Education
Black Realities in Canada Livestream
Our 2020-21 Anti-Racism Programme presented three interactive livestreams that used film to discuss inequality and racism in Canada.
This first session focuses on Black Realities in Canada, showcasing the award-winning documentary The Skin We’re In.
Join director Charles Officer, along with host Garvia Bailey, for an interactive, nationwide discussion with students across Canada.
Complete with lesson plans, students will have an opportunity to engage through our online platform in polls, Q&A, discussion boards, and more.
Interested in more livestreams from our 2020-21 Anti-Racism Programme?
About the Film
In this short documentary, journalist and activist Desmond Cole builds on his award-winning Toronto Life cover story, taking viewers on a journey through experiences of enduring anti-Black and systemic racism faced by Black individuals and communities across North America in the 21st century.
Please review this content advisory before registering.
How Does It Work?
- REGISTER: Fill out our online registration form to access the livestream.
- WATCH THE FILM: Watch the films with your students via a DVD or streaming link provided by REEL CANADA.
- WATCH THE LIVESTREAM & PARTICIPATE: Watch a recording of the livestream, and use our interactive platform to participate in polls, discussion threads, and more.
What You Need to Know
entirely free of charge!
- The discussion was live on Nov. 25, 2020, but you can still watch an interactive recording
- Includes lesson plans, sensitivity support resources, extension activities, and of course, access to the films
- Suitable for Grades 9 to 12, for in-class or remote learning
- Presented in English
The Guests
Charles Officer
Director of Mighty Jerome
Charles Officer is an actor, screenwriter and director based in Toronto.
Many of Officer’s films explore inequality, racism and Black experiences in Canada, especially in Toronto. His first feature film, Nurse.Fighter.Boy, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was nominated for 10 Genies. Charles’ films include the documentaries Mighty Jerome, The Skin We’re In and Unarmed Verses. Most recently, he directed the crime thriller Akilla’s Escape. In addition to directing numerous television shows and short films, he has also appeared as an actor on screen and stage.
Officer originally studied visual art and worked as a graphic designer and a professional hockey player in the U.K. before entering the Canadian film industry.
Garvia Bailey
Moderator
Garvia Bailey is an event moderator, interviewer, arts journalist, broadcaster, producer, and storyteller.
With over 20 years of experience, Bailey has helped shape a number of eminent CBC Radio and Television programmes, including Big City Small World, Metro Morning, and The National. She is a regular host and moderator for the Toronto Public Library, Hot Docs, and TOLive. With a background hosting 91.1 JazzFM’s Good Morning, Toronto, Bailey co-founded Jazzcast.ca, a community-driven platform dedicated to jazz enthusiasts.
Bailey was the 2020 RTNDA Co-Award Winner for opinion writing for her piece, “The Truth Is: I Don’t Want to Hear Your Blackface Confessions” published in The Huffington Post.