The Ts'iyanne Buts'udilhti' Friendship Centre Society in Burns Lake is one of 14 community organizations throughout the province to receive up to $20,000 for the delivery of anti-racism projects.
The Ts'iyanne Buts'udilhti' Friendship Centre Society will use the funding to produce a film intended to raise public awareness about inclusion and opportunity in the Burns Lake area.
"In the Burns Lake community, we have seen issues around discrimination and racism, but we know that these acts derive from fear of the unknown,” said Deanna Brown-Nolan, President of the Ts'iyanne Buts'udilhti' Friendship Centre Society.
Deanna explained that the group will conduct a series of filmed interviews and workshops about what makes a community whole and assumptions that people have about Burns Lake.
“With this funding, we are able to help dismantle that fear by producing a film entitled ‘Inclusive spaces’ that will explore the assumptions and expectations of local people,” she said.
The Ts'iyanne Buts'udilhti' Friendship Centre Society is an urban First Nations organization, located on Eighth Avenue in Burns Lake. Although its board of directors is comprised of First Nations from many of the local nations, the organization is not identified with any of the nations in particular.
In total, the Ministry Responsible for Multiculturalism is contributing $262,898 to organizations that are working to reduce discrimination.
The anti-racism projects include community events, works of art, theatre productions and a variety of other forms of community engagement designed to fight racism.
The province says funding recipients have the power to engage and unite British Columbians under one common goal: to eradicate racism in B.C. communities, one unique project at a time.
"This year, the B.C. government has dedicated nearly $1.7 million to engage cultural groups, promote multiculturalism and fight racism in B.C.,” said Teresa Wat, Minister of International Trade. “With the help of these community organizations, together we can stamp out the embers of discrimination in our province, help strengthen communities and celebrate the diversity that makes B.C. so unique."