Brandon University researcher seeks stories for anti-racism video series

A Brandon University researcher is looking for your stories as she prepares for a $100,000 project to combat racism in Manitoba.

Michelle Lam received federal government funding last fall from Canada Heritage to collect real-world stories about experiences with racism. She’ll use these stories to create shareable videos that explore different perceptions of racism and to start discussions about how everyone can improve.

“The impacts of racism, bias, and discrimination are hurtful and harmful,” she said, “even if it is not always intentional or overt. By sharing true-to-life examples of racism collected right here in Manitoba, we can start challenging incorrect notions about racism, and start the important discussions we need to have to address the issue.”

Lam’s project is based on a successful Australian model that launched several viral videos. The project will start in Manitoba, and she plans to ramp up nation-wide in the future. She says the project will represent minority groups including Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, and religious minorities.

For now, anyone in Manitoba over 18 years of age who has experienced or witnessed racism in any context over the past 12 months is invited to share their stories through an anonymous survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RacismInManitoba. Lam will then use those stories as the basis for video scripts, which will then be tested with a diverse group of cultural representatives. Finally, she will work with a professional videographer to create the videos, and then collaborate with a marketing and social media team to promote the videos online through targeted campaigns.

This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada. Ce projet a été rendu possible en partie grâce au gouvernement du Canada.

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