Succeeding From the Margins of Canadian Society: A Strategic Resource for New Immigrants, Refugees, and International Students. Francis Adu-Febiri

me. If some Whites did not want to associate or socialize with me because of my race or colour, that was their problem. I had no time for them in my life either, for I had better things to do. However, I was curious about Black history and Black culture and read extensively about the subject. I borrowed the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin from the public library and was astounded at the inhumane treatment of the slaves by their White masters who were plantation owners. I was determined to learn more about the subject, and so read every book and article that I could lay my hands on. I was fascinated with Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream”, the Civil Rights Movement, and his non-violent strategies to attain his dream. Although he did not live long enough to see his dream become a reality, he left a legacy that will remain in the echelons of Black history indefinitely. Malcolm X had a more aggressive strategy to achieve his goals, and met a martyr’s death. The writings of other Black civil rights activists captivated me, as a whole new world opened up before me. A book that particularly intrigued me was entitled Black Like Me which was the experience of a White man in the U.S. who dyed the skin of his entire body with jet-black ink, wore an Afro wig and went to live in the southern states posing as a Black male. He defiantly went into the “Whites Only” restaurants, hotels and other public places to see how the White population would treat him as a Black male. He met with the same negative treatment and discrimination as a Black, and after about six months to a year of his experiment, went back to his home, took off his disguise and wrote the aforesaid book. An incredible story of racial hatred and discrimination against Blacks!

      Some years ago a television series “Roots” was aired on NBC for several days and I did not miss a single one of the airings. The inhumane treatment of the slaves captured and brought from Africa on the slave-ships appalled me. Later when they arrived in the United States and were bought on the auction block by the plantation owners to work as slaves brought tears to my eyes. Kunta Kinte, the runaway slave’s escape to freedom was short-lived, as his White master who pursued and captured him cut off his foot so he could not run away again. Man’s inhumanity to man! The sexual harassment of the White plantation owners towards their Black female slaves and their illegitimate children (born out of wedlock) shocked and astounded me.

      About this time in my sojourns in Canada there was an influx of “visible minorities” from various parts of the world who arrived as immigrants, and the Multicultural Act was passed. Canada has accepted immigrants from various parts of the world and has treated them with respect and dignity. Racial discrimination was going out the window gradually as “visible minorities” were dating and intermarrying Whites. During this time I was asked to go out on dates by White men. One Swiss guy in particular, who saw me at a social event, took a fancy to me from the start. He came over and got acquainted, which resulted in a long steady relationship.

      It turned out that although he was White, he was only attracted to Black females, and all his previous girlfriends were Black females. I chuckled when he told me this. I took photos of myself and my Swiss boyfriend and sent them back home to my friends who were amazed that I had broken the ice and defied tradition.

      Recently I have taken a course in Women’s Studies and Gender Relations. I learned about the anger of women of colour directed towards White women and the system that put the latter in the center and the former in the margins of society. It can, however, be argued that there are a few prominent women of colour who, having faced the challenges of abuse, poverty and discrimination, have overcome these obstacles and risen to national recognition. For example, at the late Rosa Parks’ funeral, Oprah Winfrey gave the eulogy that was televised on national television. Her comments were that but for Rosa Parks’ refusal to stand in that bus and give her seat to a White person, she would not be standing there today on Capitol Hill, among Heads of States and other dignitaries. Rosa was willing to go to prison for a just cause.

      Another such prominent Black female is the present Governor General of Canada, Michaëlle Jean who immigrated to Canada with her parents as a young girl of eleven as poor, Black immigrants from Haiti. However, through hard work, perseverance, the right family and community support systems, she overcame those challenges, obtained a University education, worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) as a bilingual television-journalist, and eventually was appointed, and serves faithfully as the Governor General of Canada.

      Yet another Black female of national prominence is Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State in the Bush administration who also had to fight racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination. Her doctoral degree that she earned secured her a prominent position in politics, and recently it has been suggested that she run for President of the United States. One wonders whether the United States is ready for a Black Female President at this time in its history, however, that is left to be seen.

      Perhaps the role model of many a Black female, including myself, is Oprah Winfrey. Her autobiography reveals her many struggles ever since her birth as an illegitimate child, abandoned and abused in the Deep South, her survival and rise to fame, fortune and national recognition as a living symbol of hope and success. At the age of ten, she sat on her kitchen floor in the Deep South and watched Sidney Poitier on television receive an Oscar, and determined that if a Black Male could receive an Oscar, there was hope that some day she might too. Her dreams came true when she grew up and received innumerable Emmys and awards for her many roles in films and other contributions to society. As a Black woman in a business that is dominated by White males, she has made it to the top with remarkable determination and talent, and her assets as a billionaire makes her one of the richest and most popular Black females in the United States today. Amazing business acumen!

      While Audre Lorde and other Black Feminists focus on inequality and injustice towards Women of Colour, Winfrey emphasizes her consciousness about her legacy as a Black person more so than many Blacks. However, unlike a lot of Black people who are very angry and bitter, she won’t be angry and bitter. Oprah is proud of her Black heritage, a fact usually reflected in her films and television programs as well as in her many public appearances and speeches. Winfrey is world renowned, as she is read, heard, watched on television and admired around the world.

      Does a Black female have to despair and lose faith in herself because of the social injustices prevalent around her? Should she not be motivated and ambitious to strive for success to get ahead in life and fulfill her dreams and ambitions? The above Black women have proven to the world that the barriers of Racism, Sexism and Classism can be shattered and trodden over, and one can reach the pinnacles of success through diligence, determination, and family/community support. The sky is the limit for those who dare to follow their dreams, regardless of whether you are chocolate or vanilla.

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      The point is that there are always cracks in structural barriers of human society, and it takes the right and adequate resources to open them up for individual success. Many immigrants, refugees and international students enter Canada uninformed about the real barriers to their success in this country. The economic, political, social and cultural problems that these racial and cultural minorities encounter from Canadian institutions, organizations, communities and individuals overwhelm and break many of them. However, some of them break records in the face of the frustrations they encounter. What accounts for the success of the latter group of immigrants, refugees and international students in Canada? Using the secrets that facilitated the successes of these minorities as templates and also the observations on how the Canadian society and the education system operate, this book suggests strategic resources that would facilitate minority connections to Canadian mainstream institutions and organizations to win from the margins of society. Failure to connect strategically spells trapped socio-economic mobility and/or school dropout for minorities, and many minorities have fallen into this trap for lack of appropriate information and knowledge of the workings of Canadian society, relevant skills to confront these barriers as much as lack of adequate mentoring and support networks to help overcome the structural barriers.

      Some immigrants, refugees and international students have effectively avoided or transcended the exclusion and assimilation traps to achieve remarkable successes in Canada by strategic connections to Canadian mainstream society and education system. This provides a solid foundation for the stance of this book that new immigrants, refugees and international students do not have to settle