To watch the full video, please click here.

Here is a statement I was asked to deliver from a student W.J. to Dr. Anjali Menezes (@ringpops93) after her resignation from the @hamiltonpoliceontario board:

“Dr.Menezes, when I had a mental breakdown at school, the police dragged me away in a cruiser. Because I’m white, I insisted on not getting handcuffed, and I wasn’t. That’s a privilege Black, Indigenous, and racialized students don’t get, and it’s messed up.

When you found out, you immediately showed up to support me. After I shared what happened, you told me straight up, and asked how this could happen, saying: ‘No child should go through this, no matter their race. Period.’

You actually respected us as students. You saw that we aren’t too young to recognize racial bias, you excited our voices with the board chamber. While the system showed zero commitment to change, you never backed down.

You stood with racialized groups and all Hamilton communities, and you fought the board over these broken police intervention policies. Thank you for listening to youth and always standing for justice.”

-W.J.

#HamOnt #ONPoli #CDNPoli #YHMVote #YHMCC

Video by @sangyechogamartin

Also featured on Instagram: @scarlett4mayor and Facebook: Scarlett4Mayor.