Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens wants to hear from anyone in the community who has been a victim of systemic racism or has an idea of how to address it.
The City of Windsor has launched an online survey. The survey asks questions like what White people could be doing now to affect positive change, what personal experiences they would like to share, and what parents and educators could do to educate youth about racism.
The survey was launched earlier this month and Dilkens is not sure how many have responded so far.
"It's too early to tell, but I think based on the number of people who have come out the rallies -- there absolutely is a high degree of interest," he said. "We want to capture some of this energy and see if there are ways for us to do better."
Protesters along Windsor's riverfront on May 31, 2020. (Photo by Adelle Loiselle)
Following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, protesters took to the streets around the world. There were two in Windsor. The first attracted about 2,000 people, and about 500 were at the second rally.
Floyd died after Minneapolis Police Constable Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes following his arrest for allegedly using a fake $20 bill at a nearby convenience store.
One idea that has attracted a lot of attention is defunding police. Dilkens is not a fan of the concept.
"People are trying to frame this as a conversation where you have to defund police to support mental health. I think the police here are great in the City of Windsor. I think we're very prudent with our budget," he explained. "You don't have to take money from police to deal with mental health. I think both can be handled at the same time."
Dilkens launched the survey after a roundtable discussion with Windsor Police Chief Pam Mizuno and 11 members of the local Black community. It also asks respondents if they would like to take part in future talks.
"The mayor 100 years ago, this mayor and the mayor 100 years from now should always be striving to make their city better," said Dilkens. "This is my effort to do that."
