Hundreds come together for summit on racial inclusion in Winnipeg

WINNIPEG — In front of a packed banquet hall at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights guest speakers opened up about their experiences with racism, sharing stories of how they’ve witnessed acceptance and change.

Education professor at the University of Winnipeg, Ira Udow said “no matter how different they are we’re all the same.”

Hundreds of people came together in Winnipeg at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights at the city’s first summit on racism.

Aborginal video producer Lisa Meeches spoke about her upbringing and culture and how she’s learned to love and be respectful from her elders after experiencing and hearing racism.

“It’s taken me a long time to get over what I’ve heard,” Meeches said.

WATCH: Elementary students come together in a peace march out front of the racial inclusion summit in Winnipeg

It’s been eight months since Maclean’s magazine released its controversial story that called Winnipeg the worst city in the country when it comes to racism.

RELATED: Response continues after Winnipeg dubbed most racist city

The article brought up many past events in Winnipeg including the death of aboriginal double amputee Brian Sinclair who died during a 34-hour wait in an emergency room and the recovery of 15-year-old Tina Fontaine’s body from the Red River. Some have called Winnipeg the epicentre for missing and murdered aboriginal women after her body was recovered.

RELATED: Better Winnipeg: Sitting down with the mayor to talk about the city’s first summit on racism

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman called for the race relations summit in mid-August after promising he’d turn his words into action when addressing the Maclean’s article in January.

RELATED: Mayor plans summit as Winnipeg works to shake ‘most racist’ label

The goal of the summit is to begin the process of building a network of leaders dedicated to generating ideas of inclusion that can be taken up by people and organizations across the country.