Let's see what they say
The Abbotsford/Mission Times essay contest, entitled Building an Inclusive, Diverse Community, officially closed last week.
After going through the submitted entries, I am surprised at the volume we received for the adults (over age 16) section.
I am looking forward to submitting these thoughts to our five esteemed judges. Winners will be appearing on these pages later this month.
A guy stopped me the other day after seeing a photograph of me in the Times recently, speaking to students from Dashmesh Punjabi School about our contest. He asked me why would I promote multiculturalism in an all-East Indian school?
Good point, I thought, and replied: "The main reason that brought me to this fine school was not only to promote multiculturalism and this contest, but to share in a discussion with some bright minds on finding ways the South Asian community could be more inclusive with mainstream society."
I told the class that the "culture divide" in Abbotsford is growing quickly and we all have a responsibility to be part of the larger community when we leave through these school doors each day. I shared examples of how to make it happen, like inviting kids from outside our own ethnicity to their homes for events like birthday parties. Festivals and parades or even writing contests for that matter are fantastic ways of interacting and getting people to mingle.
Lastly, I told them they have a special role and part of the equation in creating an inclusive, diverse society. I concluded with this thought: "We all have it within us. We just have to discover it."
Since we're on the topic of integration, another person shared some unfortunate news. She said her family went back to Montreal for a few weeks in the summer and found the city to be very integrated and friendly. Much more than here, she noted.
"People are very separate from each other in the West," she said, adding that her daughter came home crying one day because at school South Asian kids wouldn't play with her. For as much as I don't like to admit it. I know these examples are real. Honestly, it hurts every time I hear this. The general public does not openly discuss this because they don't want to be perceived as racist. But, they're certainly talking behind closed doors.
As someone shared with me a few years ago: "Ken, when I come to Abbotsford, I can feel racism."
This is the exact reason why I took my message to the South Asian community.
I am not trying to pick on South Asians, but there needs to be more of a community effort and not just from the same few.
I have said it before and I will say it again: South Asians can be equally racist just as any other group. South Asian leaders need to rise up and address these concerns.
We must remember the concept of diversity wasn't strictly created to cater to South Asians. Is it time we change how we practice diversity or is it too late?
Let's see what Times essay contest winners have to say.
- Ken Herar is a columnist for the Abbotsford-Mission Times. Contact him at: kenherar@gmail.com.
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