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Systemic racism remains in all Canadian institutions. This includes healthcare, justice, education and employment standards. But a new generation of activists and everyday changemakers are actively confronting their inequities, building a bridge for political power and demanding accountability when it’s needed.
Gen Z Black Canadians are leading a bold new wave of activism. They’re not waiting for change — they’re creating it. From organizing protests and launching businesses to developing legal tools and pushing for real representation, this generation is using their voice, vision, and values to reshape Canada.
Systemic anti-Black racism in Canada is deeply rooted and institutionally reinforced. Black Canadians often encounter microaggressions and structural barriers that impact their well-being. This form of discrimination persists even as Canada publicly celebrates multiculturalism, which reveals tension between surface civil diversity and structural equity.
What is systemic racism?
Systemic racism isn’t always obvious, but it’s built into the rules and traditions of institutions. That’s why even if someone doesn’t mean to be racist, Black people are still treated unfairly in schools, when applying for jobs or when interacting with the police.
Canada often claims to celebrate diversity, yet Black Canadians continue to face significant systemic barriers. Research has consistently shown how racism influences outcomes in healthcare, education and employment.
In an article published by The Varsity titled Canada’s Public Health System Is Not Equal for All, the author explores how systemic racism plays out in everyday medical encounters. Black patients frequently report feeling dismissed, misdiagnosed or treated with suspicion when voicing their health concerns. The piece also highlights a deeper, long-standing mistrust toward the healthcare system rooted in generations of medical neglect and a persistent lack of representation within the field.
Young Black Canadians are continuously using their creativity to challenge racism in bold and impactful ways.
Sandy Hudson, one of the co-founders of Black Lives Matter Toronto, has been a powerful force in the fight for racial justice in Canada. In 2017, she co-founded the Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC), a non-profit organization that provides free legal aid and strategic litigation for Black Ontarians facing systemic discrimination. BLAC stands as a vital resource for challenging unfair treatment and advancing legal equity.
Janaya Khan, a Black, queer, non-binary activist, public speaker and fellow co-founder of Black Lives Matter Toronto, also serves as the international ambassador for the global BLM network. They bring a unique lens to activism, one that blends political organizing with spirituality, and champions community empowerment through transformative justice, prison abolition and alternatives to policing.
Together, Hudson and Khan represent two powerful examples of how Black Canadians are reshaping political landscapes from the ground up. Their work extends beyond protest—it’s about reimagining and rebuilding systems that have long marginalized Black communities. Hudson’s focus on legal reform and grassroots advocacy provides lasting support through initiatives like BLAC, while Khan brings a deeply intersectional and global perspective. Their leadership challenges conventional ideas of power and representation and redefines Canadian activism as part of a broader movement for racial, gender and social justice.
Young Black Canadians aren’t just protesting. They’re also taking things to court and speaking out inside institutions.
One big example is the Black class action lawsuit which is used by Black employees in the federal government who were treated unfairly, passed over for promotions and punished for speaking up.
Since December 2020, the Black Class Action has aimed to fix decades of unfair treatment towards block workers in the federal government. Some of the demands are for 2.5 billion dollars in damages for Black employees passed over for promotions, a compensation fund for Black workers harmed by racism and mental stress, official government measures like establishing a separate Black category under the Employment Equity Act, and a formal apology from the prime minister and creation of a mental health fund.
Unfortunately, the federal government has been pushing back. It spent nearly 8 million dollars in legal fees to fight the case. A big test came in March 2025 when a judge didn’t miss the class action certification, claiming federal workers already have other complaint systems to use.
Despite the court ruling, the lawsuit is already influencing change. Now there’s better data collecting on race and more Blacks being represented at senior levels, though there’s still a small percentage overall. The Black class action Secretariat even made a complaint with the UN Human Rights Council, which brought the fight for racial justice to the international stage.
Their efforts have already sparked national conversations, influenced new laws, and helped secure government funding. But they know that a real change takes more than just words — it takes action. Gen Z Black Canadians aren’t backing down until fairness and justice are a lived reality for everyone in this country.
Lavanya Kathirgamanathan is one of the Writers for this year’s publication at Black Voice. She’s a recent graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University, where she studied Journalism and will further her education in Human Resources at George Brown College. Lavanya has experience writing for multiple publications and has her own food blog on social media. Lavanya’s main goal as a writer for the Black Voice publication is to showcase Black excellence within the community, and in the city of Toronto.