The June 9 webinar is free and hosted by a psychiatrist
The Canadian Association of Black Lawyers encouraged members this week to “be mindful of their mental well-being, to speak comfortingly with one another, and to push for healing” amid “recent tragedies that have resulted in the loss of Black life both at home and abroad.”
“CABL mourns the deaths of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and condemns the violence that continues to be inflicted upon Black people in Canada and the United States. This includes the use of excessive and/or deadly force by law enforcement,” said a statement. “We recognize that our communities are experiencing a tremendous amount of anger and pain right now. These events carry with them an immense emotional burden.”
The organization says its June 9 webinar, hosted by a psychiatrist, will be “open and available to all,” and focus on “thriving in the face of adversity while staying well.”
The 7 p.m. webinar will include interviews with guests who are overcoming the obstacles of overt and institutionalized racism, said the statement.
“Navigating professional life as a ‘racialized’ person can be exhausting,” said CABL’s statement, which also shared resources from the city of Toronto and the Law Society of Ontario’s member assistance program.
CABL also said that police need training and strategies for dealing with unconscious racial bias, as well as serving community members with mental health issues.
“CABL understands that these deaths are being investigated by the authorities. We join the call to demand that these investigations be conducted thoroughly and with the interests of justice in mind. Specifically, we call upon the authorities to uphold their obligation to ensure that laws are applied equally and equitably, including to police conduct. In doing so, we hope that justice may be served.”
