At school, my daughter mainly plays with four kids: an Asian boy, a White girl, and a Bi-Racial (Black and White) girl. I strongly believe in the importance of expanding your knowledge of other cultures and further believe that this is best done through direct interaction.
Toronto just may be one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world. It’s a melting pot of ethnicities and that is one of the reasons I chose to raise my family here. I’ve experienced the two extremes: an environment of mostly White and later mostly Black. Both caused me to suffer in the development of good self-esteem and well functioning social skills.
Its important to know about one’s heritage; especially when it is so widely ignored by the rest of the world, but it is equally important to remain open minded about other cultures and experiences.
This goes further than just encouraging a multi-cultural friend list. Let’s face it, you live where you live and sometimes you don’t have a choice. But there are some things you can control. My words and actions determine how she will view others and their contribution to society. I never speak in a condescending nature about another culture because I also believe that just because I’m Black doesn’t mean I can’t sound racist or prejudice.
I don’t want my daughter to grow ignorant of herself or others. While I teach her to be accepting of herself I also want her to be respectful of others.
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