8 ~ Sunday, March 28, 1993 - North Shore News Shore society hosts workshop Anti-racism group charts community strategies ETHNIC DIFFERENCES fuelling haired and destruction in the former Yugoslavia; ethnic unrest exploding in India; neo-fascists roaming the streets of Europe. All seem distant from the secu- tity and comforts of the North Shore and the rest of the Lower Mainland; yet not all is as well as it appears to be. In 1989, five people came together and discussed incidents of racism that had occurred on the North Shore. “People were concerned that the idea of multiculturalism wasn’t going to get across to peo- ple,’ said Kris Langedyk, a foun- ding member of the North Shore Multicultural Society. The society was incorporated in 1992 and its members now include over 100 individuals and many in- stitutions, like the North Van- couver District, the North Shore Neighborhood House and the Unitarian Church. The members are concerned about ethnic groups’and religions ranging from Spanish, Dutch and English to Jranian and East In- dian. “We are non-partisan and non-religious.’ We don’t back a specific group,’ * said Langedyk. A recent society conference with the Unitarian Church — Youth and the Global Village — brought together young adults to discuss gang violence and its solutions. /The society’s purpose-is not on- y to educate people about other / cultures and beliefs but also to “ help immigrants start their new lives, “We put ona ‘citizenship court, and we are members of the district task force to evaluate problems with access to the different municipal services for immigrants and people with disabilities,” Langedyk said.- “Right now we are working to secure settlement workers to come to the North Shore to help im- migrants set up their regular life styles.’* She said that the education council promotes multiculturalism in schools and provides input into changing the resource materials in schools. It_ is: also involved in Service Education, a program in which teachers can learn the newest de- velopments in multiculturalism and become more culturally sen- society's By Mark Korytowski Contributing Writer sitive in the schools. Together with North Shore Continuing Education, the society organizes workshops to help im- migrants with English classes. It also plans to set up another workshop in conjunction with North Shore Community Services to assess community needs. The society works closely with a network of organizations that in- cludes the North Shore Family Services and Lions Gate Hospital. On March 20, the society held a workshop on anti-racism in con- junction with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The goal of the discussion was to debate community strategies with residents. ° About 30 people attended the workshop, which included a panel discussion with three guest speakers who lectured: on the nature and causes of racism. Dr. Charles Ungerleider, of the Department of Education at the University of British Columbia said what Canadians think about minorities is largely influenced to by the media. “We have come some distance from the demeaning and derogatory characterizations of minorities that were so (strong) during the early parts of this cen- tury,’? he said. - “(But still), the contemporary representations of minorities are neither realistic nor flattering.’ He said a few years ago the at- tention devoted to the rise of housing prices in Vancouver was blamed on immigrants from Hong. Kong. rather than address the issue of the many factors affecting com- petition in Vancouver for scarce housing resources,”* he said. “The media choose to cast the story in a narrative framework that tipped wealthy Hong Kong immigrants against ‘Canadians,’ "’ He said that news can influence people towards minorities and Report cards are here, don’t delay, call today! 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North Vancouver lawyer Mobina Jaffer, a member of the Canadian Panel on Violence against Women, said that people should stop looking at their dif- ferences and start looking at what they have in common, “We are emphasizing dif- ferences and forget the things we have in common,” she said. “Multiculturalism: means that we have a lot in common yet cele- brate our differences.”’ Jaffer said people talk multiculturalism but don’t live it. “When you get hurt you can’t go back to the community. They just won't understand.” She said the community should strive for integration not fragmen- tation and that people are talking more of assimilation than muiticultural integration. “That's what Canada is all about.”’ She said only a handful of peo- ple are racist and that most people are only afraid of the unknown. oa GSD, Rc Re se 41 Only Moffat Washer | 1 GE Easyclean Range Mon. - Sat. 9:00 - 5:00 CORRECTION NOTICE In our B2-3 Bay Day Preview flyer, Girls’ and Boys’ Sportek bike's photo on page 34 is in- correct, tn our B2-4 Bay Day Main flyer, Spring Career Co-ordinates on page 2 should read “Bay Day Price 27.99 lo 76.99 each". Set of 3 tables’ photo and Cocktail or end table's photo on page 16 are reversed. Lagostina Siena Cookware on page 23 should read "7-piece set" Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caised. MARYLIN TOWARD Committed to giving you the best service possible. 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