Winnipeg group 13 Fires releases report on racism

As Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman declared 2016 as the Year of Reconciliation, a year after Maclean's magazine called the city the most racist in Canada, a localgroup has released its own report on racism and is organizingdiscussions on the issue.

The survey report by 13 Fires Winnipeg includesdiscussions from Our Summit, an alternative event to Bowman's One Summit on racial inclusion in September.

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The alternative summit called for a continuing dialogue on race. The group was formed in December to launch a series of 13 community conversations throughout the year.

"Before we can even think about trying to overcome racism, we have to recognize exactly what it is and how much of it we are surrounded by and rooted in," said Andrew Vineberg, an organizer with 13 Fires Winnipeg.

The group is inviting people of all backgrounds to join a discussion on the links between poverty and racism on Saturday afternoon.

The discussion will take place at Broadway Disciples United Church at 396 Broadway from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Organizers say the event will include stories from workers who allege they were fired from their jobs because of discrimination.

Attendees will discuss different approaches to tackling racism and poverty and hear about the organizations working to change Winnipeg's social landscape, both front-line and systemically.

Organizers say attendees will talk about different approaches to tackling racism and poverty, as well as hearing about organizations that are working on changing Winnipeg's social landscape.

The discussion is being co-hosted by Make Poverty History Manitoba, Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, Queer People of Colour Collective (QPOCC), and Winnipeg Industrial Workers of the World.

Local groups that are supporting and attending the event include Aboriginal Youth Opportunities, Manitoba Moon Voices, Solidarity Winnipeg, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Migrant Manitoba and the Spence Neighbourhood Association.

Vineberg said participants have highlighted colonization as a subject needing more discussion, and more talk about the concept of an equal, multicultural society would help change ingrained perceptions that lead to racism.