A new podcast episode is up! Tune in to learn more about how Montreal activist and entrepreneur, Thierry Lindor, and his team built a data collection platform to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting communities of color after the provincial government decided it was not going to collect race based data. In this episode, Thierry shares his motivations for creating The Colors of COVID and some of the research results. The show notes from the episode are below. To listen to the episode click here.
Join Nikita Boston-Fisher and Thierry Lindor as they talk about how the pandemic has affected communities of color in Montreal and how people of color can advocate for themselves and their loved ones. Thierry Lindor is a father of three, an activist-entrepreneur, and founder of the platform, The Colors of COVID. They collect data on racialized and marginalized communities’ experiences with the pandemic to hold elected officials accountable and make the most voiceless members of society heard. In this episode, Thierry shares with Nikita and the viewers his motivations for creating The Colors of COVID and their research results. There is a lot to unpack, so stay tuned and enjoy the episode!
COVID: a Socio-Economic Pandemic
Thierry said COVID is not a health pandemic but a socio-economic pandemic with a health impact. Yes, the pandemic’s death toll is real, but it is just a symptom. The root cause of this symptom is injustice and inequity, not only in Canada but around the world. COVID does not see color, but it does see poverty. The pandemic does not biologically attack someone just for their race or even their gender. However, it does thrive in less fortunate communities, which happen to be women, black, indigenous, and other people of color. This problem is what The Colors of COVID want to prove and plan to solve through factual data and research.
Catch Thierry Lindor as he talks about The Colors of COVID on this episode of The Good Health Cafe Podcast!
Advocating for Yourself and Your Loved Ones
Nikita asked how people can advocate for themselves when they need to, and Thierry responds with a five-step process on how to do just that. The first step is recognizing the problem. Second, you need also to acknowledge the privileges you might have while navigating this problem, for it will help you think outside of the box. As for the third step, you need to ask yourself if you are mentally healthy enough to get into this advocacy. Thierry said it best: “You cannot help anybody if you are not well yourself. Hurt people hurt people. Healed people heal people.” Fourth, you need allies, and these allies will not always look like you. Finally, the fifth step is not to wait for anybody to give you anything, whether it be an online platform or a chance to speak on stage. When you advocate for yourself and your loved ones, you do not ask for an opportunity—you take it.
Learn about how Thierry Lindor used this five-step process on The Good Health Cafe Podcast!
About Thierry Lindor:
In the past fifteen years, Thierry Lindor founded and built numerous communities that grew into great companies. The first was RE/MAX Griffintown in 2014 in downtown Montreal. The company grew from three brokers to thirty-two in less than two years, and since then, Thierry’s platform expanded to television, radio, speaking-engagement, and much more.
Following the fastest-growing real estate office in Quebec, Thierry tackled a new challenge and created Influence Orbis in 2017. This modern media company specializes in web solutions, marketing strategies, and communication experiences, including the 1st Canadian TED Talk for Millenials & Diversity. A year later, he founded the non-profit movement My Voice Matters, which aims to give an economic, social & cultural voice to marginalized communities by creating innovative and engaging experiences that promote education alongside freedom of speech and expression.
Nowadays, Thierry Lindor serves as the founder of The Color of COVID. The company collects data about racialized and marginalized communities to demand and provide better services to those communities.
Outline of the Episode:
● [03:08] What “The Colors of COVID” is about and why it is necessary.
● [6:08] The Colors of COVID’s research so far and how systemic inequities turn out to be the cause.
● [09:43] Why COVID is a socio-economic pandemic, according to Thierry Lindor.
● [15:17] The colored communities’ response to The Colors of COVID survey and research.
● [18:00] Why people no longer trust establishments and authorities, and why people should start to create their own spaces.
● [20:30] The importance of The Colors of COVID’s report to Canada and its future generation.
● [22:44] How The Colors of COVID responds to those who have lost hope in pandemic research and solutions.
● [27:21] How to best advocate for yourselves and your loved ones.
● [33:22] The reality of how people of color need to document their struggle to prove its truth.
● [36:09] Mental health discussions in colored communities in the cause of COVID.
● [39:24] Thierry shares a testimonial to The Colors of COVID’s work, inspiring him to this day.
Resources:
The Story of Joyce Echaquan: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/joyce-echaquan-s-death-highlights-systemic-racism-in-health-care-experts-say-1.5132146
The Colors of COVID Website: https://thecolorsofCOVID.com
Thierry Lindor’s Website: http://www.thierrylindor.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thierrylindor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thierrylindor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thierrylindor
Contact Nikita Boston-Fisher!
Website: https://www.thegoodhealthcafe.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikitabf
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nikita_bf
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegoodhealthcafe