Community Consultations

The TDSB aims to be responsive to the voices of communities by developing tailored action plans, each based on the pillars of the Anti Hate and Anti Racism Strategy. This approach will allow communities to see themselves in the actions and will require ongoing collaboration and support of families, communities and partner organizations. Please see below for the current consultations that have been scheduled and watch for additional consultations to be added to support other action plans.

Upcoming Consultations

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) invites TDSB students, families and community members who self-identify as part of the Asian diaspora to attend a community consultation this Spring. These consultations will support the development of a multi-dimensional strategy to affirm the diverse and intersectional Asian identities and address anti-Asian racism within the TDSB. 

Attendees are encouraged to participate in conversations that explore the various ways the TDSB can nurture, affirm, and support Asian students, families, and community members while also understanding and addressing manifestations of anti-Asian racism. 

Additional Background

The term Asian encompasses a vast and complex diversity of cultural, racial, ethnic, and religious identities, spanning (but not inclusive of) regions from Central Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia and Western Asia (ETFO & TDSB, 2020). However, racial identity cannot be defined solely by geography, national borders, or citizenship. It's shaped by a complex interplay of factors, including histories of colonization and intersecting identities such as culture, gender identity, language, religion, spirituality, class, and sexuality. Within the TDSB, this richness is deeply reflected in the student population.

More than 50% of TDSB students identify as part of the Asian diaspora. This diversity challenges simplistic categorizations and underscores the importance of recognizing the unique histories, languages, and experiences that shape each community’s presence in schools. The word cloud captures the complex nature of Asian students’ ethnic identity at the TDSB (TDSB Student Census, 2023). For more, feel free to view this word cloud.