“The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.”
-Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. “The danger of a single story”
In light of the recent cases of George Floyd and Regis Korchinski-Paquet, conversations about anti-racism and the history of racism in Canada continue to be necessary and important. If you are looking for resources to read and listen to, whether it is through non-fiction research, poetry and prose, or works of art, the following is a short list of resources to help get you started:
Well Read Black Girl
Since launching in 2015, WRBG has steadily grown into a thriving online community of 235K passionate Instagram followers. Our goal is to showcase the universality of Black women through literature. Through reading our community addresses racial inequity in publishing and pays homage to the literary legacies of Black women writers like Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Maya Angelou.
The Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD)
The FOLD Foundation celebrates diverse authors and storytellers at festivals and events based in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. By providing unique opportunities that center underrepresented storytellers – emerging and established – the Festival of Literary Diversity has transformed Canada’s literary scene and continues to have an impact on programming around the world by providing a place where authors from marginalized communities speak as experts not only in the identities that impact their everyday lives, but as experts in the craft of writing.
Toronto Public Library
Black Lives Matter: A Booklist
Toronto Public Library provides free and equitable access to services which meet the changing needs of Torontonians. The Library preserves and promotes universal access to a broad range of human knowledge, experience, information and ideas in a welcoming and supportive environment.
Black Light
A weekly column by Governor General Award-winning writer Amanda Parris that spotlights, champions and challenges art and popular culture that is created by Black people and/or centres Black people.
Living Hyphen: Anti-Racism Resources
Living Hyphen is an emerging magazine that explores the experiences of hyphenated Canadians. From the Haitian-Quebecois commuting along the Montréal Métro to the South Asian trans man applying for permanent residency, from the young Filipino-Canadian woman texting her immigrant mother to the Plains Cree and Métis man meeting a traditional healer, this magazine reveals the rich inner lives of Canada’s diverse communities.
A Different Booklist
From the South to the North, from Africa to the Caribbean, from Asia to South America, we bring you literary gems from Canada’s cultural mosaic. They are currently offering free delivery across Canada.