A deeper look at discrimination in London and Middlesex County

Last year, Western University researchers released a study sponsored by the London and Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership showing how widespread discrimination against immigrants and racialized people living in Southwestern Ontario was.

According to the study, completed in nine regions in southern Ontario including London and Middlesex County, about 60 per cent of those who identified as immigrants said they experienced some level of discrimination or racism in the communities in which they lived.

Now, a new study also led by Western’s Network for Economic and Social Trends is taking a deeper look into the types of discrimination newcomers are facing and how that might impact their feelings of belonging and their desire to continue living in our communities.

“Hearing people’s own words, what they are experiencing is very powerful,” said Professor Victoria Esses, director of the Centre for Research on Migration and Ethnic Relations and who led the research project.

“Statistics are important. They tell us about the rate of discrimination or the incidence of discrimination and where it’s taking place, but it’s really not salient in terms of what these events are and how much they impact people’s lives, so I do think it’s important to hear what people are saying about what they’re experiencing in our community.”

A total of 30 immigrants took part in the qualitative study, which was conducted from November 2022 to February 2023.

As part of the project, newcomers shared specific examples of cases of discrimination they faced and the impact it had on their lives.  

The examples included in the study took place in a variety of public settings, including public transit, restaurants and immigrants’ places of work.

In one case, for instance, an immigrant recounted how they were using London’s transit system when a passenger out of nowhere started verbally insulting them.

“We were sitting on the side in the back row and they just started throwing out racial slurs and, out of nowhere, like we did not even talk to them . . . ‘You smell so bad, you’re smelling like curry’ . . . This went on for a very long time, for a good 15, 20 minutes or maybe even more than that,” the immigrant recounts.

Another shared how a customer at a restaurant refused to have his order taken by an immigrant worker.

“So I asked them, ‘What would you like?’ And they immediately turned to my co-worker, and they were like, ‘I don’t want her to take my order. I want you to make it,’” the participant in the study said.  

Esses said being able to look at specific instances of discrimination can open a window to better understand newcomers’ experiences in our communities and find ways to help them better integrate into our communities.

“Sometimes people are expressing discrimination in pretty overt ways. Some of those quotes, it was really obvious that people were going out of their way to say nasty things or to be offensive,” she said.

“But sometimes discrimination can be more subtle . . . Not that it has less impact, but I think it’s important for us to identify what actually is happening in our community.”

Battling instances of discrimination could soon become critical for the economic future of the city of London, which has for years now been working to attract and retain newcomers in the region.

This will also be true for many communities across Canada.

According to a recent study by Desjardins, for instance, immigration will be critical for the country’s long-term economic success, given the country’s “sustained labour demands” and aging population.

“Our research shows that higher immigration will do more to raise real GDP per capita and, by extension, living standards and incomes in the long run,” the report reads.

But plans to attract international talent won’t reach their full potential unless newcomers feel welcome in their communities, Esses said.

“You can have all the plans you want but If people are not being treated properly in the community, they’re going to leave, so the whole plan falls apart,” she said.

That’s why as part of the report, researchers also included strategies and suggestions that can be issued to fight discrimination.

The recommendations are based on research, best practices and input from participants in the study.

They include suggestions such as wide dissemination of information about available resources to support immigrants, training to newcomers and the general public on how to react to cases of racial discrimination and the parameters under which a reporting tool for discrimination should be developed.

You can read the full report on the LMLIP’s website.

NWLRC: Growing with the community

Amani Radhaa, associate director of the Northwest London Resource Centre stands outside the site of their new location, which is still under construction and is expected to open to the public in the fall of 2023

Though the Northwest London Resource Centre (NWLRC) opened its doors to the community in 2002, it wasn’t until three years ago it started a new project to offer settlement services and supports to newcomers in the city.

You wouldn’t know that, however, by looking at the long list of resources NWLRC, located at the Sherwood Forest Mall on Wonderland Road North, now offers to immigrants living in the city’s northwest end since creating its settlement division in 2020.

The centre, for instance, offers supports such as orientation sessions delivered alongside community partners where immigrants can learn more about the Canadian culture and topics such as how to get access to healthcare or how to find a home to buy or rent.

Among the different group sessions also designed by NWLRC, there’s one that focuses on digital literacy, helping newcomers learn everything from how to create an email account to how to protect themselves online from fraud and scams.

The centre also offers supports to young immigrants navigating the Canadian education system, helping them know the requirements they need to pursue their dreams of post-secondary education.

The growing list of programs is in part a reflection of the big demand for newcomer services as London, and that portion of the city in specific, have continued to grow significantly over the last several years.

“Our whole program plan is, ‘How can we . . . integrate newcomers into the Northwest Community’ . . . because we know they are here; we know they have arrived because the Canada census shows it,” said Amani Radhaa, NWLRC’s associate director. 

In fact, census data from 2016 showed neighbourhoods such as Fox Hollow and Sunningdale, located in NWLRC’s coverage area, had the largest number of permanent residents in London. 

Since then, the city’s population has been growing dramatically, boosted in large part by immigration and making London the fastest-growing metropolitan area in Ontario between 2016 and 2021.

The growth has been so big, NWLRC began this year the process of renovating a new space that, while still located in the Sherwood Forest Mall plaza, will allow staff to better serve its clients. The new space is expected to open to the public in the fall.

“In our previous space, we didn’t have the capacity to have all the staff at the same time because we outgrew the space,” Radhaa noted. 

NWLRC’s settlement services offerings are impressive.

But just as important is the fact that each of the programs the centre has developed has been the result of clients, working alongside NWLRC, identifying needs and gaps in services in the community, Radhaa said.

Their most recent addition, for instance, is a program called the Racialized Newcomer Women Program. Launched in April of this year, the goal of the initiative is to help women of colour overcome barriers to employment as well as help them learn about Canadian labour rights. 

“It’s not just so (that women) are able to get hired but also maintaining employment,” Radhaa said.

All the programs are also part of a bigger goal for the centre – getting newcomers, once they have established themselves, to also give back to the community.  

“But how do they give it back?” Radhaa said. “Volunteering . . . being a mentor to others . . . that’s how we can continue that cycle of welcoming other newcomers and supporting other newcomers.”

For more information about NWLRC and its services, you can visit their website at https://nwlrc.ca. 

London ranks high in Canada for its humanitarian efforts

June 20 marked the celebration of World Refugee Day, a United Nations-sanctioned day meant to honour refugees around the world.

To mark the day, the London and Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership’s fact-sharing group decided to explore London’s humanitarian efforts to support refugees around the world.

First held in 2001, World Refugee Day is meant to highlight and celebrate the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their homes to escape persecution or conflict but continue to work hard to rebuild their lives and create a better future for themselves, their families and their new communities.

“World Refugee Day shines a light on the rights, needs and dreams of refugees, helping to mobilize political will and resources so refugees can not only survive but also thrive,” the U.N. says on its website.

“While it is important to protect and improve the lives of refugees every single day, international days like World Refugee Day help to focus global attention on the plight of those fleeing conflict or persecution.”

Canada has a strong history of welcoming refugees, who have in turn become a critical part of the fabric of the country, helping build the nation it is today.

That history can be traced back to the late 1700s, when Canada become home to Black families escaping slavery in the United States, many of whom settled in the London area and the wider Southwestern Ontario region.

It continued throughout the 20th century, when Canada opened its doors to refugees fleeing the destruction caused by the Second World War and Chileans fleeing political prosecution, among other military and political conflicts.

Most recently, Canada has also launched humanitarian efforts to support thousands of people escaping war in Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine.

In recent years, London has played a pivotal role in supporting refugees, punching way above its weight when it comes to the number of people it has helped resettled, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada data shows.

Between 2015 and 2022, for instance, about 7,200 refugees have settled in London.

Only Toronto, Ottawa and Mississauga have received more refugees in Ontario over the same period, beating larger urban centres such as Kitchener and Hamilton.

Nationally, London also ranks ninth overall in the same category.

*Values are rounded to the closest multiple of 5 to prevent individuals from being identified. Source: IRCC, April 30, 2023.

“I think (the rankings) say two things: One is that we’re a welcoming city, and we’ve always done our best to provide a space for people who are refugees coming from all over the world,” London Mayor Josh Morgan said.

“But also that we have this amazing diversity in our community where we can support the various refugees that we’ve taken in over the years because we have strong local communities that can help make London home and make (refugees) feel like they belong,” Morgan added.

“It’s a lot easier to go to a place where there’s people who can help you accommodate and figure out how to live life in a new place and a new in a new country.”

*Values are rounded to the closest multiple of 5 to prevent individuals from being identified
Source: IRCC RD Permanent Residents, April 30, 2023 Data

IRCC data also support the notion of London’s multiculturalism.

Between 2015 and 2022, London welcomed refugees from 21 different countries. The most common country of citizenship is Syria, with more than 3,700 people from this country resettling in London during that time. That is followed by about 1,030 refugees from Iraq and 630 Afghans.

Morgan said those refugees – and all newcomers choosing London as their home – are critical to the economic future of the city amid low birth rates and existing labour shortages.

“When you think about the lack of domestic population growth that we’ve had over a number of years, immigration and newcomers are a way to grow the country (and) support the economy,” he said.

“When you have labour shortages that you can’t fill, and yet there’s talented, skilled labour out there around the world, welcoming some of that (talent) to Canada helps us build the kind of country that we’re trying to build.”

CCFL: Supporting Francophone newcomers in London and Southwestern Ontario

CCFL employees work to help Francophone immigrants integrate and better adapt to the London region and southwestern Ontario.

The main office of Carrefour Communautaire Francophone de London (CCFL) maybe located in a building on Huron Street in northeast London but the service area of this agency, one of eight offering settlement services in the city, is in fact quite vast, expanding to Sarnia to the west of London and Woodstock to the east.

Founded in 1994, CCFL was first named the Centre Communautaire Régional de London before adopting its current name in the summer of 2019 – a change made to better reflect the Francophone aspect of the centre and its goal of becoming a voice for the Francophone community and its culture in the London region.

From only three employees, the agency has grown to close to 80 workers, depending on the time of the year, offering more than a dozen programs to the francophone and francophile community in the area.

Part of that expansion has also come on CCFL’s settlement work, through which the centre offers support to about 400 clients – permanent residents or accepted refugees – from countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Nigeria, Belgium, Brazil and Morocco.

Though in recent years CCFL efforts have centred around supporting newcomers navigating the school system – helping families with tasks like registering their children in school – the agency last year added a settlement worker to its rank.

Serge Kabongo, CCFL’s immigration services manager, and Didier Mwamba Kabongo stand outside the CCFL Salle Nadia Raymond room at CCFL’s main offices at 920 Huron St.

This has allowed CCFL to expand some of the support services it offers to the community, including helping families get their Social Insurance Numbers, opening their first bank account in Canada or seeking medical care.

“We are guiding them through all the available resources in the community,” said Serge Kabongo, CCFL’s immigration services manager, who described this as a period of growth for the agency.

Though the new position is relatively new, Kabongo said it’s already having a big impact on the community and the way CCFL can support clients.

In the past, when a client had needs that extended beyond the school system services CCFL was able to provide, it meant that the client had to be referred to a different provider.

Now, they can access multiple services in a single location, making it more convenient for newcomers, Kabongo said.

“People are enjoying that instead of coming here for one issue and to another place for something else, they only need to come here,” he said.

“If we receive a client with those needs now, we can help them directly.”

For more information about CCFL’s programs and services, visit www.ccflondon.ca/en/program.

The pride of becoming a Canadian citizen

This week, Canada celebrated Citizenship Week, “a week to celebrate the rights and responsibilities shared by all Canadian citizens.”

During this week alone in 2023, more than 13,500 immigrants took their oath and become Canadian citizens, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said.

In honour of this week, the London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership and its fact-sharing group decided to look at the number of immigrants who have become citizens in the London region over the past few years.

According to the latest census data, in 2021 there were 115,605 immigrants in the London census metropolitan area, a region that also includes Strathroy, St. Thomas and portions of Elgin and Middlesex counties.

Of those, 83,300 were Canadian citizens, or about 72 per cent.

According to the historical data, about 94 per cent of all immigrants who arrived in 2000 or earlier have become citizens.

That number drops progressively from there until reaching a low of 4.5 per cent between 2016 and 2021, given that many immigrants are still ineligible to become citizens.

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 98-10-0302-01 Immigrant status and period of immigration by place of birth and citizenship: Canada, provinces and territories and census metropolitan areas with parts
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25318/9810030201-eng

Dina Eltom, co-ordinator of settlement and integration services at Northwest London Resource Centre, said she was not surprised to see that adoption figures of citizenship in the London region were so high.

According to her, becoming a Canadian citizen is probably the biggest milestone in the immigration journey for newcomers.

“Regardless of how they made the decision to come to Canada, whether it was to better their lives for their family, education or finding better living conditions, becoming a Canadian citizenship is the ultimate goal for them,” she said.

But reaching that milestone can be even more meaningful for people who have fled war-torn countries or who were forced to leave their homes due to prosecution or violence.

In many cases, becoming a Canadian citizen brings a sense of belonging for immigrants and the feeling they are truly now at home, Eltom said.

“Having worked as a frontline worker for years and years, you hear firsthand from (immigrants) that . . . even though there are assurances, ‘You’re welcome to stay, you have the status, you’re able to stay for as long as you want to,’ they feel that that is only solidified when they receive that Canadian citizenship,” she said.

“I’ve seen them just break down and cry, bawling while sharing the good news . . . because they feel now that they finally belong somewhere.”

Though Statistics Canada doesn’t provide a reason why a certain percentage of immigrants do not take the step of becoming citizens, Eltom believes that for some people, especially for older generations, gaining a new citizenship may be seen as cutting ties with their origins.

“For whatever reason, in their mind, they feel that they might lose their ties with their home countries,” she explained.

“I know, for instance, if my father was still alive, he would’ve been content with just being a permanent resident. To him, it ties to the loyalty to his home country.”

Eltom also said all immigrants who become Canadian citizens understand it is a privilege and that, with it, also comes responsibilities.

“That’s their train of thought,” she said. “To be part of this community means you have a responsibility to the community overall and to your new country, and many of them are just anxious to start giving back.”

Exploring immigrant women’s vital role in London’s workforce

Over the past few years, the Canadian government has been highlighting the importance of immigration for the economic future of the country.

In fact, just last month Immigration Minister Sean Fraser underscored that point when he said immigration was the only way for Canada to address the challenges posed by an aging population and workforce.

“The reality is if we don’t bring more families and working-age people into this country, the economic conversations we’re going to be having a generation from now will not just be about labour shortages,” he said in an interview with the Prince George Post in Prince George, B.C.

“It’s going to be about whether we can afford public services, schools, hospitals and roads.”

It’s a reality that is also playing out in the London region, where nearly two-thirds of London-area employers said in a 2022 survey by the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board, a workforce development agency, that they are having a hard time finding enough workers to fill available jobs.

That’s why, to honour Mother’s Day this month, the London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership examined immigrant women’s contribution to the local workforce.

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 98-10-0134-01 Census family status and household living arrangements, household type
of person, age group and gender: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25318/9810013401-eng

In general terms, 431,255 people were living in the London Census Metropolitan Area, which includes portions of Elgin and Middlesex counties, according to 2021 census figures from Statistics Canada.

The region’s population was divided between 127,655 men+, 143,760 women+ and 159,840 children, Statistics Canada reported.*

In total, there were also 64,110 immigrants (34,475 men+ and 29,635 women+) between the ages of 25 and 64, which are generally considered people’s working years, and who have worked at some point in time between January 2020 and May 2021.

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 98-10-0454-01 Occupation (STEM and non-STEM) by visible minority, generation status,
age and gender: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25318/9810045401-eng

When looking closer at their occupations, Immigrant women (28.7 per cent) predominantly worked in the sales and services sector.

About 16 per cent of immigrant women worked in jobs related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), slightly below men’s 19.3 per cent.

However, a higher percentage of immigrant women (19.2 per cent) work in business, finance, and administration compared to immigrant men (8.5 per cent).

This was also true in education, law, social, community and government services occupations (16.1 per cent vs. 7.5 per cent) and health-care related careers (7.6 per cent vs. 1.6 per cent).

These are some sectors where employers are also having a hard time finding employees.

The London Free Press, for instance, reported in April that London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), Southwestern Ontario’s largest hospital, had about 500 unfilled nursing positions.  As the figures show, tapping on the potential of immigrants overall, but most specifically immigrant women, can help alleviate some of those challenges.

LMLIP Fact Sharing Work Group

*To protect the confidentiality of responses, individuals in the category “non-binary persons” are distributed into the other two gender categories and are denoted by the “+” symbol.

#AllAreWelcomeHere campaign expanding to Middlesex County

Leslie-Anne Steeper-Doxtator, supervisor of the Coldstream Public Library, holds a lawn sign of the #AllAreWelcomeHere campaign, which began being distributed to county residents last week

A campaign by the London and Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership (LMLIP) aimed at making the London area a more welcoming community for newcomers has now expanded to Middlesex County.

Since last week, the county began distributing lawn signs to the public with the message #AllAreWelcomeHere through its network of public libraries.

The #AllAreWelcomeHere campaign was born in 2017 following community consultation after several cases in which people were verbally or physically assaulted for being immigrants in the London region.

The incidents included a woman who was punched and had her hijab pulled by a stranger while at a city supermarket and a Colombian family who was attacked by a bat-wielding man at a parking lot in St. Thomas.

“The main goal of the campaign is to create conversations about immigration, immigrants and send a message that everybody is welcome here,” said Huda Hussein, LMLIP’s project manager.

“Besides the First Nations, we’re all settlers at the end of the day, so why don’t we try to communicate with each other better?”

Given the size of the county, using the network of public libraries to distribute the signs to people was the most efficient way of doing it given how embedded they are in the different communities, said Lindsay Brock, the county’s director of library services.

“We really are that source for information and a great way to distribute things to all the communities when we’re at such a distance from each other,” she said.

“The philosophy behind the #AllAreWelcomeHere campaign also fits with what we, as a library, strive to do. We are that welcoming space; we are that community hub, and we’re always looking for ways on how we can reflect that and how we can communicate that.”

It’s not the first time the campaign has expanded beyond London’s boundaries.

The #AllAreWlecomeHere program, for instance, has been copied and adapted by other community groups and local immigration partnerships in places like Nova Scotia and British Columbia, Hussein said.

Since its inception, LMLIP has distributed nearly 3,000 lawn signs and close to 2,000 car decals.

“And we are printing more,” Hussein said.

Residents in Middlesex County interested in getting a lawn sign are asked to call ahead their local branch and arrange a pickup time.

Multiculturalism is thriving in London

Source: Statistics Canada. 2023. (table). Census Profile. 2021 Census of Population. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2021001. Ottawa. Released March 29, 2023.

Cultural diversity is increasingly recognized as a crucial element of any modern society and London, without a doubt, is becoming a multicultural city.

According to the 2021 Census, for instance, 23 per cent of the population in the London Census Metropolitan Area, which also includes some surrounding communities in Elgin and Middlesex counties, is racialized or from a visible minority. Within the City of London, that number jumps to 29 per cent.

These percentages are higher than in 2016, when the racialized population was 16 per cent in the London CMA and 20 per cent in the City of London.

London and area’s population identify with about 240 ethnic or cultural origins. Among the ethnic or cultural origins of 5,000 or more persons, the biggest groups are those who have English, Scottish and Irish ancestry. The population of the top 10 ethnic or cultural origins are from Europe, except for the 73,110 who identify as “Canadian” as their ethnic or cultural origin.

Amongst those in non-European groups, India has the largest number of people, followed by those of Chinese and Arab origins.

Source: Statistics Canada. 2023. (table). Census Profile. 2021 Census of Population. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2021001. Ottawa. Released March 29, 2023. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E (accessed April 13, 2023).

Multiculturalism has several positive impacts. It promotes diversity and allows for a variety of perspectives to be shared, bringing unique experiences, ideas and values. This allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the world around us and provides opportunities for personal growth and development.

There can also be economic benefits. A variety of businesses and investors can be attracted to the community, with associated economic growth and development. Competitive advantages also come with cultural diversity as diverse markets are accessed.

Moreover, multiculturalism also reduces prejudice and discrimination. When individuals are exposed to different cultures, they develop empathy, understanding and respect towards others, which reduces negative stereotypes and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion or nationality. Sharing of cultures and traditions can lead to an increased appreciation for diversity and promote social cohesion.

LMLIP Fact Sharing Work Group

Is lower income of highly educated immigrants contributing to a lower retention rate in London? 

London is one of Canada’s fastest growing areas, mainly due to people having immigrated here from other parts of Canada and from other countries over the last five years. This benefits London because its labour force is maintained or augmented, even as its population is aging and birth rate is below replacement level.

Furthermore, immigrants are highly educated. The 2021 Census data show that 40% of immigrants aged 25 to 64 have Bachelor’s or higher degree, which is 12% higher than among non-immigrants. However, at all levels of education, except those with no certificate, diploma or degree, the average total income in 2020 is lower for immigrants aged 25 to 64 than for non-immigrants of the same age. The biggest differences in average income are among those with a University certificate and those with a Bachelor’s or higher degree.

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 98-10-0439-01 Employment income statistics by visible minority, highest level of education, immigrant status and income year: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts DOI: https://doi.org/10.25318/9810043901-eng

One often mentioned reason for the lower economic outcome for immigrants is language fluency, as immigrants may not know English well enough to be understood in workplaces. This may be true to a certain extent, especially for immigrants with low levels of education. This is why English as a Second Language (ESL) is one the services offered by agencies and organizations serving immigrants in London.

For many of those who have Bachelor’s or professional degrees, the more relevant factor may be under-employment of immigrants. One of the reasons for this is non-recognition of degrees obtained outside of Canada. For example, registered nurses working as personal support workers, trained physicians, engineers, and other skilled professionals working as taxi or Uber drivers.

Some professions are remedying the situation. Ontario’s physician regulator, for example, is making it easier for doctors trained in the U.S., Ireland, Australia, and Britain to practice medicine in the province. Clearly, however, this may not be of much help as many immigrant physicians have trained outside of these places.

Racism is another factor. The 2021 report on Discrimination Experienced by Immigrants, Visible Minorities, and Indigenous Peoples in London and Middlesex showed that among immigrants and racialized groups, those who are employed are more likely to experience discrimination than those who are unemployed, retired, students, or homemakers. Likewise, immigrants and racialized groups with graduate or professional degrees are more likely to have experienced discrimination than those with lower levels of education.

Young, highly educated individuals whether immigrants or non-immigrants are more mobile as they have a greater capacity to move when conditions for employment are not conducive for them to stay. London may be attracting highly educated immigrants but would it be able to retain them for long? Data from Statistics Canada on mobility of immigrant tax filers show that the 2020 retention rate for those admitted in 2015 is lower in London, than in Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo, Windsor-Sarnia, and Hamilton-Niagara.

LMLIP Fact Sharing Work Group

Raising Global Citizens: How to Embrace Cultural Diversity With Your Family

In today’s globalized world, it is more important than ever to teach our children about cultural diversity. From exposing them to different foods and music to encouraging them to make friends with people from diverse backgrounds, there are many simple yet effective strategies that you can use to cultivate a sense of curiosity and appreciation for other cultures in your children. 

Books that focus on diverse cultures and customs can be a great way to introduce kids to new concepts and people. There are also many educational websites and games available that can help teach children about different cultures in a fun and engaging way.

In addition to using educational materials, there are also a number of practical ways you can help your children learn about and embrace cultural diversity. One idea is to take them on outings to places where they can experience different cultures firsthand, such as ethnic festivals or museums. Other activities that can be done as a family are cooking a dish or listening to music from another culture and watching a movie set in another culture. You can even plan a trip to visit another country. By exposing your children to the richness of the world around them, you can help them develop a greater appreciation for cultural diversity.

By breaking down barriers and teaching our children to embrace cultural diversity, we can create a more open-minded and accepting world for them and the generations to come. The more we can open our minds, hearts, and homes to accept people from different cultures, backgrounds and walks of life, the more enriched our lives become.