In recent years, people from all over the world come to Canada, including south Asians who leave their life behind and start a new one. Canada is a melting pot of all cultures including Bengali which is my background and is represented in this project. Diasporas start in Canada and integrate old lifestyles to new, resulting in better opportunities as well as preservation of self in culture. I selected this story because it is a reflection of my own life, when I came to Canada I had to adapt. I came at a young age, and everything was very frightening and new to me, I decided not to have my cultural self disappear but rather embrace it. My family and I now thrive and contribute to our new country due to our perseverance and all the opportunities provided to us.

I delve into the depths of my identity and heritage, guided by the words, 'I am a mosaic of everyone I've ever loved.' My artwork is a testament to the profound influence of my family and ancestors, whose love and legacy shape my existence...As I reflect on my artwork, I am reminded of the privilege of having such a supportive family and a life most of my family didn’t have before. It is a privilege that I hold dear and one that I do not take for granted. Through my art, I hope to convey to my grandparents and extended family members the depth of my appreciation for their love, guidance, and perseverance. They are the roots from which I draw strength, and their legacy lives on through me as I navigate life's journey with gratitude and strength.

I first moved to Canada at the age of six, in June 2014. I didn’t belong in Canada because I couldn’t speak the language or understand the culture. After that I wanted to become more Canadian, to fit in. So, I learned the language and everything there is to know about Canadian culture. And in doing so I forgot about my own culture and where I first came from. I now feel like a fraud when I tell people where I’m from, which is Libya. Like I don’t have the right to tell people that I’m Libyan or Arab. But then I realized that being Libyan is and will always be a part of myself. Even if I don’t speak Arabic well enough or don’t know much about Libyan culture and feel alienated from people who are also Libyan, I know that it’s always going to be a part of me and my life.

Within the very first phases of this project, we were provided with educational learning on different communities in Canada and experiences with racism to help us uncover our own stories and experiences and spark creative ideas within students. Early on in the planning stages, it was decided that each artist would have space to express their own individual ideas to contribute to a collective vision for the final piece. Each student has worked hard to put forth their best ideas, all the way from brainstorming their initial concepts, to drawing, painting, printing, and sculpting each element of our conjoined 3-layer piece. The overarching concept of our collective piece is that although each person has a different story/ experience to share, each of our lives share common threads that connect all of us as people. It is through these connections that we continue to learn and strive towards a better, more inclusive future.

As a black student attending MDHS, I represent a small group of students at my school. Seeing students that look like me participate in art initiatives such as this is extremely uncommon but exciting. I definitely believe that there is under representation of black student art in schools. So, as I took this opportunity, I wanted  to represent my small population of students who are just like me...To me, an artist is a storyteller, communicating through their artwork. Knowingly, which was my goal with my pieces, to speak to the black experience and expose others to the vibrancy and beauty of black art. I strongly believe that projects like this would continue to provide great learning, self-exploration for students of all backgrounds, and I hope that I, as a representative for my community, can encourage others like myself to explore the world of art.

This project spoke to me specifically in the theme bringing voices to the table. This project forces me and my classmates to think through the issues we face as minorities; and the opportunity to know ourselves at a greater extent…At the end of the project, when I view my sculpture, next to those of my classmates, I realize I am not alone in the issues I face, there is always someone who understands and advocates for the issues I stand for…

…this occasion has provided myself and many others the golden opportunity to consider what it means to truly have excellence. It also shows how we, as students, can shed light on stories unheard by means of our creativity and student voices...I sincerely hope that as you view the art works today, you get a true sense of the amazing diversity that makes up the fabric of Canadian society and the world at large. Maybe this generation can take the first steps, and all of you today, can be the jumping off point...

…it is indeed a profound honor to stand before you tonight on this remarkable stage, discussing the incredible impact of ALPHA Education and its efforts in fostering positive and equitable changes within our community. Each one of us present here is part of a collective endeavor aimed at confronting racism and dismantling its barriers, bringing it out of the shadows and into the light…I am reminded of James Baldwin's powerful words: Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.

…provided an exciting opportunity for 30 visual arts, music, drama students to co-create a record containing stories and expressions of our students’ lived experiences and their journey to create a new life in Canada…To me the record represents hope and how a community comes together to create a better future. We hope and believe together, not on our own; we are stronger as one...

The Voices Unheard: A Seat at the Table project allowed student voices to be celebrated and amplified. Not only has it paved avenues for their voices to travel to those who identify with them and their experiences, but also provided a wonderful platform for all to continue to learn and empathize with other communities.

This grounding experience have equipped me and my students with tools to build awareness, education, and continue our journey in anti-racism work.

The learning about how racialized and marginalized peoples have contributed to Canada especially from the perspective of communities that often do not get a voice was powerful. 

By integrating the anti-oppressive learning with artistic expressions students created identify affirming and socially conscientious beautiful works of art that allows them a 'Seat at the Table'.

This project not only helped students speak their true experiences in Canada, but it helped them find pride in who they are and what their families/ancestors have accomplished. That pride was extended with the show at the Aga Khan museum and having family and friends see their works on display. Every art teacher hopes to help students find their voice and to share their stories, but they are not always successful. This experience did just that, and I feel that my students have come out with bigger hearts, wider minds and finer artistic skills.

The Shadows of Racism project gave our students the opportunity to creatively share their lived experiences through art. It takes great strength and courage to do this. Being able to showcase their artwork to the public, validated to our students that their voices matter, that their stories matter, and that they matter.  What greater impact can you ask for than this?

As the project evolved many of them found that they only needed to look into their own family history. As a result of the project they were able to understand more about their original culture and create deeper connections with their parents and grandparents. A truly satisfying result.

Working in collaboration with The Shadows of Racism, Unheard voices program, allowed students to highlight how anti- Black racism continues to persist within systems, as well as share their insights on how we, as a collective, can work to dismantle it...

An African Canadian History course, like the one I teach, thrives because of programs like this because it centers students' voices and helps mold them into agents of change that our world so desperately needs.

This project, however, has been especially impactful for my students. While it has created more cultural awareness and appreciation, more importantly, it has allowed them to feel like they are an essential part of their community.

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Representation in art is not just about seeing oneself in a painting. It is about validation and recognition. When my students make art about people from their own communities…when they look around this show and see themselves in the art of others, it sends a powerful message; you matter, your story matters, and you are not invisible.  Representation empowers them to dream bigger, strive harder, and believe in their potential.

This project took place throughout the duration of a semester and our students had the privilege of hosting Mr. Small for a six-week residency at our school. Mr. Small is well known in the GTA and across the nation for his portraits of prominent Black figures and is the creator of The Legacy Collexion. With his experience as a professional artist and driving themes behind his artwork, Mr. Small knew exactly how to connect, mentor and guide our students through their creative process and production of their artwork while engaging them to speak about their personal history and individual experiences in Canada.

Students explored roles of dominant and counter-narratives in their lives, to better understand their positionality. Through artistic expression, my students produced their final portrait pieces, illustrating how they perceive themselves but also how the world perceives them.

It has been so amazing to witness the growth and contributions my students have made in a short time frame. I feel an immense amount of pride in seeing my students be part of such a significant event. They have embraced the class and the art workshops wholeheartedly and as an educator, it gives me hope that the world is changing for the better.

Through the medium of art, our students embarked on a profound journey to critically examine their own intersectional identities in the context of Indigenous texts. We firmly believe that fostering an understanding of each student's unique positionality and their interconnectedness with one another and their educational journey is paramount not only within this course but also to all future courses.

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Mark Stoddard, with his unwavering emphasis on self-esteem building and student development, left an indelible mark on our classroom. The workshops exemplified the importance of how learning can come from outside of the school building.

Students shared personal stories and listened attentively to each other as sharing permeated the room. Students engaged in the creative process through various iterations of their original ideas until they landed on the most impactful way of expressing them. The genuine collaboration among the students gave way to peer inspiration along their individual journeys.

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The culmination of all the students creativity and hard work was showcased at a celebration gala at the Aga Khan Museum, where the artworks were received with heartfelt appreciation and praise. The students that were present for the celebration could be seen explaining their works to others, taking in the other artworks, engaging other student artists and supporters in conversation about their art, and most importantly showing physical signs of appreciation and happiness...In these moments, students saw themselves as artists who were being featured and honored; setting the stage for them to have a future as artists, to be challenged as critical thinkers, and enabling them to engage with society in a positive and constructive way.