Members were treated to a passionate presentation by local actress and activist, Leslie McCurdy. Leslie began by sharing two of her poems and explaining why “Juneteenth” is celebrated in the black community. This was the day when slavery was officially over.
Leslie has written and performed a one-woman play on the life of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad and has spent the past 23 years performing in local schools. She is currently working on a second presentation entitled, “Things my 4 Sisters Saw”, which explores the policies and economics of slavery.
Through her work, she has found that students today are much more accepting of cultural and ethnic differences. She hopes that the current unrest will prove to be a tipping point in race relations. Leslie encourages members to start dialogues and discussions about equality and how they can help break down barriers for people of colour and of course listening to each other.
We asked Leslie to share a few ways that she believes we can confront systemic racism, she listed:
1). Encourage school boards to include more racial history in the curriculum;
2). Really listen when black people explain what it feels like to experience prejudice;
3). Work together for the human race. Her final message was to remember that the more you give, the more you will receive.
Thank you Leslie for there powerful and thought-provoking presentation!
We all have a lot of work to do when it comes to dismantling racism and making space for people of colour. May this movement and the work that Leslie and so many like her are doing help us to acknowledge, respect, and celebrate our differences!
Learn more about Leslie here https://lesliemccurdy.ca/