Two interesting stories about racism in North America:

McDonald’s sued for racial discrimination in Virginia

Ten former McDonald’s workers have sued it in the Virginia federal court for racial and sexual discrimination.

The suit alleges that some employees were fired from one franchise because there were “too many black people”.

It is being backed by a group campaigning for better wages for fast-food workers and the local Virginia National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

#BBCTrending: Is Winnipeg Canada’s most racist city?

The mayor of Winnipeg was surrounded by indigenous people as he spoke to the press Thursday – the same day his city was declared the most racist in Canada.

“Ignorance, hatred, intolerance, racism exist everywhere,” Mayor Brian Bowman said, fighting back tears.

“Winnipeg has a responsibility right now to turn this ship around and change the way we all relate – aboriginal and non-aboriginal, Canadians alike from coast to coast to coast. … To do so, we have to shine a light on the problem we do have in Winnipeg, and the problem we share with communities across this nation, because without the light, we can’t see what we’re fighting.”

Since his inauguration in November 2014, Mayor Brian Bowman has been seen as a bridge builder.

He is Winnipeg’s first indigenous mayor, and is the first mayor to acknowledge in a speech (at his swearing-in ceremony and on Thursday) that Winnipeg was built on the traditional homeland of the Metis nation, who are descendents of indigenous people and European settlers.