Brenda Locke was this year’s recipient of the annual Hands Against Racism award cat an event held at the Surrey City Hall on Saturday (March 21).
Organized on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the event was attended by elected officials from all three levels of government. Locke, who is running for re-election later this year, was presented the award by prominent art collector and outspoken critic of racism Bob Rennie.
The latter had received the similar award last year alongside former Seattle city council member Kshama Sawant, who had brought forward a historic motion that criminalized caste-based oppression.
The award was created as part of a Spice Radio campaign against racism launched in 2015 by CEO Shushma Datt. That year, it coincided with Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. The very first recipient of the annual award was Baltej Singh Dhillon. Currently, a senator, Dhillon made history by becoming the first turbaned Sikh RCMP officer. For that, he faced a racist backlash.
Former Hands Against Racism Award winner Annie Ohana will oversee future awards.
Locke joins the long list of individuals who have been honoured since then. Others on the list are UBC professor Sunera Thobani, who challenged rising Islamophobia in the wake of 9/11; seasoned journalist Charlie Smith and anti-racism activist Alan Dutton followed her. Indigenous activist Cecila Point and Attorney General of British Columbia Niki Sharma (prior to becoming an MLA) were the next.
During the COVID-19 years, activist and author Harsha Walia, anti-racism campaigner Kal Dosanjh, Black anti-racism educator Kamika Williams, Asian anti-racism activist Tammy Hu, anti-racism educator Annie Ohana, and Indigevision founder and director Jennifer Sherif were honoured virtually.
Notably, Datt has handed the baton over to Ohana to carry forward the campaign from next year onward. Ohana organized an educational exhibition at Saturday’s event.
Broadcaster Gurpreet Singh photographed John Horgan joining in a Bollywood-style dance after receiving his award in 2023.
In 2023, former B.C. premier John Horgan was honoured for his anti-racism work. A year later, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip received the award for standing up for the rights of the Indigenous communities and against environmental racism alongside anti-racist lawyer Joven Narwal.
Locke was chosen for her anti-racism work, including the recognition of Nirmal Singh Gill Day in memory of the Sikh temple keeper murdered by white supremacists at Surrey-Delta Gurdwara in 1998. Locke also stood up against anti-Asian racism during the COVID 19 pandemic and for taking a stand against previous mayor’s reluctance to make land acknowledgments in recognition of traditional Indigenous territories upon which the City of Surrey is located.
Shushma Datt with former B.C. education minister Rachna Singh.
B.C. Minister for Mining and Critical Minerals Jagrup Brar presented Datt with an appreciation letter that he handed over with the first parliamentary secretary for anti-racism initiatives Rachna Singh. Surrey-Newton Member of Parliament Sukh Dhaliwal also spoke on the occasion.
Another speaker, famous Indo-Fijian comedian Monique Bellamy, stole the show by sharing stories around her firsthand experiences with racism.
Gurpreet Singh is a B.C. author and co-founder of Radical Desi. In addition, he hosts a daily news and current affairs show on YouTube called Navin Taazi. Follow Gurpreet Singh on Bluesky @gurpreetradical.bsky.social. Follow Pancouver on X @PancouverMedia and Bluesky @pancouver.bsky.social. The publication is also on Instagram @PancouverMedia.