Marissa Ramnanan – Local Journalism Initiative
The Black Community Resource Centre (BCRC) is using virtual reality to confront anti-Black racism by placing viewers inside experiences of discrimination in education, healthcare, employment and the justice system.
Seven young people, known as creative directors, received eight months of mentorship and resources through BCRC’s Through Our Eyes project to develop stories about institutional racism in education, healthcare, employment and the criminal justice system.
Though their stories differ, they share an overarching theme: bringing the realities of anti-Black racism to light. Through a VR headset, users are immersed in the simulations, experiencing each story through the eyes of its central character.
“We titled the project “Through Our Eyes” because it’s literally what the world looks and feels like for the everyday Black person within those sectors,” project coordinator Ayana Monuma explained to the CONTACT.
“What [users] are going to feel—there is definitely a layer of discomfort because these experiences are not pleasant,” Ayana continued. “You are going to feel what it is to be discriminated against, whether physically or verbally.”
One of the projects, “The Integration Zone,” explores racism in education. Creative director Daphné Ostiguy grew up in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, a city now described as “an integration success story.” Her experience attending elementary school there more than 20 years ago was markedly different.
Imagine being a young girl whose classmates insist that the white woman picking her up from school cannot possibly be her mother.
They stick gum in her hair and throw rocks at her as she walks home. Each incident is paired with a “lesson” the character learns from the experience.
One reads: “Subject has learned that flattening their hair reduces visual disruption.”
Another participant, Kayla Lewis-Thelusmon, project was “Carried Forward.” Whose focus is racism in healthcare.
The character Phara has a cousin named Tina who had a traumatic Western birthing experience. Through narration and visual storytelling, the user is immersed in the sensation of being stuck in a relentless storm while we are told Tina’s story.
The birth of Tina’s child was chaotic and terrifying because of the neglect of the medical staff. Phara wants to avoid a similar negative experience by prioritizing Afro-Caribbean obstetric practices for her birthing journey. That includes having a doula to accompany her at every step of the birthing process.
“I wanted to talk about holistic practices their richness, wisdom, and power to heal,” said Kayla.
In Kayla’s scenario, the Haitian-Grenadian main character is in the early stages of pregnancy and chooses to have a holistic approach to her maternal care.
“She wants to combine cultural practices with modern medicine,” Kayla explained. “And so, when you go through the VR experience, you go through her journey of trusting her care team, trusting herself, and her choices, and bringing forth those Caribbean traditions.”
A practising doula featured in the experience explains how her role complements that of the medical care team and how she would support Phara throughout pregnancy and childbirth.
The experience also introduces users to Haitian traditions such as Bain Fèy, a postpartum herbal bathing practice.
Misha Bellerive’s story is called “They’re Not Used To Our People”.
Through one door, a student asks the main character: “But where are you really from?”
“Even though on the surface it doesn’t seem like a bad question—how come Canada can’t be where I’m really-really from?” Misha asked.
Using animation and dialogue, the experience takes viewers through three university encounters involving microaggressions from classmates and professors.
Misha explained that because these microaggressions feel so personal, she never spoke about them with anyone. She describes it as cathartic and validating to share these hurtful moments with others through an artistic lens.
“When you experience microaggressions, you can feel small, ashamed, or embarrassed,” she said.
At BCRC’s August 21 showcase, Bellerive said some viewers told her they recognized their own experiences in the scenes, reactions that made her feel less alone.
There are educational toolkits that accompany each of the VRs, which can be used in school or community workshops.
“We’re hoping to have these shared with teachers who are willing to talk about anti-Black racism within the school setting,” Ayana explained.
The BCRC is in contact with the Montreal police in the hopes of a collaboration. They were invited to their showcase and discussion panel on September 27 at the DESTA Black Youth Network. However, no police officers were available to attend.
For BCRC, the project is ultimately about taking experiences that can be difficult to explain and allowing others to encounter them from a different perspective.
Through seven young creators and seven different stories, Through Our Eyes asks viewers to do more than learn about anti-Black racism from a distance. For a few minutes, it asks them to see it through someone else’s eyes.
The educational toolkits are available through BCRC’s website, while the VR projects can be experienced online free of charge.
For the VR experience or any other information on the prject, visitors can contact the Black Community Resource Centre at: 6767 Chem. de la Côte-des-Neiges.
