Think. Act. Grow. ( TAGTAlk) in association with Somali Tenant Association and Reghaay Community Services held a provincial conference of its first kind titled Narrative Change: New Perspectives on Somali-Canadian, social and Economic Participation. This new initiative focuses on highlighting the positive contributions of the Somali community in North America.
Hundreds gathered June 6th 2015, in Toronto’s Plaza Hotel in North Etobicoke to participate in what transpired to be a very energetic evening were the participants came from as far as Atlanta, Minnesota, Ohio and Alberta.
The Narrative Change conference was to promote new dialogue and solicit presentation that tell the stories, shift perspectives on old ones, include participants who are not commonly at the table, and develop transformation and emerging possibilities.
This narrative change is very important because, in Canada, Somalis continue to be part of a society and media that, by default, favors mainstream narrative and voices over those of immigrant communities. As “Narrative Change” is therefore, about creating conditions for us to surface, share and hear those voices from our community that traditionally ( systematically) are unheard.
The conference brought together leading Somali Canadian Academia, Business, Research Scholars, working professionals, grass root organizations and students from Universities in Canada and the United States to exchange and share ideas to decontextualize the current painted Somali-Canadians narrative and explore the achievement and contribution of Somali Canadian in education, social and economic participation in Canada.
Hassan Aden, who is one of the organizers of the conference said that “We want to continue these kind of gathering every year. So that Somali community in north America will have a plat form to show case their positive narrative”,
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