Presented by NEXTNiagara and Niagara Region Anti-Racism Association. Sponsored by YMCA of Niagara
We live in a society in which outcomes of everyone’s lives are not the same. If you believe, like us, the reason those who are not succeeding or doing well is because they are oppressed by an unfair system, or subject to systemic biases, surely you would wish not to be in the group that is contributing to their oppression. We unpack that through this collaborative series between NEXTNiagara and the Niagara Region Anti-Racism Association.
This month, our REALTalk Series will explore the link between affordable housing and anti-racism. This event will start with a mini-presentation from the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA), followed by a panel discussion.
Resources:
• https://www.blacklegalactioncentre.ca/
• https://www.facebook.com/groups/blackhousingdirectory
• https://www.niagaracommunitylegalclinic.com/
• Contact CERA at https://www.equalityrights.org/ or call 416-944-0087
• https://www.equalityrights.org/
• HRTO: https://tribunalsontario.ca/hrto/
Speakers:
Kattawe Henry (Moderator)
As a Brock alumnus with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Master of Arts in Gender Studies and Feminist Research from McMaster University, Kattawe brings a background enriched with experiences and understandings of the difficult conversations that are essential to developing lasting and effective change. She is moved by the resilience of marginalized communities and has committed her research and professional career to understand the themes of racism, mental health, and sexual violence and harassment to understand and draw parallels to the social and structural nature of racism
Ury Eshun is a business banking professional with Meridian Credit Union, Ontario’s largest credit union with over 375,000 members and $27.2 billion in assets under management. In his current role as Relationship Manager, Ury oversees a diverse portfolio of commercial accounts in the GTA West market, and has a keen interest in forging relationships with organizations and individuals involved in community outreach. He has also served as a chairperson of Meridian’s BIPOC employee resource group, which was formed to facilitate employee engagement, and to advocate for BIPOC representation within Meridian.
Erica Williams resides in St.Catharines, and has been a resident of the Niagara Region for the past 8 years. She graduated from Niagara College with a diploma in Social Services and is currently attending Ryerson (X) University to complete her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work . She is employed at an organization that supports community members in need of transitional and permanent housing. In 2018 she created Erica’s Embrace Support Services which offers advocacy and donates hair and beauty care products for Black women staying in shelters in Ontario. Erica is a member of the St.Catharines Anti-Racism Advisory Committee and she is passionate about her community activism and is dedicated to supporting the Black community within the Niagara Region.
Lee Webb is the Manager of Services and Education at the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA). Lee is a lawyer with over 7 years experience in the housing law field. Prior to joining CERA, he was the Housing Team Lead at the Community Legal Clinic of York Region. He is a member of the Affordable Housing Coalition of York Region and the Corporation of Pickering College. Lee earned a J.D. at the University of Toronto, an M.A. at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and a B.A and B.Phil at the University of New Brunswick.
Speakers for this event will receive an honorarium provided exclusively by NRARA through Brock Student Justice Centre funding.
