Workshop teaches Lethbridge residents to speak out against discrimination

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. -

The Alberta hate crime committee (AHCC) has been travelling across the province holding workshops on how to be an active bystander.

Now the workshop has stopped in Lethbridge, teaching its attendees how to speak out against racism and discrimination in a safe way.

“This purpose of this is essentially to equip the average person with skills and abilities to counteract incidents of discrimination, of hate with skills, basic skills, we don't necessarily think of,” said Amber Rehman with the AHCC.

The workshop is being taught at an important time.

According to the AHCC there has been a spike in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia across Canada due to the ongoing conflict in Israel.

Rehman said “with recent events globally there has been a 1,000 per cent rise in Islamophobia, and a 400 per cent rise in anti-Semitism.”

Events across the province have been organized with the help of local groups to help tailor each event to the community its being held in.

The Lethbridge event was organized with the help of the United Way of Lethbridge and southwestern Alberta.  

Regional United Way executive director Jaci Zalesak said she was thrilled to be involved.

"There was an opportunity to take some really in-depth training on the anti-racism bystander training and (to) train the trainer," she said. "So I was lucky to be a part of some of the selected people to take a role in this.”

Organizers believe events like this are important for anyone to attend, and there's hopes to hold another event in Lethbridge in the future.

“We all want to support people who are experiencing racism," said Zalesak. "And today is about being able to get the tools that are needed to be able to support bystander awareness and being able to support those who are victims of racism."

The active bystander events are free of charge and open to anyone to attend.