Games, drama help teach students to fight racism
Outside the Core Ritchie Neighbourhood Centre on Friday was a truck with a Confederate flag adorning the licence plate.
Inside, more than 50 teenagers from six high schools were learning about racism.
“Students, through games and drama activities, are able to explore what racism and discrimination looks like in their own lives and in their communities, and ways to make it better,” said Rhonda Rosenberg, executive director of Multicultral Council of Saskatchewan, which organized the event.
Students from Regina and areas around the city came to participate. One activity was meant to build trust, while another taught students about communicating with different cultures.
“They’re at a point in their development where they are aware of themselves and also others,” said Rosenberg. “It’s really important to cultivate that with teenagers.”
Students are expected to take what they learned at Friday’s session back to their communities.
“They are capable of leadership today, especially with peers, as well as in the future,” Rosenberg said.
One of the students was Joseph Haleli, a Grade 12 student from Moose Jaw.
“We have to know that we are one people, and we have to think we are one people, one nation,” he said. “You don’t have to make people sad because of how people look.
“I’m hoping to get more information on how to stop racism and when I go back I have to tell my friends, even other people that I can meet.”
Manon Goulet is a Grade 11 student at Thom Collegiate.
She said she was at the event to prevent bullying and racism from happening at her school.
“There’s been a couple times at Thom where there have been random cases of people discriminating against each other,” she said.
That prompted her and other students to step in and try and do something about it.
“It sucked, but what can you do, right?” she said. “We speak to both individuals separately and see if we can solve the problem.”
Now, she’ll have a better knowledge base to draw upon in situations like that.
“It’s kind of just the right thing to do,” she said. “We are the future generations so it’s really important for us to stop discrimination in the future, so it’s a better world.”
Margo Campbell is a teacher at Thom and has attended the conference for about five years.
“I’m very interested in having my students becoming leaders in their community and school,” she said. “It’s onerous for students, especially because they have to face their peers.”
Students who attended will help take part in events at their school on March 21, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
On that day, students will participate in a flash mob and, by all accounts, flood social media with the hashtag #marchoutracism.