Anti-racism work has been limited within the CRC in Canada, leading to feelings of exclusion among racialized individuals. To address this, the CRC in Canada has established the Decolonization & Anti-Racism Collective. This BIPOC-led committee and its staff are dedicated to facilitating systemic and cultural change within the Canadian CRC, rooted in addressing racism and upholding commitments in documents like God’s Diverse and Unified Family and the Belhar Confession. Our goal is to create a community based on an intercultural foundation of love, respect, reciprocity, justice, and equity.

A. We work in partnership with the Senior Leader for Anti-Racism and Intercultural Conciliation, advising the CRC in Canada in alignment with the biblical vision found in Revelations 7:9-10.

B. We acknowledge the importance of Indigenous justice and aim to act on Indigenous calls for decolonization and right relations. We collaborate closely with the CRC’s Canadian Indigenous Ministry Committee (CIMC).

C. We embrace a "family" model that treats all members as equal family members, irrespective of race. This model involves decentering power and privilege and empowering equity-seeking groups. Dutch culture, historically predominant in CRCNA, will be celebrated as one of the many cultures within CRCNA.

D. Our primary focus is on the Canadian context, maintaining dialogue and collaboration with relevant committees, networks, and organizations.

Our Objectives:

A. Develop and propose a context-specific mandate for decolonization and anti-racism within CRCNA Canada, including measures for internal culture change, institutional accountability, and learning resources for congregations.

B. Collaborate with the Executive Director of Canada to draft and implement action plans, strategies, staffing, and programming based on gathered data. Goals may include education, awareness, theology, policy, advocacy for racial justice and decolonization, and collective healing.

C. Ensure the well-being and sustainability of the Senior Leader, offering recommendations if needed to support their work-life balance and spiritual life.

In the spirit of the Christian Reformed Church in North America's (CRCNA) robust dedication to Indigenous justice and reconciliation in Canada, we discerned a distinct path for anti-racism efforts, diverging from models prevalent in the United States. This path involves an earnest recognition and appreciation of the CRCNA's strides in decolonization. Therefore, we intentionally included "decolonization" in our identity, aligning ourselves with Canada's expansive social justice movement while rooted in our CRC faith and tradition.

DARC seeks to partner with local churches, giving priority to the experiences and voices of our Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour. Our mission is rooted in collaboration, 'with' communities rather than 'for' them, nurturing a grassroots, collective approach to achieving racial justice within our church communities. This choice reflects our commitment to being more than just a committee; we are a collective united in this calling.

The acronym 'DARC' initially stirred some discomfort among us, leading to thoughtful reflection. We observed how societal norms often paint darkness in a negative light, sometimes even equating it with sinfulness. Yet, as many of us bear darker skin tones, we challenged this notion: Is darkness inherently negative? In a world where darker skin is frequently undervalued, we seek to affirm the inherent beauty and dignity of our skin colour. By questioning and rejecting the negative stereotypes associated with darkness, we embraced 'DARC' as a symbol of our dedication to change and inclusivity.