Anti-racism web site launched

Mike Ma of the Community and Race Relations Committee stands in front of the homepage of the committee's new anti-racism information website.

From: http://www.mykawartha.com/news/article/605494--anti-racism-web-site-launched

Anti-racism web site launched Community and Race Relations Committee initiative aims to fill online information void


Sarah Frank (PETERBOROUGH) The Community and Race Relations Committee launched its online Anti-Racism Resource Centre Friday (Feb. 5).

The committee's website -- www.anti-racism.ca -- aims to provide useful information to students, educators and community members on racism and hate crime. Mike Ma points to a lack of accurate, current information when searching anti-racism on the web.

"You get a lot of dead links and out-of-date information," he says.

Mr. Ma hopes this site will eventually be one of the first three hits when anti-racism is searched through Google.

Leslie Harries-Jones, victim services co-ordinator with the Peterborough-Lakefield Community Police Service, is excited over the site.

"It's important for people involved in hate crimes to be able to go online and understand their rights," says Ms Harries-Jones, noting police work closely with the committee and will be able to provide additional input for the site.

Peterborough-Lakefield police staff sergeant Service John Lyons says the station received 26 reported hate bias incidents in 2009.

"Twenty-six doesn't sound like a lot," says Mr. Lyons.

"But it's 26 too many."

Sgt. Lyons hopes the site will give an online presence to the community support available from groups such as the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) committee and the up-and-coming Hate Bias Committee being formed by Trent University students.

Committee chair Nadine Changfoot says the site will be a great resource.

"It is a much-needed contribution to the world of online information because it lays out complex issues in a clear and comprehensive manner that is easy to understand."

"We've really hit a home run," add Mr. Ma.