Student reflections on Asian Heritage Month
Every May, Canadians are invited to reflect and learn about the contributions of Canadians of Asian descent. The Honourable Vivienne Poy, the first Chinese-Canadian senator, introduced a motion in the Senate to create Asian Heritage Month, which was adopted in December 2001.
The federal government made the designation official in 2002. Today, it is an opportunity to speak about important topics affecting people of Asian descent.
This year, the Senate’s youth outreach program, SENgage, connected over 3,000 students with senators of Asian descent. The Vancouver School Board virtually hosted Senator Mobina Jaffer and the Peel District School Board hosted senators Salma Ataullahjan and Hassan Yussuff.
Here’s what students, teachers and senators had to say.
Vancouver School Board
“Thank you, Senator Jaffer, for sharing your stories with us. It was amazing to see all of us come together and share and teach and learn about an incredibly important topic. It is so important for us to hear your experiences and learn about how we can support people of Asian descent. Your stories have really inspired me to be proud of who I am, and I think it is important for people to hear about your experiences, so hopefully they can be inspired too.”
– Grade 7 student
“Just reflecting on today’s event and I wanted to thank you so much. It was awesome! My class was super engaged and we had a great discussion afterwards. I’m still thinking about some of the stuff Senator Jaffer shared. She’s amazing!”
– Grade 6/7 teacher
“Whatever dream you have, please don’t give up on your dreams and really stick to it. That’s what Senator Poy did from the minute she came to the Senate. It was her dream to get Asian Heritage Month and I can’t begin to tell you how much she had to struggle for that. But she did achieve it.
Ajaswi, Michelle, Rodina and Imaan from Peel District School Board’s Student Equity Committee hosted a virtual panel with senators Salma Ataullahjan and Hassan Yussuff.
Grade 6 and 7 students from the Vancouver School Board listen to Senator Mobina Jaffer speak about the importance of Asian Heritage Month. Students and staff then took part in a question-and-answer period. (Photo credit: Vancouver School Board)
Helen McGregor, Janet Fraser and Christopher Wong from the Vancouver School Board welcome Senator Jaffer to an Asian Heritage Month event.
I reach out to each and every one of you and I say to you, be proud of who you are. Because if you are proud of who you are, nobody can touch you.”
– Senator Mobina Jaffer
Peel District School Board
“Something that stayed with me was when a student mentioned they realized that there was a place in Canada for them when they met the senators. That is something I can relate to. This demonstrates that, despite Canada’s diversity, some of us may still not feel accepted or have a sense of belonging. However, when we see another person of the same culture or religion, we begin to feel accepted and like we belong because we share common lived experiences.”
– Grade 7 Student
“A lot of the conversation today has resonated with me — especially as a Pakistani and Muslim student at Peel. It reminded me of my father. I was talking to him about being here today, he was a journalist in Pakistan. When I mentioned to him that Senator Ataullahjan was going to be part of the panel, he told me that he once met her. He told me about her father, who was also a senator in Pakistan. Our communities are deeply connected, and it is important to be represented by people who look like us and who have similar experiences. Our ethnicity stays with us for the rest of our lives. You don’t see us without seeing that we are of Asian descent. What Senator Yussuff said is so true: we are all only human behind our titles.”
– Grade 9 student
“As our future leaders, you hold the power to shape a more diverse and inclusive society. Simply realizing that our differences as individuals are a strength as a community, we can go a long way. Our differences — such as our looks, what we eat or how we speak — do not change the fact that ultimately, we share similar aspirations.”
– Senator Salma Ataullahjan
“If you want to take on diversity and challenge racism, you have to do it everywhere and in every aspect of society. Throughout my career I’ve learned that you must talk openly about diversity and inclusion because if you don’t, you are only acknowledging that racism exists. Sometimes, you must challenge people’s attitudes and thinking.”
– Senator Hassan Yussuff
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Student reflections on Asian Heritage Month
Every May, Canadians are invited to reflect and learn about the contributions of Canadians of Asian descent. The Honourable Vivienne Poy, the first Chinese-Canadian senator, introduced a motion in the Senate to create Asian Heritage Month, which was adopted in December 2001.
The federal government made the designation official in 2002. Today, it is an opportunity to speak about important topics affecting people of Asian descent.
This year, the Senate’s youth outreach program, SENgage, connected over 3,000 students with senators of Asian descent. The Vancouver School Board virtually hosted Senator Mobina Jaffer and the Peel District School Board hosted senators Salma Ataullahjan and Hassan Yussuff.
Here’s what students, teachers and senators had to say.
Vancouver School Board
“Thank you, Senator Jaffer, for sharing your stories with us. It was amazing to see all of us come together and share and teach and learn about an incredibly important topic. It is so important for us to hear your experiences and learn about how we can support people of Asian descent. Your stories have really inspired me to be proud of who I am, and I think it is important for people to hear about your experiences, so hopefully they can be inspired too.”
– Grade 7 student
“Just reflecting on today’s event and I wanted to thank you so much. It was awesome! My class was super engaged and we had a great discussion afterwards. I’m still thinking about some of the stuff Senator Jaffer shared. She’s amazing!”
– Grade 6/7 teacher
“Whatever dream you have, please don’t give up on your dreams and really stick to it. That’s what Senator Poy did from the minute she came to the Senate. It was her dream to get Asian Heritage Month and I can’t begin to tell you how much she had to struggle for that. But she did achieve it.
Ajaswi, Michelle, Rodina and Imaan from Peel District School Board’s Student Equity Committee hosted a virtual panel with senators Salma Ataullahjan and Hassan Yussuff.
Grade 6 and 7 students from the Vancouver School Board listen to Senator Mobina Jaffer speak about the importance of Asian Heritage Month. Students and staff then took part in a question-and-answer period. (Photo credit: Vancouver School Board)
Helen McGregor, Janet Fraser and Christopher Wong from the Vancouver School Board welcome Senator Jaffer to an Asian Heritage Month event.
I reach out to each and every one of you and I say to you, be proud of who you are. Because if you are proud of who you are, nobody can touch you.”
– Senator Mobina Jaffer
Peel District School Board
“Something that stayed with me was when a student mentioned they realized that there was a place in Canada for them when they met the senators. That is something I can relate to. This demonstrates that, despite Canada’s diversity, some of us may still not feel accepted or have a sense of belonging. However, when we see another person of the same culture or religion, we begin to feel accepted and like we belong because we share common lived experiences.”
– Grade 7 Student
“A lot of the conversation today has resonated with me — especially as a Pakistani and Muslim student at Peel. It reminded me of my father. I was talking to him about being here today, he was a journalist in Pakistan. When I mentioned to him that Senator Ataullahjan was going to be part of the panel, he told me that he once met her. He told me about her father, who was also a senator in Pakistan. Our communities are deeply connected, and it is important to be represented by people who look like us and who have similar experiences. Our ethnicity stays with us for the rest of our lives. You don’t see us without seeing that we are of Asian descent. What Senator Yussuff said is so true: we are all only human behind our titles.”
– Grade 9 student
“As our future leaders, you hold the power to shape a more diverse and inclusive society. Simply realizing that our differences as individuals are a strength as a community, we can go a long way. Our differences — such as our looks, what we eat or how we speak — do not change the fact that ultimately, we share similar aspirations.”
– Senator Salma Ataullahjan
“If you want to take on diversity and challenge racism, you have to do it everywhere and in every aspect of society. Throughout my career I’ve learned that you must talk openly about diversity and inclusion because if you don’t, you are only acknowledging that racism exists. Sometimes, you must challenge people’s attitudes and thinking.”
– Senator Hassan Yussuff