THUNDER BAY -- More than 150 people walked in silent protest of recent racially-motivated social media sites at Confederation College Wednesday.
The We Are One event began with an idea from the first-year Native child and family services class; they were urged to action after the Thunder Bay Police Service said last month they were investigating a pair of Facebook pages that had heavy racist tones.
“It’s just simply to say that we hear what you’re saying, we don’t agree with you and this is our way of not agreeing,” said Ashley Nurmela, a member of the Native child and family services class.
The class had T-shirts made that said “Stand up” on the front and on the back reads “Not only do our actions have consequences but our inactions as well.”
And as the college’s REACH atrium filled with people from the college community to the Guardian Angels to city councilors and members of the general public, Nurmela found herself overwhelmed by the turnout.
“We’re not the only ones who feel this way,” she said. “Our community isn’t dominantly a racist community. It may seem that way sometimes. This clearly shows that our community is not.”
A large group of students from Nipigon-Red Rock District High School even made the drive to Thunder Bay to join the protest.
“We came here for this. It’s really, really important to us,” said Jaden Donio-Hardy.
“I believe that those pages are wrong,” added the Grade 11 student. “It makes me really upset because there is a lot of good people out there.”
Confederation College president Jim Madder said he thought the We Are One movement was spectacular and reminded him of the respect. campaign and how it began within the college and soon spread to the greater community.
“It shows that a single student in a class has a voice, has that voice that goes beyond themselves. They can actually be advocates for what should be occurring throughout all of our community and our society,” he said.
Madder was wearing one of the red Stand Up T-shirts and said it’s important to show he supports the students.
The student are surprised I’m here. They shouldn’t be,” he said.
The Stand Up shirts can still be bought for $12 by ordering through ABC Embroidery before April 30. The shirts are sold at cost.
