Being different can make a difference

Li Song, from China now living in Saint John, named a global ambassador for her civic engagement in the community. (Submitted photo)

“Difference” is a perfect word to describe Li Song.

Song moved to Saint John, N.B., Canada from her country, China in 2002. She studied at University of New Brunswick Saint John (UNBSJ) and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education.

Since she came to Canada, she sometimes faced misunderstanding that was a result from cultural differences. Yet she has been active both in the university and in the community to make differences.

“It’s all about understanding, and to be able to understand, we need to recognize the sources of the missing puzzles,” she said. “And then we can raise the awareness to spread the love for all people, no matter colours, ages and genders.”

Song now is named a global ambassador for Active-8! Campaign, which is happening across Atlantic Canada to promote activities focusing on International Development Week (IDW), from Feb.7 to 13.

The campaign, founded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) selects eight youths from Atlantic Canada who are outstanding as global citizens and role models of civic engagement. These eight individuals each lead a team to collect online pledges of action from Atlantic Canadians. The team that collects the most pledges will win $1,000.

Carolyn Whiteway, a program manager for Atlantic Council for International Cooperation, said these 8 individuals including Song, have been selected to inspire others by their actions and involvement in their communities.

Each of those individuals has been profiled on the Active-8! Campaign’s website and video clips of them and profiles are there to inspire others, said Whiteway.

“These individuals take actions in their communities locally, but their actions mean global issues as well,” she said. “And they are encouraging people to sign on the campaign to tale actions that will contribute to a better world.”

Song has been active and involved in the community since she came to Canada. When she first came to Canada, she had to learn English as a second language, yet her actions prove cultural differences or language barriers don’t matter to be active and make better changes.

In the past seven years, she has been involved in promoting multicultural awareness both at a university and a community level.

She was elected for UNBSJ Student Representative Council for Internal VP in 2007. In 2008, Song, along with her friends, organized a fund-raiser for the China 5.12 earthquake and raised approximately $15,000 to the Red Cross in ten days.

She recalled being selected as the Student Representative Council for Internal VP as her turning point in Canada.

Winning that seat gave her the opportunity to experience “a truly democratic society,” she added.

“I believe that ‘future is our power,’ and if we use our heart to love people who are different than ourselves, we have already taken the steps forward to understand the true meaning of social justice.”

She said she was excited when she found out about the nomination, but added that winning the campaign isn’t the ultimate goal.

In the Saint John region, the face of the community has changed in the past years regarding its multicultural development, she added.

“The goal of the campaign, for me, is to get the message out into our community and to make more people care more of others and to be involved in our community,” she said.

As an activist, Song said raising more awareness about immigrants is one of the changes that need to happen.

“Outreach programs in raising multicultural awareness need to be implemented throughout regular business sectors to help more people to be aware of more immigrants are now coming to Atlantic Canada as their neighbours,” she said.

She added that to make changes happen, involvements and actions from others are necessary. Song hopes her actions can motivate others to take action.

“I hope my actions inspire others to think, to pledge and to act,” she said. “Raising the awareness is to plant the seed, and you never know where the seed is going to grow.”

Whiteway thinks someone like Song, who is from a different country and being active in a foreign country, can motivate Canadians to act.

“I think they embrace Canada as their home and they see many positive aspects of how they can make things happen to make the world a better place,” she said. “So I hope by profiling these individuals, they would inspire others.”

Song says she does embrace Canada and said it is Canada that makes her a global citizen.

“I love Canada. I see it as a plate of fruit salad. You can taste all and yet with different flavours of the differences,” she said. “I chose Canada as a place (where) I can fully experience like as a global citizen.”

Pledges can be made online until Saturday, Feb. 13. To make pledges or for more information, visit www.active8campaign.com.

Short URL: http://www.newbrunswickbeacon.ca/?p=4488

Posted by Maiko Tanabe on Feb 9, 2010. Filed under Features, This Week's Edition. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.