WINDSOR, ONT. -- Law student Josh Lamers says he isn't the only victim of the ongoing alleged racist remarks circulating online, targeting students at the University of Windsor.
“It first solidifies how unsafe it is to be a black student on campus, to be a black person that speaks out about anti-black racism,” says Lamers.
He says he received a threat on Tuesday parts of which read:
“Hey n word you don’t know me but in delta chai your black privilege is absolutely disgusting watching you try and virtue signals from clout and pretend you care about trans problem and making disgusting jokes. Things are going to get a lot worse for n word. Slur unlike at the University of Windsor mark my words and watch your back. Animal”
Members of a group known as RAACES or Researchers, Academics and Advocates of Colour for Equity in Solidarity are calling for a day of mourning on Monday.
“To me it seems a lot of putting out fires individually when there really is an institutional problem and hence our day of mourning of whiteness and the pervasive whiteness of the institution,” says UWindsor professor and RAACES member, Richard Douglass-Chin.
Douglass-Chin says the first day of mourning will start off small with RAACES not answering emails for the day, but could lead to a work to rule day once a month.
“Day of mourning is so people know we are thinking of the black students and ourselves the black faculty have also experienced a lot of problems within the university,” says Douglass-Chin.
“I think withholding of labour and things for students such as tuitions and collective refusal to submit assignments are things we should consider as we move forward if the university continues to delay,” says Lemars.
The University of Windsor did not directly comment on the day of mourning, but said in an emailed statement, "we are taking action and moving faster to do more to address the experiences of students, faculty, and staff, and we appreciate that so many members of our community are pushing us to be better."
The statement goes on to say the university has since launched an anti-black racism task force and are committed to hiring 12 black faculty members by 2023 and will be reviewing its equity, diversity and inclusion practices, procedures, and infrastructure.
University officials are also promising more than $150,000 in grants for Black students and incorporating a new anti-black racism educational campaign, that will be finalized in December.
