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Youth leadership tackles discrimination

A Speak Up and Speak Out youth leadership summit will help junior high students in Red Deer identify and respond to racial discrimination on March 21.

A Speak Up and Speak Out youth leadership summit will help junior high students in Red Deer identify and respond to racial discrimination on March 21.

On the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, many Grade 7 to 9 students will attend the leadership summit, put on by the Central Alberta Refugee Effort (CARE), at the Snell Auditorium in the Red Deer Public Library from 1 to 5 p.m.

Jan Underwood, public awareness co-ordinator and community educator, said that they are targeting junior high students so racial discrimination is prevented in high school.

“A lot of the session will be looking at attitudes and how students feel about people of different cultures and whether they treat people differently, it might be a subconscious thing,” she said on Thursday.

The session will also help students with responses to racial discrimination and give them the tools to innovate a leadership program within their schools.

“Sometimes people will witness racism but not know how to respond or how to deal with it so we will talk about that,” Underwood said.

CARE is aiming to have three guest speakers of different visible minorities, who have experienced racial discrimination, at the session. For more information or to register a student group, contact Underwood at 403-346-8818 or by emailing jan.underwood@care2centre.ca.

jjones@www.reddeeradvocate.com