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Featured image: Despite criticism, the event was well received by participating members. | Amir Yazdanparast
A poster caused quite the commotion when it made its way onto social media.
The event being promoted, a CPR and Emergency First Aid Training course, was offered by the York United Black Students’ Alliance, or YUBSA, for a $30 registration fee. The poster included the customary details, followed by a statement that the event is “catering to black students only.” According to YUBSA, the event went well and participants were happy to have received the training.
The poster garnered a strong reaction on social media, with many pointing out the wording, which they claim is discriminatory towards other racial groups that may have wanted to participate.
According to YUBSA, they have received several messages on social media as a response to the event poster, acts which the YFS have condemned as cyberbullying. The attacks allegedly included YouTube and Facebook comments, as well as direct messages to their Twitter page.
Many of the messages were racist and explicit in nature.
YUBSA released a statement in response to the comments, saying that their efforts to offer reduced-cost training were met with resistance and anti-black racism.
“Do not confuse our duty to give back to our community with the notion that we are imposing limitations or restrictions to others,” reads the statement.
Some were quick to point out that other groups on campus, including York First Aid, provide similar medical training courses.
According to YUBSA, the poster’s wording was generalized to include all black students, even those who are not officially YUBSA members.
One post on the York University Class of 2019 Facebook page has garnered more than 100 comments, with students discussing the validity of having a “black students only” event.
The controversy even escalated to some students being publicly attacked as white supremacists, but many posts were later taken down.
In a public statement, YUBSA proclaimed that as black students, they were faced with resistance for wanting to provide support for black community members, when allegedly other service groups and cultural organizations do this as well.
YUBSA was not concerned with responding to the social media uproar.
“Our concern was our intent,” says YUBSA.
“The university must make a genuine commitment to challenge racial injustice and social inequalities on this campus,” they add.
Founded in 1996, YUBSA was the fusion of African Student’s Association, the Caribbean Student’s Association and the Black Caucus Association.
“As a Pan-African organization, YUBSA’s mission is to provide services that will foster the self-empowerment of students of African descent academically, financially and socially on the York University Campus; as a politically motivated association, YUBSA embodies a mandate to fight racial discrimination and systemic racism on the York campus as well as the wider York community,” reads the YUBSA description on the YFS website.
I really wish there were more arlcetis like this on the web.
Maybe there is a reason why these people impose this kind of announcement, other groups are doing this to them as well. formal first-aid training are imposed in order for a person to be considered “suitable” to carry out that role.