By rdnewsNOW Staff

'Proud to be your neighbour' celebrates diversity

Anti-racism campaign launched by Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership

Jan 25, 2022 | 4:20 PM

The Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership (RDLIP) is launching a social media campaign meant to inform and inspire residents about race issues in the community.

The “Proud to be your neighbour” campaign launched Jan. 24, after a series of public incidences of racism, including violence at an anti-racism rally in September 2020.

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RDLIP conducted a survey a year ago to gauge attitudes toward race issues locally.

The survey found that 50 per cent of respondents believe racism is higher in Red Deer than in other places, with 47 per cent agreeing it has become more severe since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While over 29 per cent of total respondents claim to have experienced racism, approximately 80 per cent of visible minorities and 70 per cent of Indigenous respondents said they have experienced racism first-hand in the past five years.

RDLIP says the campaign will primarily focus on Red Deer residents who may feel uninformed or apathetic toward race issues.

“We want to share stories about how diversity helps, how it makes our communities stronger,” says Ezgi Sarioglu, program manager. “Our research tells us that people feel un-empowered in the face of racist behaviour. We want to educate them about the anti-racism project and show them the benefits of welcoming people from all walks of life.”

The campaign will primarily run on social media platforms, as well as in traditional media, inviting audiences to visit rdlip.ca/antiracism.

The webpage is populated with stories of productive relationships between Red Deerians from different backgrounds, as well as educational resources about anti-racism, and the positive impact of immigrants on Red Deer’s social and economic life.