On Thursday evening, we made a decision to remove an Instagram post from our feed. As an organization, we cannot condone hate-fuelled and misogynist comments, and once they were appearing on our post, we decided to remove it.

This decision made many people feel as though we were silencing BIPOC voices who were sharing important criticisms of their experiences with The Stop. This was not our intention, nor is it in line with our values as an organization, and we acknowledge and apologize for this harmful action.

We also understand that this very action is representative of a long-standing approach by people in power to excuse themselves from these difficult conversations regarding anti-Black oppression in order to shut down solutions and hear real concerns. Again, this is not in line with our values or how we want to work with our community.

As an organization whose values are anchored in justice, equity, and inclusion, we recognize that this work is urgent. Amidst our pandemic operations, this work will be re-prioritized and the staff and board are working to build on the work that has already begun. We are committed to this, and will share progress on it publicly.

As a start, we will make space for former staff members, volunteers, and community members to reopen communication and more formally listen to what they have to say. ​Your previous comments have been saved for reflection and action, and can be viewed here for the purpose of transparency. If anyone has concerns that you wish to share with us, please contact our Board of Directors and senior leadership at bod@thestop.org.

On a more personal note, we understand how disappointing and hurtful it was/is for our community to see The Stop embroiled in anti-Black racism and our actions to address it. Our staff and community have put their faith and trust in us, and we are sincerely sorry to have shaken that trust. Please know that in guidance with our core values we are working now to address structural issues, rebuild where necessary, and restore that faith.

We understand that this may feel lacking in specifics for some but we want to be thoughtful in our response and ensure that we have the opportunity to continue to engage with our staff and community offline.  We commit to reporting back with an overview with details within the month and we will share on The Stop’s website.

The Stop Community Food Centre