VOW: Action for Black History

Recognizing  February as “Black History Month” and recognizing the urgency of the “Black Lives Matter” movement, Voice of Women for Peace invites members and interested parties to ‘turn concern into action.”  Please take part, read, explore, support, donate  and educate where you can. 

TAKE PART ON Friday, March 5, 2021     12:00-1:00 PM AST  11:00-12:00 PM EST

Black Lives Matter & Environmental Racism:  A  Social Work Ethics Perspective

A thought-provoking webinar with Senator Wanda Thomas-Bernard,     RSW, PhD initiated by the Pictou County Social Workers Group and The NSCSW to celebrate both Black Heritage Month in February and Social Work Month in March. This is a free event.

READ  “There is Something in the Water and Not Just in Nova Scotia”  Environmental Racism is a national issue.   Environmental racism refers to the disproportionate location and greater exposure of Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities to polluting industries and other environmental hazards. These toxic burdens have been linked to high rates of cancer, reproductive diseases, respiratory illnesses and other health problems in these communities (Bullard, 2002; Fryzuk, 1996; Gosine & Teelucksingh, 2008; Waldron, 2018).

EXPLORE THE ENRICH PROJECT (The Environmental Noxiousness, Racial Inequities & Community Health Project is a collaborative community-based research and engagement project on environmental racism in Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotian communities). VOW members have joined two of the working groups involved in the ENRICH project. Please contact winkler.kathrin2@gmail.com for more information. 

 SUPPORT the Passing of Bill C-230 at Second Reading in the House of Commons in March 2021 – A National Strategy to Redress Environmental Racism: Use the template  to write a letter of concern to politicians in support of Bill C-230.

DONATE: Clean Water for Shelburne’s Black Community. Please follow this link. 

The Black community in Shelburne, Nova Scotia needs clean drinking water now. 

To achieve this goal and in response to inaction from all levels of government SEED (South End Environmental Injustice Society) is fundraising a minimum of $15,000 to provide residential UV water disinfection systems to Black residents who have bacteria in their dug wells. Approximately 30 UV units are required and will cost around $500 per unit including installation. Any funds raised above this amount will be used to support SEED in our work to ensure environmental justice and reparations for Shelburne’s historic Black community.