Hamilton Center for Civic Inclusion
  • About Us
    • Annual Reports
  • Our Team
  • Programs
    • Hamilton Civic Leadership Program
    • Black Youth Mentorship Program
    • ARAO Training
  • Organizational Mentorship
  • News & Updates
  • Projects
    • Anti-South Asian Racism
  • Contact
  • DONATE
Select Page

News & Updates

hamiltoncivic

Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion is mobilizing all Hamiltonians to create a welcoming and inclusive city
Our office will be closed on Wednesday, September Our office will be closed on Wednesday, September 30th for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Our staff will be taking time today to further reflect on our roles and duties as individuals and as a settler-led organization to work towards achieving some of the calls to action within the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. We’ll be sharing those reflections with each other and using them to help shape ongoing work in our community. We encourage our community members to do their own reflection, and to attend the National day for truth and reconciliation gathering at west harbour. Hamiltonians are invited to come together at West Harbour to honour First Nations, Inuit and Métis Survivors, their families and communities, and reflect on the history and ongoing legacy of residential schools. The day begins with a Sunrise Ceremony at 7 am, followed by the community gathering from 10 am to 12 pm. The community gathering will feature a traditional opening and closing with Gimaa Stacey LaForme, Spirit Vision Drum & Dancers, poetry by January Rogers and a keynote address by Dr. Karen Hill. West Harbour - 3 Guise Street Sunrise Ceremony: 7 am Community Gathering: 10 am to 12 pm
HCCI is proud to announce a new partnership with t HCCI is proud to announce a new partnership with the Art Gallery of Hamilton. The AGH will graciously be the host of the second cohort of Between Friends - Racialized Queer Youth Circle. This free program is returning for the first monthly session on Tuesday October 13th, 2026 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Creative Lab inside the Art Gallery of Hamilton, which is located at 123 King Street West. The program will continue monthly until the last session in June 2027, pausing only for January 2027. Facilitated by artist and movement educator Clairandean Humphrey, this drop-in youth circle aims to build community and promote mental health and wellness among Black, Indigenous, and Racialized Queer youth between the ages of 17 to 25 years old. Clairandean will guide participants through mindfulness, arts, and movement activities and discussions. Food and bus tickets will be provided. No registration required. For inquiries please contact info@hcci.ca or dm @hamiltoncivic on Instagram. This program is made possible by the Hamilton Community Foundation.
We're excited for this year's Take Back The Night, We're excited for this year's Take Back The Night, please join us Thursday Sept 17th at 6pm at the Hamilton City Hall Forecourt. We will have a table along with other community partner like @sachahamont. We hope to see you all there!
This is the last post of a 4-post series (4/4): Na This is the last post of a 4-post series (4/4): Narratives that scapegoat specific groups such as migrant workers, racial minority groups, 2SLGBTQ+ and protected people for broader social and economic challenges such as affordability and housing undermine community cohesion and create an environment where some residents feel unwelcome or excluded. HCCI has created a guide on how to spot the rhetoric and challenge the narratives. The guide provides helpful questions you can pose to candidates that dig deeper on the issues and move beyond the surface level conversations about what it means to live in a safe and inclusive city. To access this guide: Scan the QR code or find the link in our bio
This is the third of a 4-post series (3/4): A safe This is the third of a 4-post series (3/4): A safe downtown must consider the well-being and security of everyone who uses the space, not only those who perceive hardship and disorder but also those experiencing it. HCCI has created a guide on how to spot the rhetoric and challenge the narratives. The guide provides helpful questions you can pose to candidates that dig deeper on the issues and move beyond the surface level conversations about what it means to live in a safe and inclusive city. To access this guide: Scan the QR code or find the link in our bio
This is the second of a 4-post series (2/4): Publi This is the second of a 4-post series (2/4): Public safety is often presented in a simplified manner that focuses primarily on visible symptoms rather than the root causes of insecurity. It is important to probe further on candidates' commitment to a safe community. HCCI has created a guide on how to spot the rhetoric and challenge the narratives. The guide provides helpful questions you can pose to candidates that dig deeper on the issues and move beyond the surface level conversations about what it means to live in a safe and inclusive city. To access this guide: Scan the QR code or find the link in our bio
This is the first of a 4-post series (1/4): The ou This is the first of a 4-post series (1/4): The outcome of the 2026 Municipal Elections will shape issues around Community Safety, Housing, Community Services, Transit, and Infrastructure in Hamilton. HCCI has created a guide on how to spot the rhetoric and challenge the narratives. This guide contains information to help navigate the roles and responsibilities of residents and municipal leaders as well as information on spotting and questioning popular rhetoric we see in municipal discussion right now about “community safety”, “downtown safety”, and “no place for hate” The guide provides helpful questions you can pose to candidates that dig deeper on the issues and move beyond the surface level conversations about what it means to live in a safe and inclusive city. To access this guide: Scan the QR code or find the link in our bio Swipe for more info on Political Rhetoric
Registration is now open for our 2026 Annual Gener Registration is now open for our 2026 Annual General Meeting! We'll be sharing updates from the past year as well as our newly revised strategic priorities. We're excited to hear your feedback on our current direction and future plans. The meeting is open to everyone. You don't have to be a member to participate in the discussion or offer feedback. Anyone interested in becoming a member or renewing their membership in HCCI to participate in the business portion of the meeting (voting for the Board of Directors, approving reports) can do so at the door. Membership fee is $10/year. Share good food in good company as we support each other in difficult times. "We have each other if we choose each other" - Alexis Pauline Gumbs Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 Time: Doors 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm (meeting will start at 5:30 pm) Where: HCCI Office 423 King St E (near King and Victoria) Snacks and drinks will be provided. Space is limited. Register through the link in our bio Registration Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/annual-general-meeting-2026-tickets-1996827106629?aff=oddtdtcreator
Thank you to everyone who attended this Saturday's Thank you to everyone who attended this Saturday's rally, Hope Not Hate. We were inspired by the great turn out, and the solidarity and warmth of our Hamilton community. As we stand up against bigotry in all its forms we would like to take this opportunity to ask our local politicians and community leaders to continue this momentum, and to use their platforms to share actions they will be taking to advance inclusion and belonging for all in our beautiful city. For more information on the upcoming election please visit our website or the link in our bio for our guide on the upcoming municipal elections.
Registration is now open for our 2026 Annual Gener Registration is now open for our 2026 Annual General Meeting! We'll be sharing updates from the past year as well as our newly revised strategic priorities. We're excited to hear your feedback on our current direction and future plans. The meeting is open to everyone. You don't have to be a member to participate in the discussion or offer feedback. Anyone interested in becoming a member or renewing their membership in HCCI to participate in the business portion of the meeting (voting for the Board of Directors, approving reports) can do so at the door. Membership fee is $10/year. Share good food in good company as we support each other in difficult times. "We have each other if we choose each other" - Alexis Pauline Gumbs Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 Time: Doors 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm (meeting will start at 5:30 pm) Where: HCCI Office 423 King St E (near King and Victoria) Snacks and drinks will be provided. Space is limited. Register through the link in our bio Registration Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/annual-general-meeting-2026-tickets-1996827106629?aff=oddtdtcreator
Organizations in Hamilton have come together to de Organizations in Hamilton have come together to denounce the upcoming so-called "DomCon" conference announced for August 29 by the hate-group the Dominion Society. Our statement includes specific calls to action for local leaders, venues, and individuals.  You can find the full statement with further reading through the link in @hamiltoncivic bio along with links to the resource guide for venues and a petition that individuals and organizations can sign, both created by @harrc.
Our Anti-South Asian Racism Project page is now li Our Anti-South Asian Racism Project page is now live. You can find downloadable and printable versions of all our recent materials in English, Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi along with links to the original student report, comparative and visual timelines. We'll be adding more resources as the project continues. We are also continuing to host sessions for members of South Asian communities in Hamilton to talk about their experiences. Follow the link in our bio for more information or visit https://hcci.ca/projects/anti-south-asian-racism/ Thank you to our funders the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and the Hamilton Community Foundation. @crrf_fcrr @hamilton_community_foundation
It's fitting on a day like this one to see the @tr It's fitting on a day like this one to see the @transnationalinstitute State of Power 2026 report show up in our feed. In their opening article to the report, @harshawalia8 and Alberto Toscano talk about what draws people to seek a "lifeboat" in fascism and how to understand the growing presence of the far-right as a response to social crisis. If we want to tackle the far-right we need to go far beyond the rhetoric and look at how it draws its power from the closing of alternatives and spreading cynicism in the face of crises like the environmental crisis we can see out our windows today and that many in this city are breathing everyday. There is a reason we are seeing more residential school denial and groups like the Dominion Society forming - because colonial supremacy is core to the world that fascist movements are trying to protect. There is also a reason we see more anti-migrant sentiment in this moment. As Walia says, it's not because fascist actually want all migrants deported, but because keeping migrants precarious and at risk of violence makes them easier to exploit. In the face of this, movement and relationship building is both harder and more important than ever. Gratitude to everyone in Hamilton who keeps trying to do this work. You can find the full report at tni.org/en/publications
Late last year we shared an update with you all ab Late last year we shared an update with you all about HCCI's financial situation. It was a challenging message to share as we really didn't know what the future of our organization would look like. The truth is that we still don't know what the next year or so will bring. We are still missing that core piece that will keep us sustainable. BUT we want to share our enormous GRATITUDE to all the community members and partners who responded to our statement with words of support, donations big and small, and helpful ideas on what we could do. It has REALLY made a difference. While things are still shaky, with your support we were able to make it through the last fiscal year in a much better position than we thought we would. Combined with some additional funding we were able to secure for short-term projects, things are feeling more positive. We still need to grow our donations and we still need to find long term funding, but your boost helped us avoid some immediate tough decisions. To our base of regular community donors, monthly or one time, thank you! Your support is indispensable. To everyone who likes what we do and wants to help amplify our message, if you made it this far, comment below to be entered into a draw for one of our fabulous HCCI mugs (draw closes in one week).
Mark your calendars for HCCI's 2026 Annual General Mark your calendars for HCCI's 2026 Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, September 15. More details and registration link coming soon! Last year, we heard from you about the role you want to see HCCI play and the work we can continue doing to make our city a more just and equitable place. This year, join us to continue the conversation as we provide updates on the past year and share our NEW strategic priorities. We'll also have good food and share some quality time in community as we support each other through these challenging times. Stay tuned for the registration link and membership emails.
HCCI is in solidarity with Dr. Anjali Menezes’ res HCCI is in solidarity with Dr. Anjali Menezes’ resignation from the Hamilton Police Services Board and her call for addressing the lack of accountability at the HPSB. We are dismayed by the systematic racism and treatment Dr. Menezes outlined and the overall lack of responsiveness she laid out of the Board to fulfill their governance obligations over the Hamilton Police Services. As the only racialized member of the Board and one of the few members who has asked for meaningful responses to use of force, presence of extremist ideologies, and the disproportionate impacts of policing for Black, Indigenous, racialized, and 2SLGBTQ+ communities in Hamilton, we appreciate her work and also acknowledge the toll and strength it takes to try to make change in these systems. Real community participation in police governance is going to take more than creating token positions. We appreciate her message of hope at the end of her statement. As an example that speaks to Dr. Menezes' experience, earlier this year HCCI sent another follow up to the Board asking for an update on how they are dealing with white supremacy within the force in light of recent cases. They moved discussion of our letter to a closed meeting such that it was not seen publicly and the resulting discussion was not made available to us. There are many such instances of the Board not meaningfully responding to concerns raised.  We encourage you to read her full public statement available through the link in our bio. We need to demand more from our governing bodies.
Registration for our Civic Leadership Program is s Registration for our Civic Leadership Program is still open until midnight on June 23, 2026! This program offers engaging sessions designed to help young organizers (ages 17-25 years old who live in Hamilton and the surrounding area) to develop a critical understanding of democracy, civic engagement, and civic inclusion. Participants will learn about community organizing and different perspectives on what leadership looks like that can help develop skills for engaging community and growing grassroots movements. The program takes participants through 10 weekly workshop sessions, facilitated by experienced organizers and community leaders. Today we would like to highlight one of our workshop facilitators, Anjali Menezes, who is a family physician, educator, and researcher with special interests in trauma-informed care, medical education, and racism in medical training. Her career explores clinical work, teaching, mentoring, research, scholarly work and community activism. Her research focuses on studying how racism, structural, and institutionalized oppression influence the training and educational trajectories of health professionals, and novel ways of addressing racism in health care settings. Registration is now extended until midnight on June 23, 2026. You can sign up using the link in our bio. Please share widely! Registration link: https://forms.gle/RdBcZPenHP3C8Din8
Registration for our Civic Leadership Program is s Registration for our Civic Leadership Program is still open until midnight on June 23, 2026! This program offers engaging sessions designed to help young organizers (ages 17-25 years old who live in Hamilton and the surrounding area) to develop a critical understanding of democracy, civic engagement, and civic inclusion. Participants will learn about community organizing and different perspectives on what leadership looks like that can help develop skills for engaging community and growing grassroots movements. The program takes participants through 10 weekly workshop sessions, facilitated by experienced organizers and community leaders. Today we would like to highlight one of our workshop facilitators, Jordan Carrier, who is an Indigenous advocate, experienced organizer, and the Director of Special Populations Services at Castlemain Group consulting firm, working to strengthen equity and justice, and to address historic harms and support community well-being. Registration is now extended until June 23, 2026. You can sign up using the link in our bio. Please share widely! Registration link: https://forms.gle/RdBcZPenHP3C8Din8
New session dates! As part of our project looking New session dates! As part of our project looking at Anti-South Asian racism in Hamilton, we are conducting community discussions with impacted residents. We have two new session dates coming up: June 25 with South Asian immigrants who have been in Hamilton more than 5 years and June 30 for second-generation+ residents. Link to register for these or a future session is in our bio. This project is funded by the Hamilton Community Foundation and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.
Registration for our Civic Leadership Program is n Registration for our Civic Leadership Program is now open! This program offers engaging sessions designed to help young organizers (ages 17-25 years old who live in Hamilton and the surrounding area) to develop a critical understanding of democracy, civic engagement, and civic inclusion. Participants will learn about community organizing and different perspectives on what leadership looks like that can help develop skills for engaging community and growing grassroots movements. The program takes participants through 10 weekly workshop sessions, facilitated by experienced organizers and community leaders. Today we would like to highlight one of our workshop facilitators, Matthew Green, who is the NDP’s Interim National Director, with extensive experience in parliamentary oversight, governance, and strategic advocacy, and a career spanning federal politics, international diplomacy, union leadership, nonprofit management, and municipal governance. Registration is now extended until June 23, 2026. You can sign up using the link in our bio. Please share widely! Registration link: https://forms.gle/RdBcZPenHP3C8Din8
Follow on Instagram
© Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion