Across Boundaries has been providing mental health supports and services to racialized communities in the Greater Toronto Area since 1995. Our clients come from many different backgrounds and situations. Some come from war-torn countries, only to encounter systemic racism here in Canada.
Oftentimes these clients are either misdiagnosed, or mis-administered medicine, because of biases, stereotypes, miscommunication or cultural misunderstandings on the part of the traditional medical system.
Anti-racist practice is a strategic approach to addressing all forms of oppression in the mental health system. A focus on racism does not mean we are competing with other “isms” or are creating a hierarchy of oppressions. Instead, we see anti-racism as an entry point. We believe that any substantive progress made through anti-racist practice will lead to meaningful change in addressing all inequities and oppression in the mental health system.
Anti-Oppression Training
Across Boundaries have developed trainings to help your organization succeed. They are highly customizable, our trainings offers educational sessions and interactive workshops that are developed through a consultative process and are aimed to achieve the following outcomes:
- Increased understanding of the workings of power and privilege in individual, organizational and systemic contexts
- Enhanced knowledge and critical understanding of intersecting oppressions
- Increased knowledge of a holistic model of service delivery for people from racialized communities
- Increased knowledge and skill in cultural competency and anti-racism/anti-oppression
- Enhanced knowledge about mental health issues and/or substance use, prevention, healing and recovery approaches in racialized communities
- Increased awareness of community resources, supports, and systemic changes needed to address access to appropriate services for racialized communities
Anti-Oppression 101- Beyond DEI: Introduction to Anti-oppression and Anti-Racism
We take a look at power, privilege, and systems of oppression. We will also look into to intersectionality and white supremacy.
This course will allow for a shared understanding of anti-racism/anti-oppression (AR/AO) theory and practice. The workshop provides an overview of AR/AO concepts and terminology while examining how individuals and groups are impacted by systems of oppression and what can be done to affect change.
Participants should leave:
– Able to define power & privilege
– Understand the over arching systems of oppression
– Be able to identify the relationship between intersectionality, capitalist white supremacy and all the most accessible systems of oppression.
Anti-Oppression 102 – Beyond Anti-Racism: A deep dive into intersectionality and lesser-known systems of oppression
We take a deeper dive into systems of oppression, ableism & sanism. We will have an in depth discussion white supremacy culture.
Participants should leave:
– Able to define power & privilege; and identify where power and privilege are situated in an oppressive situation
– Understand the over arching systems of oppression, and why they are employed & upheld
– Be able to identify the relationship between intersectionality, capitalist white supremacy
– Strengthened ability to identify area of change needed within their organizations
After Elijah McClain: Anti Racism, Sanism, Mental Health & Neurodivergence
This is a very important workshop for all healthcare providers. In the healthcare system, racism against Black, Indigenous, and other persons of colour persists. This causes significant harm to those who utilise and work in these environments.
We will investigate different approaches to racialized healthcare and neurotypical bias.
Participants should leave:
– Able to define power & privilege
– Understand the over arching systems of oppression
– Be able to identify the relationship between intersectionality, capitalist white supremacy and all the most accessible systems of oppression
George Bush Does not like Black People: Structural Anti-Black Racism
We look at racism as an economic system, colonial histories, and structural anti-black racism.
Participants should leave:
– Able to define anti-black racism, colourism, texturism & featurism as their own stand-alone systems of oppression with their own internal workings
– Understand the historical realities that undergird anti-black racism
– Understand oppression at a structural level
– Be able to identify the relationship between intersectionality, capitalist white supremacy and anti-black racism the over arching systems of oppression
– Be able to identify the relationship between intersectionality, capitalist white supremacy and all the most accessible systems of oppression
Listen to Black Women; Believe Black Women – Misogynoir
Come learn about the intersections of anti-Black racism, sexism, oppression of black women & femmes. We will look at resistance movements lead by Black women, trans people, non-binary and gender-nonconforming people.
Participants should leave able to:
– Able to define anti-black racism, colourism, texturism & featurism as their own stand-alone systems of oppression with their own internal workings
– Understand the historical realities that undergird anti-black racism, and how the intersect with sexism to manifest in misogynoir
– Understand oppression at a structural level
The first pride was a riot – Resisting Queerphobia
Get the 101 on 2SLGBTQ+ terminology.
Learn a brief history, and intersectionality in queer communities.
This workshop will shine a spotlight on ways organizations can dismantle and address queerphobia and transphobia that can show up within their workplace.
Participants should leave:
– With an introduction to the history of queer history movements in North America
– Refresher on terminology
– Exploration of LgbtQ2s identity and how it compounds other systems of oppression