Surrey Schools staff honoured with 2024 B.C. Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Awards

Queen Elizabeth Secondary learning support teacher Thais Pimentel Cabral (left) and Safe School Liaison Dacious Richardson were among winners of this year's B.C. Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Awards. Pimentel Cabral received the Intercultural Trust award while Richardson received the Emerging Leader award. (Photos by the Government of B.C.)

Two district staff members took home accolades at this year’s B.C. Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Awards, an annual event recognizing British Columbians for their efforts to combat racism and create a more inclusive province.

Queen Elizabeth Secondary learning support teacher Thais Pimentel Cabral and Safe School Liaison (SSL) Dacious Richardson received the Intercultural Trust award and Emerging Leader award, respectively, honouring their antiracism work with students in the district. The Intercultural Trust award is for an outstanding individual or organization’s efforts to build understanding and reducing racism between communities. The Emerging Leader award is for an outstanding young person, age 15 to 30, for tackling racism and reducing barriers for marginalized communities.

Pimentel is the teacher sponsor of her school’s BIPOC Liberation Collective student club and has played a role in furthering the province’s antiracism initiatives in K-12 schools. Richardson is an advocate for refugees, immigrants and newcomer youth, working as an SSL at Frank Hurt and Sullivan Heights secondary schools, and is the found of Rise Above Reality Expectation, an initiative that supports youth with vital guidance and leadership skills.

“The BIPOC Liberation Collective started with a book club, and that book club led to more racial literacy,” said Pimentel Cabral. “We understand racism based on our own experience, but antiracism is like theory, we need the language and expertise to become stronger and more empowered to disrupt racism and truly become antiracist.”

“I put my heart and soul into my work because I don’t want to see any kid left out,” said Richardson. “I want them to have the experience they never had before. I want them to leave high school knowing they made some positive friends and had role models who were there for them.”

Thais Pimentel Cabral – Intercultural Trust Award

For Pimental Cabral, immigrating from the world’s second largest Black nation of Brazil to the multicultural melting pot of Canada was a difficult transition at 28. Suddenly, being in a new environment that was very different from her home country was a big adjustment, getting used to both the physical climate and social climate.

However, she said she found her footing in the district, taking on numerous multiculturalism and antiracism tasks in her school: she organized such QE events as the Black History Month capoeira presentation and Iftar Night, and sponsored the BIPOC Liberation Collective, offering a platform for Black and Indigenous youth and students of colour. Her teaching methods prioritize students’ identities and cultural connections, and through her work to promote inclusivity and combat racism, her students have grown to feel empowered.

“When you show to them that you are committed to them and share a bit of your power and time and expertise, it’s so contagious,” she said. “It’s about empowerment and building trust. They are more equipped to deal with the challenges with technology, lack of employment, climate change, with creative ideas. They are going to be the leaders of the future.”

Extending beyond her classroom, Pimentel Cabral played a key role in creating the Ministry of Education Anti-Racism Teaching Guide and collaborated on an experiential resource for the BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner. Her work has also informed age-appropriate workshops at elementary schools in the neighbourhood.

“Cindrich Elementary reached out to the QE principal and said, ‘We’re having problems with kids being very mean to each other, saying bad things about ethnic food that other kids bring. Do you have any students who could be role models for kindness and being antiracist?’” she recalled. “The principal immediately thought about us and asked us to guide the students. It’s incredible.”

Pimentel Cabral said she is grateful to be recognized by the B.C. Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Awards, and she’s proud of the positive impact that she’s had on students throughout her teaching career.

“It’s very healing for me to see that they are very eager and very open to whatever is offered to them,” she said. “It’s just a matter of them finding people to share that space and capacity with them.”

Dacious Richardson – Emerging Leader Award

Richardson was born in Liberia during the country’s second civil war, a time of political unrest that led him to see considerable violence, abuse, pain and death in his community. Raised by his mother, grandmother and a few other relatives, Richardson said they faced many struggles from the war that caused him trauma and anxiety in his childhood and youth.

“It was difficult growing up. There was a time where school wasn’t something we were thinking about because you couldn’t go to school when there was war,” he said. “There wasn’t much hope. We were in survival mode.”

Richardson immigrated to Canada in 2011 with his sisters, joining their father in B.C., and he soon began attending Guildford Park Secondary. Still managing his trauma while adjusting to his new life, Richardson said he was very shy and afraid to speak in front of his peers because he thought he’d be judged for his accent. But with support and guidance from SSLs, youth workers and many teachers at Guildford Park, he quickly opened up, finding camaraderie and mentorship through wrestling and the Yo Bro program, as well as inspiration for his career in social work.

“There were a lot of mentors and strong leaders who helped me to cope when I went to school,” he said. “After graduation, I ended up working for them – the work that I do stems from me coming here as an immigrant and giving back to refugees, immigrants and youth from diverse backgrounds, helping to make a change.”

In addition to his work with the district, since 2016, his Rise Above Reality Expectation community initiative has supported newcomers, refugees, immigrants and youth through free sports participation, fostering a positive environment for students who are at-risk or come from low-income families. Through his work, he was also recently named Rising Star at the inaugural DIVERSEcity Black Brilliance Awards, celebrating Black talent, culture and achievements in the community.

Richardson dedicated his Emerging Leader award in memory of his brother, who passed away last June, as well as to the youth “who don’t have a voice to speak up.” He said he continues to fight against racial discrimination and systemic issues, and noted that in order for meaningful change to happen, young people need to have a seat at the table where decisions are made.

“Most of the decisions made for youth aren’t made by youth, and we need people who make those decisions to reach out to them and find out what these youth want,” he said. “Especially for marginalized communities, they need representation and people they can look up to, who can speak for them. Being in a position to use what I have to speak up on behalf of that community, the award is for them, it’s not just a recognition to what I do.”