Actually, we cannot say that our young men are dying because of racism, but when it comes to addressing the underlying issue, we sense that the characterization of the issue by calling them Somalis becomes an issue of racialization for them, because it takes away their worth in this country. When they are called Somalis, it means that the problem is no longer Canadian, but a Somali problem. The fact is that the majority of these young men have been born here or came here when young.
So when it comes to the urgency of addressing the issue by law enforcement or government, because the headlines say they are Somalis, the problem is compounded. So it's not because we're experiencing racism. Of course, some people in the community will say it's different, but for me, the people in leadership see that mischaracterization and misdiagnosis of the issue is what's making them feel racialized, and not racism.