Being the person behind a relatively ‘faceless’ account, whether it’s on social media or answering constituent emails, can be challenging.

Often times, people forget there is a real human being on the receiving end. They are liberal with their language, ideas, and assumptions. https://twitter.com/Ward9Tweets/status/1278847681050238976

When I’m about to send information about a contested issue, I often find myself feeling anxious. It’s an opportunity to connect, but I also know that responses will often include a mixture of polite inquiries, misinformation, completely unrelated requests, and abusive threats.

I usually try to remind myself that people are angry because they are hurting, confused, frustrated, or are experiencing circumstances that are not immediately apparent, and however limited it may be, I am presented with an opportunity to help.

In my experience, providing a thoughtful response has been the best way to disarm anger and engage in a more productive conversation. Those days leave me feeling good and motivate me to keep going. S/o to @JordanSteinAB who does this much more than I do on a daily basis.

I’ve been really privileged and humbled to work alongside many good folks at the City to facilitate the upcoming Public Hearing on Systemic Racism. Yesterday, I sent out an e-blast for work regarding information on how to sign up, request an interpreter, and tune in. (see above)

I knew the responses would include the usual but I don’t think I adequately prepared myself for it...
I haven’t quite figured out how to respond to someone that believes racism doesn’t exist, or that these issues don’t deserve attention, that George Floyd ‘had it coming’ -

that Indigenous people are “milking it” & we should stop entertaining them, that people of color should not have chosen to call Canada home if they wanted ‘special treatment’, that caring about the lives of Black, Indigenous, and people of color is a ‘stupid reelection strategy’

- and pandering to ‘those people’ won’t benefit anyone, that their own quality of life has ‘suffered’ because of immigrants, or that even if we didn’t have a single racist person in Calgary, our current systems perpetuate racist inequalities... #yyc #yyccc

At the very least, I haven’t quite figured out how to say “you are part of the problem”.

I’m still going to do my job. I hope that some of these folks are willing to read a thoughtful response and change their minds.

I hope they tune in on July 7. I hope that you do the same and invite your friends and family to join you. If you have the strength and willingness to share your experiences, I hope that you sign up to speak. If you would rather provide a written submission, I hope that you do.

If you are an ally, I hope that you show up – to listen, to learn, to have exhaustive conversations with people who don’t believe this is an ongoing, frequently lived reality for many Calgarians, to keep Council accountable. #yyc

If any of you would like help with a statement or have any questions, you know how to get a hold of me.