Tamara McDonald was a little girl when her older brother was rejected for a modelling job. The recruiting agency told her mother he lost out because he was "native." McDonald brushed the incident off, not knowing that it would serve as a catalyst for her future activism. Then McDonald, who had been living in Calgary, moved to a predominantly white elementary school in Thunder Bay. She was shocked at how kids could treat other kids of colour so differently. Coming from a more diverse community, she wasn't prepared for that kind of rejection. "No one made an effort to be my friend, or even say hello," she recalled. "No one, no matter how different they are, should have to feel rejected like that, especially because of something as superficial and uncontrollable as the colour of your skin."Since then, the once-shy McDonald, now 18, has concentrated her efforts on educating other people about the struggles of people of colour. At the Multicultural Youth Centre in Thunder Bay, she volunteered for fundraising bingos and provided security at the community's hockey tournaments. Six feet tall and armed with kick-boxing skills, McDonald also taught life-skills sessions for other volunteers. Today she is involved in orientation programs for new immigrants that also reach out to aboriginals. The programs cover basic skills such as using public transportation and dealing with culture shock. She also heads Revolution Girls' Style, a girl power movement where young girls deal with such issues as body size. Last year, she became the president of the Regional Multicultural Youth Council and she is also involved with other groups focused on teens and diversity."She had really exceeded our expectations," says Moffat Makuto, executive director of the Multicultural Association of Northwestern Ontario, which oversees the youth council. McDonald has grown "from a very shy girl who could hardly speak to one who makes presentations to city hall about our funding situations and to school boards about being more inclusive in the school system." Her activities in fostering racial harmony within the community won her Ontario's Lincoln M. Alexander Award last year. The award, named after Ontario's first black lieutenant-governor, is given to young people who demonstrate leadership in eliminating racial discrimination. She took home the community award while Bikramjit Nahal, 20, took the student award.Nahal, of Dundas, Ont., is also aware of how it feels to be a victim of racism. Attending a high school with more that 1,000 students, the Sikh-Canadian is one of only three visible minorities. Although he grew up with these kids, the Sept. 11 attacks didn't help either. "I got the odd eye walking though the halls," Nahal said. "Once I see racism, I ask myself, `Why is this happening? Do you really want to waste your time stereotyping?' The answer is no. Is it useless? I say it is useless."Nahal's parents moved to Canada from India in 1971 with just $50 between them. Life was a struggle in a foreign land where they didn't know the language very well. To save the 25-cent bus fare, they walked to work. Nahal can never forget the stories his parents told him, including how his father would be given the hardest job in the factory even with his slight, slim built; and how his mother would not get her full pay because she didn't speak English well. He said the situation 20 years later has changed only slightly. "(People) would still choose to see a brown face rather than a person."His story has been told in classrooms, gymnasiums and at community meetings in the Hamilton area where Nahal conducted talks on racism. As vice-president of the anti-racism committee at Parkside high school, he initiated English and history programs for elementary and secondary schools. These programs have been adapted by other schools in his area Although McDonald doesn't think the world will ever be free of racial discrimination, she is convinced anyone can do something about it."Sure people make racist jokes, but don't be just quiet and passive about it," she says. "If it affects you, speak up."Says Nahal: "Pass on the message of anti-racism. Educate people. I wouldn't say so much as to look at me as a role model, I heard a couple of people say that before. But find your strength and try to use my strategies."Ignorance on the issue is not an excuse, says McDonald. "It's really important to teach kids acceptance. It doesn't matter what you look like. It should not matter as long as they are having fun. But a lot of people don't see it that way."
What's Up is a regular feature for high school students focusing on news and social issues.
Copyright 1996-2003. Canadian Press. All rights reserved. Posted on March 18, 2003.