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Commentary: Are We Victims or Offenders?
by Yumi Otagaki
If immigrants were raised in racially homogeneous societies, or if they grew up with prejudices or stereotypical views of other cultures, how would they assimilate themselves into a multicultural environment and get along with people with different backgrounds?
Since moving to Canada from Japan, I was transformed from invisible majority to visible minority. Coming from a country whose population is almost ninety nine percent Japanese, I’ve experienced a drastic change settling into a multicultural city like Toronto. In Canada, my identity is determined by my skin color and appearance. In Japan, I never questioned who I was in terms of racial identity. Although there were racism and discrimination against ethno-cultural minorities in Japan, I never confronted racism myself. On the other hand, here in Canada, my personal life has been affected by racism. I have occasionally received an aggressive type of racism, such as racist comments from strangers on the streets and other public places. In addition, I’ve faced with more subtle ones based on ignorance and un-intentional.
So, am I the only victim of racism?
What I have realized through my experience in Canada is that I too could be a possible offender of racism if I am ignorant and insensitive to people from diverse backgrounds. In Japan, the stereotypical view of Canada is that Canadians are all white, blue eyed and blonde. It was only after I arrived to Canada did I learn that immigrants from all over the world have been living in Canada for generations. In addition, immigrants are constantly moving to Canada, settling here as first generation Canadians. If I ask a question such as "Where are you from? Your English is very good," to a person of visible minority who was born in Canada, how would he or she feel?
In my case, the learning opportunities included working for a community radio station and meeting with activists, artists, and friends of visible minorities who have struggled against racism. I didn’t receive my education here so I didn’t learn about racism through the Canadian school system. Communication with individual community members helped me to overcome my own stereotypes and prejudices.
Though my sensitivity has improved, sometimes I still question if something I say would hurt or offend somebody because of my ignorance or insensitivity. Constantly, I try to remind myself not to make assumptions and to stay away from stereotypes and examine my own prejudices.
What are the opportunities for immigrants to develop sensitivity towards racism?
Can we expect to solve racism by solely relying on personal learning experiences? Since racism is a social issue and Canadais promoting multiculturalism, all levels of the government have responsibilities to educate immigrants as well as Canadians about racism. Educational opportunities can be provided at the workplace or through various programs held at community centres or through the media. Moreover, we have to promote the open discussion about racism and sensitivity issues in multicultural setting and create more opportunities to broaden our social circle.
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