Confronting Change

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March 25, 2005 | Burlington Free-Press | Burlington, VT

When Zanana L. Akande was a child growing up in downtown Toronto in the 1940s, she says there were so few African-Canadians that they all knew each other or at least knew of each other.

Akande comes to Vermont on Monday as part of the 2005 Diversity Conference to discuss her experiences and insights into changing communities.

The Toronto of Akande's childhood has evolved to become one of the most multicultural cities in the world. With a population of almost 2.5 million people, the city of Toronto says that 43 percent of the residents report themselves as part of a visible minority.

Akande, a former minister of community and social services in the Ontario government and a lecturer at the University of Toronto, has watched and witnessed the changes, and recognizes the challenges and benefits of a diverse population. Her speech will be followed by a free lecture Tuesday by South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He will speak on race relations and world peace.

The perspectives of Tutu and Akande will be welcome in Vermont, which has been gradually experiencing a demographic shift. In the state's population, the percentage of whites is now in the "lower 90s," rather than the upper 90s, where it had been for many years, according to United Way of Chittenden County.

United Way and the Greater Burlington Multicultural Resource Center, which teamed up with the city of Burlington and other organizations for this annual conference, have done good work to educate, support and celebrate cultural diversity. United Way's Study Circles on Racism two years ago were a high-profile way to raise awareness about racism and harassment. More than 250 people committed to the study circles and showed a sincere willingness to open their minds and hearts to people of different cultures.

The Diversity Conference, which will bring together community members, service providers, legal and health care experts, is designed to continue that important discussion, to air sensitive issues and concerns and to increase appreciation of the richness of a diverse community.

The real test for a community comes when the numbers grow, Akande says. People might be accepting of two or three people of color but they often become fearful of a larger population. The best approach is to reach out early and establish a comfort level before numbers grow. As Akande says, "You find out that these are people like everyone else."

Learn more: Racial Equity