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Red Deer diversity event celebrates the power of unity

Mar 19, 2019 | 3:38 PM

This Saturday, the Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership (RDLIP) will be co-hosting the annual CommUNITY The Power of One event to commemorate the International Day of Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21st.

The event will include speakers from various ethnic backgrounds who will share their experiences and insights on immigration and racism.

The event hopes to educate people about acceptance. Organizers say there are many misconceptions about immigration and through this event they hope to start a conversation about unconscious biases.

“The main goal is that we would like people to come and educate themselves and break whatever barriers that are around them so that they can see that everyone is the same and that everybody is on the same level and that everybody is working towards the same goal. We hope that by having good topics, not too heavy, it will help open up the conversation even after they leave the event,” explains Sophie Simard, board member of RDLIP.

This event comes on the heels of the deadly attacks on two New Zealand mosques where the lives of 50 worshippers were taken by an anti-immigration extremist.

“It’s very timely that we are doing this seeing as this has just happened. We’ve noticed that there has been an increase of anti-immigration and Islamophobia type of rhetoric in Red Deer, so I think the time is right to gather people together and give people positive ways to make a difference and be more appreciative of everyone and really look at what we mean by embracing diversity and what we mean by inclusion,” noted Jan Underwood, program coordinator from the Central Alberta Refugee Effort.

Over the past four years, the event has maintained a good attendance. Underwood says she believes Red Deer is progressing when it comes to acceptance and believes the fact that people are attending the event shows people want to change.

“Everybody is welcome to come, we are hoping to just raise awareness and provide an educational opportunity for people to learn about how to respond to racism, how to handle their own unconscious biases and get people thinking about the way they think of others,” explains Underwood. “We hope that people will leave the event with new education and maybe some self-reflection. The intention is to make a positive change. That’s why this year we’ve chosen the words Elevate, Envision, and Empower to describe the event. Elevate the conversation, envision a better future, and empower people to take action.”

Over the next week, RDLIP will be hosting multiple gatherings throughout the community to commemorate the International Day of Elimination of Racial Discrimination. On Friday at The HUB on Ross, members of the Indigenous community will be hosting a drum circle. There will also be a sweat lodge at Fort Normandeau on Friday.

On Saturday, the CommUNITY The Power of One event kicks off at the Welikoklad Center at 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Tickets are free and can be found at tickets.blacknightinn.ca.

CommUNITY The Power of One is being held in conjunction with The City of Red Deer, Central Alberta Refugee Effort, the Black Knight Inn, Red Deer Arts Council, Trans and Non-Binary Aid Society, ACFA Regionale de Red Deer, Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society, Alberta Global Talent, and Catholic Social Services. It is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and the Downtown Business Association’s Downtown Community Development Committee.