A city advisory committee is taking its fight against racism to social media.
The London Diversity and Race Relations Advisory Committee (LDRRAC) kicked off the #HandsAgainstRacism campaign Monday at Westmount Public School. Students had a chance to cover their hand in paint and decorate a banner baring the name of the new campaign with their handprints.
Chair of the LDRRAC Shawna Lewkowitz says the premise of the campaign is a simple one.
"We're asking people to raise their hands against racism, take a picture and post it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with the hashtag #HandsAgainstRacism," says Lewkowitz. "We want them to talk about ways that we can celebrate diversity and inclusion in our city and tag three other friends to do the same."
The social media campaign, launched on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, will continue for the next six weeks. It will conclude on April 16.
"Every community still faces issues of racial discrimination and London is no different. We wanted to bring a positive opportunity to the community to kick start the conversation," says Lewkowitz. "We will then be following up in September with a community forum on racism to dig out some of the deeper issues."
Mayor Matt Brown along with Councillors Virgina Ridley, Jared Zaifman, and Harold Usher also took part in the campaign kickoff.
"It's so important that we have this conversation with young children, with adolescence, and with adults," says Brown. "Our community is a diverse community, our diversity makes us stronger as a community, and each and everyone of us needs to communicate both collectively and as individuals that racism of any kind is unacceptable."