Sierra
One of the first things we did in Multiculturalism (HR261), was take a look at what multiculturalism actually was, and what it looked like in Canada. What we realised early on through our guest lectures and intercultural group discussions was that it is actually not as ‘multicultural’ as we might like to believe.
Canada is a very individualistic society. For the most part, people’s attention is focused on getting themselves where they’d like to go. We believe there is one right way of doing things, and our way is that right way. Because of this, a lot of folks will become defensive or upset when someone’s goals or methods are different from their own. It feels like a challenge.
The easiest way to handle this uncomfortable feeling of being threatened is to dismiss other ways of doing things as being weird or wrong. But what our discussion group allowed all four of us to be able to do was to get comfortable with those feelings of discomfort. Growth does not occur within our comfort zone. It is only when we are willing to step beyond that and open ourselves up to new possibilities that we are able to begin to change ourselves and our points of view.
In our group, something that was very important to us from the beginning was for our group to be a safe space for discussion and differences of opinion. We made an effort to listen to each other, and accepted when people changed their minds thanks to new information that they were taking in.
Allowing space for discussions like these is how we can make lasting change on a wider scale. Canada cannot become as ‘multicultural’ as we claim to be if it is not a conversation between diverse voices. Change cannot occur without allowing room for people to be wrong and admit they were wrong. That is one of the most impactful things that HR261has taught me. It is not a crime to be wrong. In fact, being wrong can lead to some of the greatest learning opportunities we will ever have.
Sierra Puffer, HR 261, Liberal Arts, Brantford