Schema Magazine

Photos by Rosalynn Chung-Habacon

I spoke at at UBC Robson Square, as part of a presentation by Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research (SIETAR) of British Columbia (co-presented by Schema Magazine). It's rare that I get to speak in my own back yard, and at an event open to the public. I gave the most up-to-date version of my talk.

Synopsis
Multiculturalism 2.0: More than Ethnic

The make up and character of Canadian cities is rapidly evolving, pushing organisations to make sense of our "post-ethnic" Canadian reality. As many organisations race to make diversity a priority, they also struggle with decade-old language and concepts about multiculturalism, diversity and cultural identity. Like keeping your computer's software current, new tools are needed to fully grasp Multiculturalism 2.0. This presentation is a required update for those wanting to make diversity in their organisations more meaningful and relevant.

This groundbreaking session explores the notion that the ethno-cultural mosaic is obsolete. It will describe the trends—beyond demographics—that have contributed to what is being called "The New Canada." It will also describe the emergence of "cultural navigators," a generation of Canadians who are able to move through an increasingly complex network of cultural spaces, manage fluid social identities and easily move between the margins and Canada's mainstream. It also looks at the "new features" of Diversity 2.0, including an updated conceptual device called a "schema" for visualizing today's complex social and cultural identity.