This weekend is a long weekend in Canada because it’s Victoria Day on Monday May 20! But what… Read more
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Understanding Ramadan – May 6 to June 4
May 6, 2019
Ramadan has begun for 1.8 billion Muslims around the world, including more than one million Muslims in Canada.… Read more
The Journey from Volunteer to DIVERSEcity Employee
April 10, 2019
Rachna was a senior manager in India’s banking industry for 18 years before moving to Canada in 2014.… Read more
Why Volunteering is a Good Thing — for your Life and Career
April 8, 2019
It’s National Volunteer Week this week, April 7–13, 2019, in Canada. It’s a time to recognize the important… Read more
Aina Arora’s Teaching Dreams
April 1, 2019
A client of DIVERSEcity’s Future Leaders Program, Aina Arora was the winner of the 2019 Youth Achievement Award… Read more
Message for up-and-coming women professionals on International Women’s Day
March 8, 2019
‘You got this,’ says DIVERSEcity’s CEO Neelam Sahota. It’s International Women’s Day on March 8, 2019, with a… Read more
Are you ready for tax season? ![]()
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Make the most of filing your income tax return by learning about tax benefits and credits in these upcoming DIVERSEcity workshops in multiple languages. A guest speaker from Canada Revenue Agency will share important tips on tax benefits and credits for persons with disabilities, seniors, students, Indigenous Peoples, newcomers to Canada, housing insecure and people in shelters. ![]()
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There are various workshop dates, held with language support in Mandarin, Punjabi, Dari and Pashto, Arabic, Korean, and Swahili and Kinyarwanda. ![]()
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Open to everyone. Register here: forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=qJvdGGXJREWdYnexuUrni2U-n2sBfYxEtRr2-40x0ZZUNjBDUlEzW... ![]()
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For the Mandarin language workshop, register via WeChat: www.dcrs.ca/event-details/tax-benefits-credits-workshop-mandarin/ ![]()
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#ForPeopleForCommunities #taxtips #taxbenefits #incometax
When we experience or witness hate or racism, we may feel uncertain about what to do and the steps to take. We may even wonder, “Is what I just experienced a crime?” ![]()
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While hate incidents — such as sharing discriminatory material, using racist slurs, insulting someone based on their nationality or making offensive jokes — don’t meet the criminal threshold under the Canadian Criminal Code, they still cause lasting harm. ![]()
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Hate crimes, on the other hand, are criminal acts, like assault or property damage, motivated by hate toward a specific group, whether based on race, religion, gender identity or other factors. ![]()
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And while freedom of speech and expression is protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Criminal Code outlines certain types of hate propaganda as a criminal offense. This includes inciting hatred against an identifiable group in a public place that is likely to lead to a breach of the peace. It's important to recognize the line between peaceful expression and rhetoric that incites hate, which can harm people and communities. ![]()
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Have you experienced a hate incident or crime? Get support navigating community resources through the United Way British Columbia’s racistincidenthelpline.ca (1-833-457-5463). ![]()
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For hate crimes, you can also file a report with the police in person or through their non-emergency number. ![]()
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Need emergency help, contact 9-1-1. ![]()
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#TogetherAgainstHate #Racism #Stophate #Workshops
We are thrilled to have poet Elliott Slinn present a keynote speech at our third annual Black in BC 2025 event on Friday, February 7, 3–7 pm at the Surrey Arts Centre!![]()
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In his keynote on "Representation in Art," poet Elliott Slinn will explore how authentic, inclusive art fosters empathy, connection and social change — highlighting the power of diverse perspectives to unite and inspire. ![]()
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Here’s a little more about Elliot:![]()
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Elliott Slinn is a poet whose work has been described as immediate and accessible. He aims to transform his personal tale into a shared experience. He has performed at the Lululemon Leadership Conference, New Westminster and Vancouver Arts Council, the Real Estate Foundation of BC and TED Talks to name a few; and was recently on the CBC radio show “North by Northwest.” ![]()
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His street poetry has been well received as he writes personalized on-the-spot poems for people throughout the lower mainland. ![]()
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Additionally, he was named Poet Laureate for the City of New Westminster in 2021 and elected to the New Westminster School Board in 2022. ![]()
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Join us to see Elliott perform live at Black in BC this #BHM2025! Get your free tickets today at: www.eventbrite.ca/e/black-in-bc-celebrating-black-excellence-2025-tickets-1141277354289?aff=oddtd... ![]()
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#SurreyBC #BlackinBC #BlackExcellence #keynote #speech #NewWest #NewWestminister
Join us in fostering community dialogue and action through our first “Together Against Hate” workshop: Breaking Barriers: Understanding and Overcoming Islamophobia on January 29, from 6 to 8 pm. ![]()
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This virtual workshop, with facilitators Yusuf Siraj and Tariq Tyab from Foundation for a Path Forward unpacks the roots of #Islamophobia and its impacts. Participants will gain tools to address misconceptions, challenge stereotypes and strengthen allyship within their communities. ![]()
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Join us for this important conversation on the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia. ![]()
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Register at: www.eventbrite.ca/e/breaking-barriers-understanding-and-overcoming-islamophobia-tickets-114305920... ![]()
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#TogetherAgainstHate
DIVERSEcity’s CEO Neelam Sahota sat down with Michelle Eliot of BC Today on CBC on Tuesday to discuss newcomer experiences and the resources available to immigrants and newcomers. When asked what she sees for newcomers coming to Canada, Neelam had this to say, ![]()
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“We tend to paint newcomers as a monolith, but really each of them come with a very different background ... and so I think it’s a loaded question of what do we see [because] I think we see a whole myriad of individuals.” ![]()
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When discussing the way Surrey is growing and what organizations like DIVERSEcity see as newcomers arrive and try to settle and establish themselves, Neelam puts it in one word: hardship. ![]()
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“If I can encapsulate it in one word, I think it’s hardship. What we are seeing is a real sort of perfect storm of decades of growth for Surrey ...” ![]()
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Listen to more of what Neelam shared in the whole interview here www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-4-bc-today/clip/16120998-provincial-approaches-trumps-tariff-threa... ![]()
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Note: Neelam's interview portion begins at 29:54. ![]()
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CBC Radio CBC CBC Vancouver![]()
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#ForPeopleForCommunities #CBC #newcomers #SurreyBC