Courageous Conversations: A Workshop on Open Dialogue About Race
by Marilyn Santucci
The Lester B. Pearson School Board is collaborating with The Courageous Conversations organization to help us learn a framework that fosters open dialogue about race and implement anti racist practices. School and head office administrators are invited to join a 4-part book club featuring Glenn E. Singleton, author of Courageous Conversations About Race.
Led by Mathieu Canavan, Director of Educational Services at the LBPSB, this program includes three focus groups that will meet with Glenn E. Singleton before and after the four sessions.
Here we present an interview with Mr. Canavan.
Marilyn Santucci: Take me back to the beginning. How did this all come about?
Matthieu Canavan: A few years ago, Patricia Blackett joined our team as a consultant for Anti Racist Pedagogy and shortly after was joined by Angela Lionetti. As Part of her role, Patricia introduced “Courageous Conversations About Race” to the Educational Services Department, leading our department in learning about and implementing antiracist pedagogy. Patricia and Angela have been instrumental in working with our students and staff.
MS: How has this book been implemented thus far?
MC: Our first introduction to the book was through a training that Patricia provided to the Educational Services Department when she arrived in the department. Since then, Patricia has created the Developing Anti Racist Educators (DARE) group where the book was studied, and online capsules were created to support the network in facilitating race based conversations. Four staff members from ESD participated in a book study with the author, including participants from across Canada and the US, making it a profoundly impactful experience. Patricia has been incorporating the book’s principles into many of the workshops she facilitates, using its framework to support schools in various interventions. That’s the foundation of how the book has influenced our work.
MS: Why this book?
MC: It is very effective at providing a framework to engage with each other in conversations that are uncomfortable, but necessary to further recognize the racism that exists in our community. While we have come a long way over the past few years, we recognize the need extends far beyond what we’ve already accomplished. We have reached a point where we realize there’s still much we do not know. This model stresses the need to listen to those who do. We have identified many blind spots, particularly in understanding racism and equity. We know that conversations alone are not enough, now, we’re at a stage where it’s time to act. It is Maya Angelou who says, “when you know better, you do better”. We now know this must apply to organizations as well.
MS: What can participants expect from the workshop?
MC: Having participated in a workshop series given by Glenn E. Singleton, I believe this work to be incredibly eye-opening, offering both practical steps and deeper reflection. It offers a clear guide on how to engage with issues of race. While the structure is valuable for implementation, the real inspiration comes from the richness of the discussions. This will be a valuable experience as it will focus specifically on the challenges and realities of our local context.
The program includes three focus groups: one for BIPOC employees, one for school board administrators, and another for school administrators. These focus groups are intended to provide the facilitator with the insight needed to tailor the content to the LBPSB community.
The next challenge is making this work come alive in our schools and school board. It’s not just about addressing racism through isolated events but tackling the institutionalized practices that perpetuate inequity. The goal is to move from surface-level discussions to creating necessary systemic change.
