Responding to the issue of immigration divide between newcomers and the existing population on CBC Listen podcast (Ideas with Nahlah Ayed), Kwame Owusu Ofori, Co-Manager, Employment Services at Edmonton Newcomer Centre highlighted some of the steps that Newcomer Centre is taking to address the growing polarization towards strengthening the health of our democracy.
Extending an invitation for advocacy, Kwame delved into the following:
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Allyship: fostering collaboration with communities to promote mutual humanitarian and cultural ideals (promoting our similarities as a people not differences)
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Leading in initiatives and discussions towards changing narratives and negative stereotypes about newcomers
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Power of story telling (highlighting the value that newcomers bring)
In summary, the goal for Newcomer Centre is to lower the barriers preventing newcomers from participating in political conversations, create a shift in the criticism of newcomers and broaden the representation of who an an Albertan is.
