Prairie Skies Integration Network has just announced that this year’s anti-racism event planned to coincide with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will not go ahead as planned.
Originally scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 21, the full-day event including a public rally and subsequent community forum is now officially cancelled. Dalise Hector, the project manager at Prairie Skies, cited reasons that include “committee disunity, an inability to achieve consensus for the first time in our five-year history, and ultimately, our committee and community’s psychological safety.”
No specific details for the decision have been provided at this time.
“Due to an interplay of unfortunate circumstances, the event has been cancelled and the planning committee will instead focus our energy and resources on recalibrating our approach,” Hector wrote.
“As stewards of our communities’ well-being, we’re dedicated to proactively attending to the needs and challenges we observe. This responsiveness has led us, in this pivotal moment, to pause and prioritize self-reflection.”
In the meantime, Hector noted that Prairie Skies Integration Network will be reflecting on the needs and social dynamics of the community to provide future activities and events that are both impactful and resonant with this community.
“We deeply regret that we will not get to publicly celebrate this significant day with our communities in 2024,” she wrote.
Hector said that Prairie Skies is still looking to continue hosting future events, but the organization will require a foundational and structural enhancement going forward. The process “will require considerable time, energy, and resources,” which she said are now being assessed.
This journey, she said, will be “marked by rigorous introspection, collaborative ideation, and a steadfast commitment to inclusivity, equity, and safety.
No further details as to what those changes will entail have been provided at this time.
“We extend our sincere gratitude to our communities for their unwavering belief in our mission to build vibrant communities and our intention to effect meaningful change and achieve our common goals.
“Together, we have the power to turn challenges into opportunities and setbacks into stepping stones.”
