Finding Home » Cross-Cultural

Newcomers Say Making Friends is Top Priority

admin — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:03:54 +0000

Alexandra Neighbourhood House hosted a Finding Home Newcomers Dialogue in South Surrey, White Rock. 40 Newcomers from Chinese and Korean origins attended. Dialogue participants shared stories about moving to Canada, finding work, learning English, trying to access services and workplace problems. Despite the myriad of hurdles they all overcame to find home in Canada, all agreed the most important priority is to make friends, they rest they say will take care of itself.

40 Newcomers gather for Finding Home Dialogue in Crescent Beach

Diversity Training For New Police Recruits

admin — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:05:27 +0000

This spring and summer, I have been teaching Diversity Training for new police recruits at the Justice Institute of British Columbia’s Police Academy. For the course, I integrated Finding Home’s values-based approach to problem solving. The training enables the students to apply the practical skills and theoretical knowledge required for the cross-cultural problem solving, communication, and partnership building that is important in all aspects of police work. The goal is for new police recruits to understand different interpretations of the same event, learn tools to manage their own interpretations and reactions, and ultimately to increase their effectiveness in responding to challenging situations. My goal in providing this workshop is that new police recruits will first explore their triggers (interpretations and emotional reactions), before pulling a trigger.

The Refridgerator Factor – A Cross-cultural Belonging Indicator

admin — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 22:16:20 +0000

Midway through Finding Home’s launch dialogue in 2007, where over 155 participants from diverse backgrounds explored the concept of Finding Home in our current global and local contexts, a participant asked, “How do we make sense of all these individual interpretations of what creates home and arrive at a sense of ‘collective home’ where we can all belong?”

In response to this question, Dianne Shiner from Whidbey Institute relayed a story about working in a foster care project for unaccompanied refugee children. The staff, one day discussed what they felt was the one indicator that cut across diverse cultures and indicated when a child felt a sense of belonging. After many discussions they identified what became known as the “refrigerator factor”. When a child feels comfortable enough to go to the
refrigerator on their own, open the door and help themselves to the food knowing it belonged equally to them – this indicated that a child felt at home – that they truly belonged.!

In reflecting on her story, the challenge was put to the group “How do we create a world, a town, a home, where people feel they belong and can come to the refrigerator and help themselves?”

Jewish – First Nations Joint Initiatives

admin — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 03:11:16 +0000

Three years ago, the media focussed on First Nations leader, David Ahenakew’s anti-semetic remarks; however, there is another story of collaboration and connection between First Nations and Jewish communities. Special Guests Mark Weintraub from the Canadian Jewish Congress and Chief Robert Joseph from the Indian Residential School Survivors Society of BC share stories about Jewish – First Nations dialogues about and collaboration.

To listen to this teleconference, listen to this audio file and CLICK HERE.

Chinese-Canadian – First Nations reconciliation

admin — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 03:12:43 +0000

Chinese-Canadians and First Nations have an almost forgotten history of collaboration and inter-marriage. For example, do you know that First Nations helped Chinese men survive the harsh discrimination and assaults while working in the mines? Bill Chu, founder of Canadians for Reconciliation and Rosalin Sam, from the Lil’watool First Nations, share insights about Chinese – First Nations collaboration.

To learn more about this teleconference, email jessie@worldviewstrategies.com

Doukhobor – First Nations Relations

admin — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 03:27:14 +0000

Like many First Nations, Doukhobours also had their children forced into schools. Their common experience around issues such as education and loss of land spurred many Doukhobours to think about their own relationship with local First Nations. J.J Verigen, Executive Director of the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ and Marilyn James, Sinixt First Nations spokesperson, shared thoughts about the First Nations-Doukhobour collaboration for peace, social justice and reconciliation in today’s teleconference.

To learn more about this teleconference, email jessie@worldviewstrategies.com

Black Canadian – First Nations relations

admin — Mon, 05 Sep 2005 03:29:26 +0000

There has been a long history of resistance and alliance between people of African decent and Native people on Turtle Island / Canada. There has also been some strained relationships where racist stereotyping in both communities have prevented better collaboration and solidarity. Our special guest Janisse Browning joined us for a lively discussion about her experiences and thoughts on Black Canadian – First Nations relations.

Read Janisse’s poem here.

Land for Salt

In memory of Burnie Hurst

look:

on the outskirts of Windsor

across the table at a diner

near the bridge to Detroit

Grandpa tells how we lost our land

salt

he wants salt

points a thick, dark finger

at the glass shaker

cupped in my small, dark hand

listen:

the story is told

in deep, urgent whispers

before strokes and dementia

ransack Grandpas tired body

pepper

he gives me pepper,

slides a glass shaker

towards me without words

watch:

we trade

salt for pepper

like his Grandpa traded furs

for flour and sugar

coffee

a waitress smiles

refills our cups

leaves us two

conspiratorially

whispering, listening, trading

hear:

Grandpa says his peoples hunting grounds

were grabbed

were granted

to white men

as private property

flour

then had to be bought

sugar

then had to be bought

money

then had to be got

see:

we still survive

(Note: this poem was first published in the “Gulf Islands Gazette”, 2000)

2. intertribal

by Janisse Browning

at the first powwow in my hometown

that chance would have me go to

I see a young Black man

join his friends in the intertribal dance

in the large circle

his long dreadlocks fly

untamed like snakes set free,

bobbing through a hologram of heat-soaked dust

we are two

of a handful

of Black people on the powwow grounds

I think of joining the circle, too,

knowing my Indian ancestors

might have done the same

my feet begin to move

grass flattens softly

beneath the weight of my rubber-soled sneakers

but suddenly Im stopped

as the m.c. slips in a remark

about my dread-crowned friend:

come on out, folks

even Whoopi here is whoopin it up

my mind heaves through a wave

of childhood memories

when older folks warned us:

quit makin such a racket

yall sound like a bunch of wild Indians

my friend at the powwow

doesnt hear the m.c.s whimsical joke

or refuses to take it on

like I might,

but keeps moving through clouds of dust

making circles in the crabgrass,

his heart pounding in time

with the old drums

(Note: this poem was first published in “absinthe” magazine, 1997)

www.african-nativeamerican.com

www.blackindians.com

http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/noflash/mediaDisplay.php?id=91

www.africanamericans.com/BlackIndians.htm

www.rosecity.net/cherokee/blackindians.html

www.african-nativeamerican.com/

blackhistorypages.com/Black_Indians/