C4D team spreads message of inclusion

BY KEN HERAR, THE TIMES JUNE 5, 2013

The third annual Cycling4Diversity tour was again a huge success.

The C4D team traveled on a four-day journey, visiting 14 communities with 27 stops from Victoria to Abbotsford from May 21 - 24.

The team of eight to 10 riders along with five support staff delivered a message of celebrating our cultural existence, and encouraged dialogue and ways to be inclusive with people of various backgrounds.

What I said in many of my presentations during Cycling4Diversity Week (May 19 - 25 in B.C.) is that we need to build stronger cross-cultural discussion into our neighbourhoods, workplaces and sports teams.

This is something we haven't done very well and should always remain our primary focus as we move forward.

As someone who is on the front lines on this topic and being a columnist for 18 years, I am hearing more and more that our multi-ethnic communities are not connected and isolation is unfortunately growing.

Needless to say, there are many fantastic people and organizations doing exceptional work, but more citizens need to get involved to spread this message.

This is one of the main reasons Sarina Di Martino Derksen and I started C4D: to capture the imagination and create discussion around this very important topic.

I am amazed how well the idea has been received by all levels of governments, schools and the business community.

I had only intended to do the ride once back in 2011, but with encouragement, Cycling4Diversity continues to grow more each year.

This dialogue is not just needed here in B.C., but also across our nation.

A prime example is in Quebec, where soccer players are banned for wearing turbans.

Team member Anoop Tatlay said, "I have felt a strong need to connect our communities and promote a more respectful attitude toward our differences."

Cycling4Diversity is the perfect forum for this goal . . . and it's a bonus because I love to cycle.

"During the recent tour, it was powerful to see how our own very diverse group came together to tell our individual stories about discrimination and deliver our messages of hope to countless people. I'm certain that we're making a tangible difference," said Lindz Marsh.

"I was thrilled to join the C4D team this year as the ride's message of supporting cultural diversity, standing up against discrimination, and supporting intercultural understanding.

"I loved hearing one student's dream of transforming her grandfather's perception of Muslims and learning how many languages are spoken in one Richmond elementary school.

"I felt that our C4D team embodied Gandhi's vision - be the change - as we encouraged students of all ages to reflect," said Marsh.

Team member Terry Stobbart shared her thoughts.

"I had the pleasure of driving for the C4D team. They have come to be my inspiration to move forward and to spread the message of what diversity is, can, and will be.

"As we all started out, we didn't know one another. But by the end of four days, 14 cities, 27 stops, and reaching out to hundreds of young people, the group came together as a team and gained new friends along the way," she said.

"One moment that stands out to me was when an entire gym full of elementary school students were asked to turn to one another, shake hands, and introduce themselves.

"Acceptance is as simple as that."

? Kulwinder (Ken) Herar writes about community diversity issues for the Abbotsford-Mission Times. Contact him at KenHerar@gmail.com.

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