In my role in library services, I am often asked by teachers for resources on several areas of the K-8 curriculum and current events. One of those areas is Diversity Education. We are in a country made up of so many people of differing cultures and experiences, and as a library services worker, I hold myself accountable to ensure that the resources we have—both tangible and digital—reflect the community that we live in. Though racism has existed for centuries, it was in the 2010s that the world has seen global movements to bring awareness to and combat these hate crimes. Since then, we’ve horrifically witnessed a surge of hate crimes occur against BIPOC people. But in turn, there are more and more people becoming informed and speaking against these atrocities.
These resources were chosen to spark important conversations about race, equity, and social justice starting at a young age, and to give students the foundation to form their own thoughts and opinions on the topic. The collection also features many historical accounts of racism in Canada; to know the history helps us move forward and learn from the mistakes of the past.
