Seeing in Colour: A Black Housing Equity Framework to Address Anti-Black Racism in Housing and Homelessness
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The Black population in Canada is notably diverse, encompassing a broad spectrum of ethnicities, backgrounds, circumstances, and experiences. This doctoral study is dedicated to shedding light on the fundamental role that systemic anti-Black racism plays in fostering housing instability for Black Canadians, and aims to establish a framework for addressing anti-Black racism within the housing and homelessness sector. Acknowledging the influence of White supremacy and anti-Black racism, this research adopts Critical Race Theory (CRT) as the guiding theoretical framework. Employing a multifaceted methodology that integrates design science, Afrocentric, and autoethnographic research approaches, the study conducts thorough semi-structured interviews with eight Black individuals with lived and living experiences (BPWLE) in Calgary, along with nine Black key informants across Canada, to gain deeper insights into the impacts of systemic anti-Black racism. The results of the interviews with BPWLE underscore the link between systemic racism and housing insecurity, while the key informant interviews reveal the pervasive nature of anti-Black racism in the workforce, influencing policies and practices negatively. Research contributors collectively recognize the widespread existence of anti-Black racism across various sectors and the need for policies and practices to be rooted in equity and anti-oppression. The discourse underscores the importance of centering the perspectives of Black individuals and communities when shaping housing policies and practices. It emphasizes the inadequacy of a colour-blind, one-size-fits-all approach in eradicating systemic anti-Black racism and advocates for an intersectional perspective. Subsequently, a transformative Black Housing Equity Framework (BHEF) emerged from these interviews. This framework encapsulates guiding principles aligned with the values of Black communities alongside operational questions designed to guide policymakers, housing practitioners, and other partners in formulating equitable policies and practices. The BHEF represents a pivotal stride towards acknowledging the systemic anti-Black racism and discrimination confronted by Black communities in their endeavours to secure and maintain housing, offering a beacon of hope for a more equitable future.