Join us in welcoming newcomers to our community
Refugees welcome here!
We are working to build a community based on acceptance, a celebration of diversity and the strength, resilience and character that diversity brings to Calgary. Not everyone is welcoming of newcomers, however, some people may feel threatened and lash out and others may not understand the benefits that immigrants bring to Canada. Negativity, racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia all create hostile environments for newcomers (and all of us!). We urge you to speak out when you hear negative comments about newcomers, to stand up to racism and Islamophobia and to join us in creating welcoming communities we all want to live in.
When it comes to intervening safely, remember the four Ds – direct, distract, delegate, delay.
Direct action: Call out negative behaviour, tell the person to stop or ask the victim if they are OK. Do this as a group if you can. Be polite. Don’t aggravate the situation - remain calm and state why something has offended you. Stick to exactly what has happened, don’t exaggerate.
Distract: Interrupt, start a conversation with the perpetrator to allow their potential target to move away or have friends intervene. Or come up with an idea to get the victim out of the situation – tell them they need to take a call, or you need to speak to them - any excuse to get them away to safety. Alternatively, try distracting or redirecting the situation.
Delegate: If you are too embarrassed or shy to speak out, or you don’t feel safe to do so, get someone else to step in. Most venues have a zero tolerance policy on harassment, so the staff there will act.
Delay: If the situation is too dangerous to challenge then and there (such as there is the threat of violence or you are outnumbered) just walk away. Wait for the situation to pass then ask the victim later if they are OK. Or report it when it’s safe to do so – it’s never too late to act.
Some additional resources to support you in speaking-up:
Right to BE
Right to Be is a global, people-powered movement to end harassment — in all its forms. We believe that we all deserve to be who we are, wherever we are. We believe we all have a role to play in disrupting harassment and building a culture where it is no longer seen as “just the price you have to pay” for being a woman, LGBTQ+, a person of color, or any other marginalized identity. We teach people to take action, and to reach across their own identities to ally with others and establish a united front against harassment each time we witness it.
Action, Chinese Canadians Together
The Action, Chinese Canadians Together (ACCT) Foundation builds the capacity of Chinese Canadian leaders committed to creating a more equitable society in Canada. We facilitate capacity building programs across the country, host leadership conferences, and provide a platform where work in academia can inform work in the community. We bring together established and emerging Chinese Canadian leaders to collaborate on identifying and breaking down systemic barriers to the full and equal participation of ethno-cultural leaders in Canadian society. We honour and celebrate the groundbreaking achievements of past and present Chinese Canadian leaders in society and equip the next generation of leaders with a keen sense of how their culture shapes and strengthens their leadership.