Remembering BIPOC Coffee Talk

“We built it ourselves, for BIPOC and allies”

So picture this: I’m sitting in a board meeting, right? We had this nice little agenda laid out, but of course, we did not stick to it 😂. Instead, the room spiraled (in the best way) into people sharing their stories about moving to Canada and struggling to find work. What struck me most was that these were educated, experienced folks basically saying, “Hello? I did all the right things, why is it still this hard?”

And honestly? It was heartbreaking but also beautiful. The solidarity in that room was palpable. You could feel the weight lifting as people vented frustrations they had been carrying for so long, and others actually understood. No judgment, no defensiveness, just pure empathy. It was one of those “wow, humans are amazing when they show up for each other” moments.

As I sat there, I thought, wouldn’t it be nice if there was an actual space just for this? A safe, uplifting vent circle, if you will. That thought sat with me for a moment because I know how powerful it can be to have a place where people feel seen and heard. And then I had a very “duh” moment: oh yeah… I helped create one!

Back in 2020, peak chaos era, two amazing women and I decided to stop waiting for someone else to make space for us. We built it ourselves for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) and allies in Saskatchewan who needed exactly this kind of community. What started as just an idea grew into real discussions, about a dozen of them, and even an event: The BIPOC Lens: An Anti-racism Forum and Social Gathering.

This year marks three whole years since that event happened. Wild. Looking back, I’m honestly so proud. Three young women, just trying to make a difference, and we actually did. We didn’t wait for permission, we didn’t wait for an organization or some “official” green light, we just did it. And the fact that we brought people together in the name of anti-racism education? That’s something I’ll carry with me forever.