As part of our union’s commitment to learn from the experiences and celebrate the successes of Indigenous, Black and racialized CUPE members, CUPE is profiling members of the National Racial Justice Committee and National Indigenous Council. This month, meet National Racial Justice Committee member Sharon Stanley.
Sharon Stanley is a seasoned activist and leader who lives by one important rule: “If you’re going to use wisdom you have to be a listener. You can’t just be a talker.”
The CUPE 101.6 member and National Racial Justice Committee member has a decades-long history of breaking down barriers and fighting for racial justice and social justice in her workplace, union and community. Along the way, she’s forged the relationships and networks it takes to fight oppression and build a stronger, more inclusive union.
“I’ve worn many hats. I love activism and the Racial Justice Committee is where I do my best work, because it gives me the opportunity to be strategic and share information,” says Sharon.
It’s Sharon’s fourth term on the national committee. She has also served on CUPE Ontario’s Women’s and Racial Justice Committees and was the 2023 recipient of CUPE Ontario’s Racial Justice Award.
A voice for those with no support
A co-worker suggested Sharon channel her experience and training on difficult conversations into being a steward in her local. “Once I started, that was it,” she says. She was tackling health and safety and mental health in the workplace, and working with fellow members on unlearning racism.
“I worry about how people address other folks. The stigmas that are in the workplace. Some people don’t realize that’s what they’re doing. Lots of people are just not aware how their words, body language and internal biases affect other people,” she says.
“Being involved in my union has been inspirational, giving me the opportunity to be the voice for those who don’t have support,” she says. “It gives me a platform to be part of framing solutions to challenging racism and stigma that members face.”
Sharon says representation matters and is advocating for her local to add an equity seat on the executive so that all members see themselves reflected in their leadership.
“For years I have also noted that local autonomy has been a barrier to equity and participation. I believe locals need a report card on how they have advanced the work of volunteers doing the heavy lifting in advocating for inclusive and fair labour movement spaces,” she adds.
Connected in her community
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Sharon has lived in Canada since she was 11 years old. She lives in London, Ontario where she has worked in health care as a Finance Co-ordinator since 2006. Her activism is deeply rooted in her community connections. She has forged a seven-year relationship with the London Black History Coordinating Committee that started with catering for their receptions.
Sharon is also Secretary of the London and District Labour Council and was asked to chair the council’s Equity and Social Justice Committee. Over the past year, she has helped boost the council’s visibility with an event T-shirt, a slogan contest to engage members and delegates on how they view the council’s work, and a bookmark to raise awareness about Indigenous peoples’ experiences and history.
“These have all been accepted as annual projects as we work towards equity and inclusion,” says Sharon.
The struggle for migrant workers’ rights is “near and dear” to Sharon, whose volunteer work with Justicia for Migrant Workers includes participating in the Migrant Voices radio project. She has also been a champion for a campaign tackling the stigma faced by people living with HIV and AIDS who are members of African, Caribbean and Black communities in Ontario. Sharon brought the campaign to her faith community, working with the pastor to share information in her congregation.
Sharon has also made international connections. On a 2022 CUPE delegation to Cuba, Stanley learned about the country’s national program committing to end racism and discrimination.
Sharon builds what she calls “purposeful partnerships” by surrounding herself with people she can learn from and grow with, who understand her goals and will help her achieve them. She gives others the same support, because it’s key to making change in solidarity.
“You reach back and you pull somebody else up because you know it’s going to benefit everybody in the long run,” she says. “We are one huge collective, you just need to play your part in it. It’s very engaging work and I totally enjoy doing it,” she says.
Fighting for rights and safety
Over her career, Sharon has confronted workplace discrimination. One of her managers never looked her in the eye or spoke to her directly. “Every moment she got the chance, she put me under the bus.” That led Sharon to recognize what she was up against. However, she still holds her position as the accounting team lead despite some seeing her as not deserving the role.
Another manager publicly chastised Sharon for requesting an accommodation for migraines she experiences. She eventually got the $50 light shield she needed, but the manager never apologized.
“Those were hard and bitter pills to swallow. But I turned the pain into gain,” says Stanley. Today, she says she works with managers who listen, and who don’t make assumptions about her. She says that identifying her stumbling blocks turned them into stepping stones that have fueled her passion for fairness.
“My recourse was the union to address my human rights, the right to benefits, the right to fair treatment and the right to accommodation,” she says.
“You need a union because nobody else is going to back you,” says Sharon. “You need to understand the things that keep you safe in the workplace because you’re in that space more than you’re at home.”
A strategy to tear down barriers
Sharon traces the roots of CUPE’s Anti-Racism Strategy to CUPE Ontario’s Anti-Racism Organizational Action Plan, which she calls “the foundation for this movement.”
The national strategy will help “tear down the barriers perpetuating systemic racism” according to Stanley, who sees it as a living document that will be polished for effectiveness over time.
“It’s a collective commitment to inclusion and an acknowledgement of intersectionality, where our differences can be embraced and not be divisive.”
The strategy’s goal of sharing the lived experiences and increasing the visibility of Indigenous, Black and racialized CUPE members resonates with Sharon. “It’s one way to build a stronger, more equitable membership, channeling intellectual humility unselfishly in bringing more value to what unions represent,” she says.
“You’re getting this kaleidoscope of information, and eventually you realize, ‘Yeah, everybody’s having the same issue.’ Now you have a foundation to stand on to bring a convention resolution.”
Accountability and tracking progress are key to the strategy’s success. “You have to know that leadership is listening. And you have to see progress on what they’re listening to, that there is action,” she says.
Stepping up and finding hope
Sharon says every Indigenous, Black and racialized CUPE member who want to get involved with their union should step up – and take a long view of their work.
“Don’t be discouraged by near misses or small gains, because if these gains are managed effectively, they can result in powerful victories.”
She shares another lesson she’s learned: “Check your biases at the door. You can’t walk into this work with any kind of bias. You need to have an open mind and be ready to absorb – and to think about what you’ve absorbed – before you speak to it,” says Sharon. “When addressing challenges, it helps to use your gut to know right and wrong, and how something made you feel to your core.”
Sharon sees hope in the work she’s doing but recognizes that activists like her need to take time for self-care. “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but you have to keep digging to get there while maintaining a balance, because there will be triggering moments.”
Strong CUPE women have supported Sharon and helped her develop as a leader over the years, and she pays heartfelt tribute to them.
“I will be forever grateful to my femtors, who have moved on within the union because of their steadfast leadership. Their brilliant, beautiful souls embraced me and their humility in our engagement helped shape my activism.”
Learn more about CUPE’s Anti-Racism Strategy including Goal 4, which focuses on highlighting the lived experiences of Indigenous, Black and racialized members and celebrating their successes, at cupe.ca/cupes-anti-racism-strategy. And check out these tips for putting the strategy into action in your local.