How Workplaces Can Combat ‘White Advantage’ to Better Support Black Employees + MORE Feb 9th

My stepfather left a will and a trust with my mom and brother as trustees. My stepfather raised me since I was five. Before he died, he told me he had a policy with my name on it, but my mom and brother won’t tell me. What could I do? Do I have rights?—Ladana

The details of a will and life insurance policy

My condolences on the loss of your stepfather, Ladana.

When someone dies, some or all of their assets may pass through their estate (the documentation of all the assets and property of someone). Some assets, like those held jointly or with named beneficiaries, may pass outside the estate of the deceased and directly to the joint survivor or to the beneficiary. Other estate assets get dealt with based on the deceased’s will or based on the provincial or territorial intestacy laws (for those who die without a will). 

What’s involved of distributing a life insurance policy

If a life insurance policy beneficiary is the “estate,” the proceeds will form part of the estate to be distributed by the executors…

After the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, and the global movement against anti-Black racism that followed, marketing strategist, podcaster and writer Stephen Dorsey found himself in what has become a common situation for many racialized people: His white friends and colleagues were reaching out to him to have conversations about how they could be allies to Black Canadians.

During these interactions, Dorsey found that some people were unfamiliar with the terminology like “anti-racist” that was being used in the media, and some would get defensive when they heard the term “white privilege.” So he came up with a new way to talk about it. Since “privilege” is often associated with class and wealth, Dorsey noticed those from varying socioeconomic backgrounds don’t always see themselves as having privilege in society—even if they’re white. As a way to help them and others understand their role in systems of oppression and discrimination, he decided to start using the term “white advantage” to refer to the systemic benefits white people have in society, from the justice system to housing…