by Emmerie Parsons
I have always said, I have never met a stranger. I can go to the store and meet the cashier and still feel like I have known them for years, or meet a new coworker and feel as though this may be someone I just haven’t seen in a while. Despite the fact that they know absolutely nothing about me, and I know nothing about them – I feel connected. Because aside from the reality that myself and this person whom I have just met have many differences, there are so many experiences we share with just being human.
We could have lived two exceptionally different lives and yet we both can come up with an extensive list of things we connect on. Perhaps the overwhelming feeling of stress and not knowing what to do with it, or the dark cloud that follows us when ruminating about an unfortunate situation, or the disappointment of not getting something we yearned for so deeply, or feeling insecure about ourselves and the anger of knowing we may not be able to change anything about it.
We are all interconnected. And that is something to cherish and hold on to, it makes us feel like we aren’t lonely. In celebration of Black History Month, let’s talk about differences.
Unfortunately, we still live in a world where the color of our skin often determines how we are perceived, whether that is walking down the street, making friendships, connecting with your community, or navigating the job market. It’s a harsh reality for many Black people in Nova Scotia, which is where I was born and raised. My father is from Lucasville, a Black Nova Scotia settlement, established in 1827 by James Lucas and Moses Oliver. The founders of this historical settlement were Black refugees escaping the United States after the war of 1812.
You can imagine the hardships these strong men and women would have endured during their time here in the Maritimes. And the amount of resiliency needed to keep going despite the unfortunate reality of what it meant to be Black in the 1800’s. Because despite Maritimers being known for our hospitality, our kindness and good laughs, there was and still is – a deep rooted problem of discrimination and racism within this province.
Oftentimes when this issue is brought forward, many people think it has to be in plain sight, right in your face, shared for everyone to see. But that’s the problem. Although discriminatory practices can be extremely obvious, there is something quite unnerving about racism that hides in the shadows. Because you see, quiet racism hurts just as badly as the outward disgust; the racial slurs being yelled, getting followed around shopping malls, or the physical attacks leaving not only visual bruises and marks but an internal scar that lasts a lifetime. It’s the feeling of being different, different in a way that isn’t celebrated or acknowledged as a human being who is just as deserving of respect, dignity and belonging.
We see this problematic behaviour in current hiring practices and workplaces, where differences are seen as weaknesses, and judgements are made based on personal biases. At reachAbility, we address those concerns with unethical hiring procedures head on. Equitable hiring involves hiring the right person for the job, and uplifting and celebrating the differences that come with diverse racial backgrounds, age, abilities, religion, the list goes on.
When hiring practices involve branching out and including those who have experienced life in diverse ways, differences won’t be viewed as a bad thing, rather something that can be seen as a tool. A tool that generates creativity and curiosity, uplifting voices that have been silenced for far too long. What truly matters is creating a workplace that collaborates in a way that prioritizes various skills, strengths and perspectives.
That’s why Black History Month matters, not just to cast back on history, but to bring awareness to the challenges that existed and still exist to this day. And with that reflection, we choose to challenge barriers to participation and build a more inclusive future.
