The Youth Dialogue is a series of three virtual youth dialogues curated to engage 40 young people between ages 15 and 19 with the contents of Worlds Within report.
Participants
40 youth, between 15 and 19 years of age, as follows:
• 20 Black youth
• 20 youths of Indigenous, Asian, and other racialized backgrounds.
Dates
*First dialogue took place on November 26th. Here are comments from youth who attended that session, their motivations for joining the youth dialogue series.
*Second dialogue: February 11, 2023, engaging Black and other racialized youth
*Third dialogue: May 6, 2023, PUBLIC EVENT led by youth participants from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm via ZOOM
African Ancestry Project Youth Dialogue Series
Theme: Identity and belonging in multicultural British Columbia
The African Ancestry Project brings awareness to the diversity of Black people in British Columbia through storytelling and dialogue. People of African ancestry represent a rich diversity evident in varied histories, identities, and experiences. However, Canadian society largely treats us as a monolith, a single homogenous group, categorized as Black because of our darker skin tones. Worlds Within, a report of the African Ancestry Project showcases the diversity of Black people and communities through stories shared by project participants. This report is a resource for knowledge sharing and a tool to inspire important conversations around our visions of genuine multiculturalism and social justice.
The Youth Dialogue Series is a series of three virtual youth dialogues curated to engage 40 young people between ages 15 and 19 with the contents of Worlds Within report. This is a critical demographic. As young people transition to adulthood, they are actively developing their ideals and personal values in search for their place and contribution to society. While schools are important avenues to guide young people in this process of reflection, many things are left out of classrooms. The youth dialogues will not only engage youths in conversations about the diversity of Black people in BC but will also promote their active and engaged participation on their sense of place in the context of Canada’s multiculturalism values. It will create a youth-friendly space for open and positive conversations and reflections on the diverse histories, identities, and experiences of people of African ancestry in British Columbia. This project particularly targets Black, and other racialized youth. We recognize that this is a priority population which does not often come together in safety to engage on issues affecting them.
Resources and Outputs
*Each participant will receive a physical copy of Worlds Within report.
*Three virtual dialogue sessions
*Workshops on multiculturalism and dialogue engagement & facilitation (as part of the dialogue sessions)
*Following successful attendance of the dialogue series, participants will receive a certificate of participation.
This Youth Dialogue Series is directed by Alice Mũrage and implemented in partnership with Dr. Maureen Kihika, the BC Black History Awareness Society, and the SFU Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue.
