Powerful words from a Chilliwack child filled the BC Legislature this week.
Eevah Macdonald, an 11-year-old student from the Chilliwack-Kent area, has been the target of racism and bullying at school, and her mother, Marina, posted about the incidents on Facebook.
Chilliwack-Kent MLA Kelli Paddon saw those posts and reached out to the Macdonald family.
Eevah was invited to visit the BC Legislature, and while she wasnB次元官网网址檛 able to address MLAs directly in the House, she was asked to put pen to paper, writing a statement for Paddon to read.
Paddon delivered EevahB次元官网网址檚 impactful message Thursday (Oct. 21).
The following is what the young girl wrote:
B次元官网网址淭hey said because I am black, I should go kill myself, that I should be an example for other black people to do the same. They said that I am like a dog. ItB次元官网网址檚 kind of like when a tree gets cut down and itB次元官网网址檚 just left there and forgotten. ThatB次元官网网址檚 how I felt. Left there with damage, by myself.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 like some people think that because IB次元官网网址檓 black, because IB次元官网网址檓 not white, I am just something. An object. But whatB次元官网网址檚 real is that it doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter what your skin looks like. YouB次元官网网址檙e beautiful just the way you are. The most important things about me are my funniness and my kindness. IB次元官网网址檓 proud that I stick up for people. I speak up for people. IB次元官网网址檓 a safe place for someone.
B次元官网网址淪omeday, IB次元官网网址檓 going to dance en pointe. Someday people are going to see me B次元官网网址� that IB次元官网网址檓 brave and IB次元官网网址檓 smart and IB次元官网网址檓 good and IB次元官网网址檓 strong, that IB次元官网网址檓 a sister and a daughter, that IB次元官网网址檓 sensitive and IB次元官网网址檓 funny, that I like to laugh, and I like to make people laugh. That IB次元官网网址檓 more than Black. But thereB次元官网网址檚 nothing wrong with being Black. IB次元官网网址檓 happy that maybe this doesnB次元官网网址檛 happen as much anymore, that maybe some people donB次元官网网址檛 know it still happens. ItB次元官网网址檚 not funny. It doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter where you heard it or who said it or if you read it on the Internet. It doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter how they meant it. ItB次元官网网址檚 racism. It hurts. IB次元官网网址檓 a person, and I matter.B次元官网网址�
The bullying happened days before EevahB次元官网网址檚 birthday, and Paddon took the opportunity to gather birthday wishes from women of colour in the BC government, B次元官网网址渟o that she (Eevah) could see and hear that racism is not winning.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 thank them for the real difference that they made to this young girl in Chilliwack-Kent,B次元官网网址� Paddon said. B次元官网网址淭hen, we invited her here so that we could show her that her voice can be a powerful vehicle for change. It was certainly powerful to meet Eevah and hear her words.B次元官网网址�
eric.welsh@theprogress.com
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