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Special Statement: Standing together to build a future without racism for Calgary families

By 4 June 2020News


Inn from the Cold is strongly committed to our values of inclusivity, respect, compassion, and courage.

For us that means taking the necessary steps to support people in all of the ways that people can be supported. For us that means providing shelter and services to families that need a place to call home. It also means welcoming, valuing, and celebrating everyone’s diversity as we strive towards our vision of ending family homelessness.

As an organization we haven’t always succeeded in our efforts. We have made mistakes, and we may do so again. We have the duty – and will have the courage — to make it right. We need to listen and learn with an open heart.

Systemic anti-Black, anti-Indigenous, and anti-Asian racism means that our Black, Indigenous, and Asian families, volunteers, employees, partners, neighbors, and fellow Calgarians often do not feel safe. Discrimination and racial injustices have no place in our community. Many people are feeling deep pain and anger during this time; we stand together with them.

Individual and structural racism is very traumatizing, affecting people as individuals as well as a family unit in many ways, with the effects often life-long and multi-generational. We have seen it with the Calgary families we serve because more than 60 per cent of the families we serve are people of colour.

The pain of many Calgarians and fellow Canadians breaks our hearts. But we are not discouraged. As a society and as people, we can build communities where everyone feels safe, seen, valued, and heard.

We will do our part at Inn from the Cold.

–      Heather Morley, Executive Director, Inn from the Cold