Childhood Stressor: Racism
Upon reflection of this week’s blog assignment, I realized that my immediate family has been extremely fortunate in that we have not experienced childhood stressors that affected our lives in an overwhelmingly negative way. I took time to reflect on those people around me and had to go back to my childhood to remember an individual with whom I personally knew that was affected by a major stressor; racism.
As a child, my extended family was a good example of reaching and caring for those around them. When I was still a toddler, my aunt and uncle fostered a young First Nations baby as health problems at birth prevented her from being with her mother on her family’s reserve. This young girl grew up with the rest of the family and although her legal name was different, she was and always will be considered a full family member. With the exception of a few visits when she was still a baby, contact between her and her biological mother diminished and her foster family, although unable to legally adopt her, raised her as their daughter.
As a child, I have no recollection of seeing my cousin in a different light from the rest of us other than that she wore hearing aids and we had to speak a little louder and ensure we had her attention when we spoke with her. I was shocked and unable to grasp the thought that she experienced racist comments and slurs constantly from the children at school. Her support system consisted of her family and the advice that comes with being part of a family. However, it proved to not be enough and when she turned sixteen, she asked her mom to help her find her biological mother. Her biological mother was tracked down and my cousin was then at a stage waiting for her mother to agree to meet her. It took some time. I cannot imagine the experience of constant mistreatment from peers and the struggle to find a positive self-identity when her connect to her biological mother was being held from her. Finally, full of nervous excitement, she was able to meet her mother and family. What followed not long after was her desire to be with them for it was here she believed that she could find a sense of belonging.
My cousin was met with more challenges as her peers on the reserve now discriminated against her for being raised in a white household. More intimidations and harassments resulted in her leaving the reserve, still searching for a place that would fully accept her for who she was.
In time, she connected with her biological family and community and has learned much about her people and culture through her experiences with them. She identifies with many of their beliefs and teachings and people must be patient giving her the time she needs before placing her trust in you. She currently does not live on the reserve but chooses to live in a large city where she can work, go to school, and raise her family. She is at a stage in her life where she feels blessed to have two moms with two families with whom she stays in contact.
Canadian history regarding the treatment and disregard for our First Nations people has been extremely negative and abusive affecting many young First Nations children and families in the process. Efforts to establish positive rapport, understandings, and appreciation are ongoing throughout the country. As an Alberta teacher, I am honored to bring this appreciation to all students through Alberta Education’s First Nations, Metis, and Inuit (FNMI) Education. The school where I currently work conscientiously brings attention and celebration to FNMI history and traditions through regular totem assemblies. Since beginning these assemblies, more and more of our students are proudly expressing their connections to our Indigenous People. Recently when my kindergarten students were learning a round dance to perform during an upcoming totem assembly, one of the students looked at one of our First Nations students and with big smiles said, “Hey, that’s you!” My First Nations student couldn’t have stood any taller if he tried.
Information regarding Alberta Education’s vision and support for FMNI education can be found at http://education.alberta.ca/admin/fnmi.aspx