On March 23, 2019 a total of 13 community agencies and organizations, in the lovely city of Red Deer, hosted the event, Community Power of One, a day of meaningful discussion about; myths, misconceptions, unconscious bias, and intersectionality, at the Welikoklad Centre in Red Deer.
Elevate, Envision, and Empower were the watch words in an event that attracted diverse peoples from as far as Calgary, Edmonton, and Fort McMurray, to share in a very passionate, and at times, sensitive discussions on race and related issues, as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
“…We cannot counter extremism with extremism. Hatred is fear that victim license to treat the others as perpetrators…,” Dr. Junaid Jahangir of MacEwan University in Edmonton, the keynote speaker who drew inspiration of love and tolerance from his own experiences growing up as a boy, transcending religious boundaries, rejecting victimhood, replacing aggressive responses with wisdom, and affirming the message of hope, gratitude, and love.
Dr. Jahangir told Diversity Magazine that he is optimistic about the future in an era charged with right wing politics, white supremacy, religious extremism, and Islamophobia. “…We should look within our communities as internal critics to foster diverse relationships…,” He shared.
The event was also attended by some dignitaries from the local political scene, First Nations Elder, and other speakers. There were some very educative workshop sessions on; How to Recognize Privilege and its Impacts, Intersectionality, Tools and Community Responses to Hate and Bias, Unconscious Bias, Islamic Law and Muslim Same Sex Union, The History of Red Deer from an Indigenous Perspective, and Myth Busting in Canada.
A rich and exciting panel discussion took place with four panelists after the lunch break that was followed up with questions from the audience, bringing out questions on a wide range of topics, spanning across; racism, discrimination, response to hatred, Canadian experiences and a lot more. With a weekly Yellow Vest Rally taking place just blocks from the event venue, the event ended with a World Cafe, a collective debrief as Co – Organizer, Jan Underwood, shared with Diversity Magazine that they decided this year to expand Community The Power of One to include diverse groups that experience racial discrimination, especially because of the period we are in now. No doubt the event attracted a racially diverse group of people, both presenters and participants.
“..I’m so proud to be part of this event happening here with such a huge involvement of so many organizations…,” Frank Bauer, Executive Director of Central Alberta Refugee Effort (C.A.R.E.), one of the organizations hosting the event, shared with Diversity Magazine.
