Introducing one of our Social Innovation Seed Fund recipients, GenAi. Through our change-maker grant, GenAi has shown how an idea can become reality and create positive social transformation beyond SFU, contributing to long-term community sustainability.

Cross-Culture Dialogue

GenAi’s first Cross-Culture Dialogue event illuminated the power of community-building, reflection, and dialogue.

At this dialogue event, a small group of young people came together to discuss, explore, and understand different cultural values, various family dynamics, and the pressures of the “model minority” stereotype. Some of the questions we explored included:

What does wellbeing mean to you?
How does your relationship with your family’s culture affect your wellbeing?
How would you envision a conversation around mental wellbeing between you and your family?

Each question sparked an internal reflection that helped individuals gain a better understanding of their own experiences of wellbeing. Conversations ranged immensely, touching upon issues like resiliency, shame, guilt, making peace/understanding, and unlearning.

Community Building & Creating Spaces of Trust

Some of the key learnings from this dialogue event is that within spaces built for people of colour, there is an immense capability for growth and understanding. The nuances of mental health, family, and culture can be difficult to conceptualize as a person of colour.
Conversations on this issue can be triggering and painful, drawing upon very personal experiences. However, through community building and creating spaces of trust for young people of colour, individuals can develop awareness, empowerment, and safety.

About GenAi

GenAi is a project that hopes to enable people of colour, their families, and associated community members to gather together and engage in conversations about mental health and well-being. This is a project that is particularly interested in sparking conversation and exploring the intersection of culture, and family that has shaped the struggles, stressors, and lived experiences of mental well-being.

GenAi will continue exploring this issue in the upcoming months so look out for them on social media!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenAivancouver
Website: www.genai.ca