multimedia & multiculturalism programme -...

MULTIMEDIA & MULTICULTURALISM PROGRAMME

YOUTH TOOL KIT

Project TeamCoordinated by: Sarah Kambites (Director of Education & Community Outreach) Written by: Vivian Giang Designed by: Diana DuzbayevaFacilitated by: Lara Hill and Simmi Dixit

Copyright © 2012 United Nations Association in CanadaISBN: 987-0-9783352-4-3

United Nations Association in Canada (UNA–Canada)300–309 Cooper StreetOttawa, ON, K2P 0G5+1 613 232 5751www.unac.org

To receive permission to reproduce all or part of this publication, please contact UNA-Canada.No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purposewhatsoever without prior permission in writing from the United Nations Association in Canada.This publication is made possible through the generous support of the Alberta Human Rights Education and Multiculturalism Fund.

U N I T E D N AT I O N S A S S O C I AT I O N I N C A N A D A

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UNA-Canada’s Multimedia & Multiculturalism (M&M) Programme builds social cohesion in Canada by exploring and enhancing the role media plays – or can play – in contributing to the inclusive representation of all Canadians. M&M works directly with media agencies, educational institutions, and ethno-cultural and First Nations communities to work towards strategic goals, open up dialogue and collaborate in creating media that is free from stereotypes, racism and other forms of discrimination.

M&M promotes ethnic diversity in mainstream media, initiates dialogue between ethno-cultural and First Nations communities and the media industry, and encourages youth from diverse ethno-cultural and First Nations communities to participate in media in various capacities.

M&M operates in seven regions across Canada and is proudly supported by Citizenship & Immigration Canada and the Alberta Human Rights Education and Multiculturalism Fund.

For more information, visit mmunac.org or edmonton.unac.org


Note: UNA-Canada and M&M recognize Canada’s First Nations people as their own unique community and do not attempt to collectively identify them with other ethno-cultural communities or as a multicultural group.


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THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION IN CANADA

The United Nations Association in Canada (UNA-Canada) is a historical non-partisan and not-for-profit regis-tered charity which brings made-in-Canada solutions to chal-lenges of the global commons. Its mandate is to educate and engage Canadians, especially youth, in the work of the UN, the critical global issues that affect us all and to grow global citizens in Canada who are aware, concerned and equipped with critical thinking skills to impact positive social change lo-cally, nationally and internationally. The Association focuses much of its programming on youth (male and female) and their communities, encouraging and facilitating the emergence of young global citizens. UNA-Canada creates enduring out-comes and has changed thousands of young lives, especially those living in marginalized communities, by bringing them to the commons through highlighting their ‘local knowledge’ and engaging them in planning, designing and implement-ing activities in the communities where they live and work.

For 65 years UNA-Canada has worked in partnership with governments, educational institutions, the private sector, like-minded NGOs, community leaders and experts, and the Canadian public to carry out its mandate. In addition, UNA-Canada has networks (with social media support) of youth, subject matter experts and diaspora communities, through hosting Canada’s largest anti-racism and diversity program-ming for close to a decade. The Multimedia & Multiculturalism Initiative is one of the outcomes of this diversity programme.


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Mainstream broadcasting and print media have many roles in society. Media inform citizens of what is happening in their communities and in other parts of their country and the world. Media connect citizens to one another and their communities. Media reflect what issues and concerns are important to people. Media can also give identities to groups of people within a community and influence people’s attitudes towards these groups (Turner, 2003, p. 83).

In its 1991 Broadcasting Act, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) encouraged main-stream media to “reflect… [the] multicultural and multiracial nature of Canadian society and the special place of First Na-tions peoples within that society” (CRTC, 1991). Although Cana-da’s ethno-cultural minority and First Nations populations have been growing in numbers over the past few decades, the media coverage of these communities still continue to be biased, ste-reotypical, discriminatory or non-existent.

INTRODUCTION


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The concept of “race” has been constructed by society to categorize people based solely on their physical appearance and is problematic. When people are defined only by their physical appearance – something they have no control over – this often leads to stereotypes and discrimination. Wide-ly used terminology such as “visible minorities” or “white Canadians” do not accurately describe communities established through similar ethnicity and/or culture. For example, people from so-called “white” ethnicities include people from an Anglo-Sax-on background as well as Eastern Europeans, Ukrainians, Rus-sians and so forth. “Black Canadians” can include people from African countries and from the Caribbean. “Asian” can refer to people from one of over 45 countries in Asia, including India and China! In this tool kit, the term ethno-cultural groups or popula-tions is used to refer to communities of people when possible.

1. What types of media do I watch, read or listen to?

2. What type of stories do the media produce? What kind of stories do I look for? Do these match?

3. When I see, read or hear media stories involving diverse people, what kind of stories or topics are they about?

DEFINITIONS

QUESTIONS TO PONDER


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According to the 2006 Census, the number of self-identified ethno-cultural minorities made up 17% of Edmonton’s population and another 5% of Edmontonians identified themselves as a member of the First Nations community (Statistics Canada, 2007), representing nearly a quarter of Edmonton’s citizens. In addition, according to Alberta’s Immigration Progress Report, 8,000 ethno-cultural minorities immigrate to Edmonton each year (increasing Edmonton’s ethno-cultural minority population roughly at a rate of 1% of the city’s population each year) with no indication that the trend will decrease (Government of Alberta, 2011; Turchansky & Collison, 2012).

When media give fair representation of diverse populations in their content, they give these groups a sense of identity and belonging in their communities.

MULTICULTURALISM AND DIVERSITY IN EDMONTON


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1. What diverse populations exist in my community? 2. What kinds of media stories feature these communities? 3. Are some groups excluded from the media?4. How are diverse people represented in my local media?5. By what characteristics do we group people?6. What messages are conveyed by the media you watch, read

or listen to?7. How do media impact personal bias?8. What can we do on an individual level and on a community

level to combat the messages conveyed in media?

The following activities will help you understand how media can influence how we perceive others in our communities.

Media ScanThis activity highlights how the media depicts their communi-ties and the world through photos and stories. It addresses how we can inadvertently send/receive messages about different people in our communities through words and images.

Newspapers and MagazinesGather local newspapers and magazines, and look through the stories they tell. Next, cut out the images of people in them and arrange them into groups that make sense to you. What patterns do you begin to see as you scan the stories and photos? What do you notice about how some diverse populations are represented? Are some groups excluded?

QUESTIONS TO PONDER

ACTIVITIES TO NAVIGATE THE MEDIA


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RadioWhat kind of messages do you typically hear during the DJ’s talks? What messages are presented in the commercials? Are there messages about diversity and inclusion? Do these mes-sages change from station to station? Television and MoviesWhat kinds of relationships do you see between people of di-verse backgrounds on television programs, commercials and movies? Are there certain groups of people that you don’t see on television? Are there instances where people act out stereo-types? What are your initial reactions to stereotypical depic-tions of people?

EntertainmentHow do entertainment media report on diversity in movies, mu-sic, sports, etc.? Are there certain groups that are over-repre-sented or under-represented?

Social mediaWhen you think about popular images, videos and stories on social media, do they promote inclusion and diversity? How is humour used in terms of inclusion or discrimination?


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Adapted from the EdChange Project by Paul C. Gorskihttp://www.edchange.org/multicultural/activities/circlesofself.html

This activity highlights the multiple dimensions of our identities. It addresses the relationships between our desires to self-define our identities and the social constructions that label us regardless of how we define ourselves.

Place your name in the center circle of the structure below. Write an important aspect of your identity in each of the satellite circles – an identifier or descriptor that you feel is important in defining you. This can include anything (e.g., Indo-Canadian, female, father, athlete, educator, Jewish, scientist, or any descriptor with which you identify).

CIRCLES OF MY MULTICULTURAL SELF


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1. Think of a time you were especially proud to identify with one of the descriptors you used above.

2. Think of a time it was especially painful to be identified with one of your identifiers or descriptors.

3. Name a media-driven stereotype associated with one of the groups with which you identify that is not consistent with who you are. Fill in the following sentence:

I am (a/an) _________________________________, but I am NOT (a/an)_____________________.

(So if one of my identifiers was “Muslim,” and a stereotype propagated by media was that all Muslims are violent and/or terrorists, my sentence would be: I am a Muslim, but I am NOT a terrorist.)


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Blogging is a great way to express your opinions and share your stories and ideas about diversity with others.

Social media can raise awareness and support for issues that are important to you. It can also be used to connect with other people who are passionate about multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion.

MAKING CHANGE – WHAT CAN YOU DO TO COMBAT MEDIA BIAS?

There are many ways that you can make change in your community. Here are a few suggestions of what you can do.

START YOUR OWN BLOG.

USE SOCIAL MEDIA.


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Get involved with their youth panel and offer stories/ideas of how they can diversify their news content.

If your school doesn’t have a newspaper, talk to a teacher to get one started… or create one on your own.

Many organizations offer workshops to learn more about creating inclusive communities and need volunteers to work toward this goal.

You can create awareness and encourage others in your circle of influence to act by talking about diversity and inclusion issues.

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MEDIA.

GET ON BOARD WITH YOUR SCHOOL’S NEWSPAPER.

VOLUNTEER WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROMOTE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.

TALK TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY ABOUT MULTIMEDIA AND MULTICULTURALISM.

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BUILDING YOUR NETWORK AND WORKING WITH PARTNERS

One way to initiate change in your community is to build your network and create collaborative partnerships. The following are tips on how to increase your circle of influence:

• Talk to others and learn about their interests. You may have common interests, which lead to opportunities to work together.

• Offer to help people. You never know when they will offer help back!

• Although e-mail and social media are quick ways to connect with others, meet with people in person and have face-to-face conversations.

• Search for and attend local events that interest you, and you’ll meet other people with the same interests.

• Keep in touch with your contacts often. Don’t make contact only when you need their help.

• Always thank people for their support.


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CONCLUSION

Media is one of the most significant factors shaping our understanding of the world in which we live and our place within it. Through the diversity of its stories and fair representation of the people in its stories, mainstream media can help communities across Canada become more inclusive and accepting of multiculturalism. Regardless of their individual backgrounds, all Canadians share common interests regarding their families, communities and the nation. The media offer audiences “an opportunity to [encounter]… people with whom they have something in common that is not defined by their ethnicity” (Philips as cited in Putnam, 2007, p. 164), thereby increasing a sense of shared identity of all people in Canada.


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Racism Free Edmontonwww.racismfreeedmonton.ca

Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commissionwww.albertahumanrights.ab.ca

Canadian Human Rights Commissionwww.chrc-ccdp.ca

Department of Justice Canadawww.justice.gc.ca

EdChangewww.edchange.org

Racialiciouswww.racialicious.com

Global Issues: Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues that Affect Us Allwww.globalissues.org/article/165/racism

PBS Program “Race – The Power of an Illusion”www.pbs.org/race/000_General/000_00-Home.htm

RESOURCES


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REFERENCES

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commis-sion. (1991). Broadcasting Act (Section 3(1)(d)(iii)). Retrieved from http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/B-9.01/page-2.html

Government of Alberta. (2011). Alberta immigration progress report. Edmonton, AB: Government of Alberta.

Putnam, R. D. (2007). E pluribus unum: Diversity and com-munity in the Twenty-first Century. Scandinavian Political Studies, 30(2), 137-174.

Statistics Canada. (2007). Edmonton, Alberta (Code4811061) (table). 2006 Community Profiles. 2006 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 92-591-XWE. Ottawa. Released March 13, 2007. Retrieved from http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/index.cfm?Lang=E

Turchansky, R., & Collison, M. (2012, March 7). Immigrants will fuel growth until 2015. The Edmonton Journal. Retrieved from http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/Immigrants+will+fuel+growth+until+2015/6263012/story.html

Turner, G. (2003). British Cultural Studies (3rd ed.). New York: Routledge.


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