of unity for kindness and compassion under #UnitedForAll.

The day when Indigenous communities confirmed yet another 182 unmarked gravesites near the location of a former residential school near Cranbrook, BC, the champions for kindness got together in Ottawa to demonstrate that the forces and voice for compassion outnumber the forces for hate.

 Thanks to Councillor Rawlson King and Michael Allen for opening the #UnitedForAll meeting with the resolve to deepen trust among partners and to continue to collaborate and collectively address systemic racism. Naini Cloutier from SWCHC so eloquently built on the opening remarks to provide an overview of various anti-hate, anti-racism initiatives in Ottawa. The passion from Naini was as impressive as the positive and promising examples of anti-hate work she cited. Thanks, Naini.

THANKS to: –   Robynn Collins for sharing the evolution of Safe People initiative to leading the charge for kindness and embracing diversity; –   Dianne Urquhart (SPC), Jean-Francois Rattel (University of Ottawa,) and Steve Montague (Carleton University) for helping us define and measure success for this movement for compassion and kindness; –   Agata Michalska for sharing similar work in progress in 35 other municipalities in East Ontario region – what a movement!!!! Thanks, Agata and partners in communities surrounding Ottawa – thank you; –   Sophia Jacob for scratching the surface of the great contribution by grassroots groups and BIPOC community to this growing movement to overcome hate; –   Jerry Fiori for sharing Ottawa Disability Coalition’s priority to address racism and discrimination; –   Michelle James for introducing strategies of the Ottawa Black Mental Health Coalition and the synergy to work with United for All; and –   Jalil Marhnouj for highlighting the sharp focus of the Muslim organizations on addressing youth violence and Islamophobia in partnership with experts and leaders in the social service sector. A big thank you to Dennise Taylor-Gilhen. If anyone wanted to see grace under time pressure, it was today to watch Dennise facilitate and weave the conversation by so many passionate leaders – all of whom had so much to share.

Members of the Champions Table followed a conversation so passionately and skillfully facilitated by Yasir Naqvi. Thank you so much Yasir for inspiring and renewing our shared commitment. Thanks Dr. Vera Etches for reminding us that a person’s colour, religion, culture or ethnic origin are determinants of health that result in inequities in social inclusion, economic outcomes, personal health, and access to and quality of health and social services. Thanks for your leadership Dr. Etches. Thank you Alex Munter. You were so ready to share not only how CHEO is dealing with the overwhelming desire to do good but also how all of us should be ready to go beyond the desire to show solidarity and the way actions can replace words. Thanks, Alex. Thanks you Chief Sloly. You were at your best in highlighting that we will only be successful if we are truly united for all – the collective work has to happen from bottom-up, top-down, as well as inside out. Thanks, Chief Sloly, for your commitment to change within the force and standing in unity with all.  Michael Allen, I wish my words to express gratitude were as powerful as your words to describe your passion and commitment to this cause. Thanks for bringing clarity to our respective roles, thanks for your leadership and UWEO providing the much-needed backbone support.

A big thank you also to Mayor Jim Watson. I know how much you were looking forward to not just opening this session but listening to our front-line heroes and sharing your thought towards the end. Thanks, Mayor Watson, for your commitment to our common cause.

Thanks to all the champions and partners who participated and left thoughtful notes, links and ideas in the chat box (Thanks to Zoom). We will incorporate all those ideas and info in our report.