Raelene, Ayaana, Jennifer and Nioshi

“Came as strangers left as friends.”

Despite meeting on Zoom, we had just as authentic of an experience had we met in person. We created strong friendships and worked great together despite never actually being able to meet face to face without a screen between us. We didn't expect to make friends in the current academic setup, but fortunately, this project offered an opportunity to make lasting connections with others. Furthermore, it is easy to isolate yourself with online learning; this group forced social interaction which ensured we never felt alone.

Creating a Bridge

We learned a lot about different cultures, and we figured out we all have a lot more in common despite our different cultural backgrounds. We talked about a lot of political, cultural, and social issues, and we were able to work through what we discussed in class, and what we had seen in the news. We discussed the importance of awareness for justice and development towards equality and cultural representation. We examined differences in cultures; Canadian, Indian, European, etc.

What We Learned

Together we gathered that Canada uses multiculturalism as a facade and that colonisation has had and still does have significant impacts on all societies around the world and especially in Canada. So because of this, we concluded that the marginalised peoples in Canada and around the world are not even striving for equality and freedom; instead, they are struggling to maintain their rights to self-determination.

Laurier International Cultural Conversations group participants:

Raelene Hines, HR261, Human Rights and Human Diversity, Brantford

Ayaana Karim, HR261, Human Rights and Human Diversity, Brantford

Jennifer Mulligan, HR261, Community Health, Brantford

Niyoshi Yadav, International Student Collaborator, Bachelor of Science, Waterloo