Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/198486
Azza Rojbi moved to Vancouver from Tunisia in 2010. She In late 2012, Routes to Roots formed a committee of five queer and her parents and two brothers left behind friends, careers and their immigrant youth. QMUNITY also sought a part-time project co-orextended family in search of a better life. Rojbi, in particular, had her dinator to lead the program – someone who possessed passion and own dreams of a new beginning and a new way of life – dreams she commitment to the cause. Azza Rojbi was the right person for the job. had not even shared with her own family. Rojbi is a lesbian. In Tunisia, Over the course of the year-long program, Rojbi and the Routes she was forced to live in the closet, or face harsh punishment. to Roots group connected youth of all backgrounds, from Southeast "People in Tunisia are super homophobic," she explains. "You'll Asia, Africa, the Middle East, South America and China. They hosted see progress at all kinds of levels, but being queer* social events and provided a forum to share stories is super taboo. You can get jailed for up to three or and experiences. four years if they find you kissing nother woman a Routes to Roots created training programs for or man. So everything is underground." organizations on how to better understand the new Canadians Vancouver offered the promise of a new way of queer immigrant youth. can now be intro- specific needs of had robust education and enlife. Twenty-year-old Rojbi wanted to make new QMUNITY already friends, connect with a community, and explore duced to a city that gagement programs where businesses, corporawhat it is to be an openly proud, queer youth living sector could better offers tolerance and tions and the public and serve the LGBTQ for the first time without fear. understand, work with She found numerous programs that offered opportunity, root- community. Routes to Roots added another layer, training, education and networking resources for ed in a community introducing organizations to the unique needs of newcomer youth. But she couldn't find anything queer workers who aren't from Canada. for the "double minority" of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, The most tangible and far-reaching outcome of that is truly diverse, bisexual, transgendered, questioning) immigrant Routes to Roots was the creation of a comprehenand a safe space youth of colour. sive, 26-page online resource guide for queer imHer search led her to QMUNITY, British migrant youth on how they can live, work and to finally be who Columbia's queer resource centre. QMUNITY thrive in Vancouver. The guide directs youth to rethey are. works to build a more inclusive future for the sources ranging from settlement services and lanLGBTQ community free from discrimination. The guage training, to sexual health and LGBTQ events, (bottom far left inset) centre offers education and training, advocacy to employment and community resources. QMUNITY executive director work and community programming. Through all the planning, the events and the Dara Parker and Azza Rojbi Rojbi was particularly excited about the connections made over the year, one moment discuss the year-long Routes prospect of attending youth drop-in sessions stands out for Rojbi. "One of my highlights was a to Roots project. offering a casual, inclusive environment for any Muslim family coming to one of our events to supqueer youth under 25. port their daughter." She smiles as she recounts how she felt at the On her first visit, looking around the crowded, multipurpose event. "The whole goal of the event was to bring families and comroom at QMUNITY, she felt nervous and out of place. Most of the munities together. I was super excited at the first event to show supyouth were Canadian-born – laughing and speaking English quickly port for all the people that came." Being from a Muslim family and sticking with people they knew. The unfamiliar language and herself, she saw that as a strong, symbolic gesture of the progress and culture was overwhelming and Rojbi stopped attending the drop-in acceptance that envelopes her life in Vancouver. sessions. She wasn't the only one. More work still needs to be done, but in one year Routes to Roots The high dropout rate among queer immigrant youth wasn't lost created resources, strengthened partnerships and built an inclusive on QMUNITY's youth workers, and they set out to uncover why. community for young, new Canadians. The leadership, courage and "We were responding to a need identified by the youth as this is an passion of Rojbi and a dedicated group of youth created a voice that, incredibly diverse community where some voices are more dominant until now, had not been heard. Young, queer, new Canadians can than others," says QMUNITY executive director Dara Parker. "We now be introduced to a city that offers tolerance and opportunity, want to ensure all voices are included." rooted in a community that is truly diverse, and a safe space to finally QMUNITY's research indicated that this group wanted a more be who they are. VF inclusive, safe space for people like themselves. They wanted accep- *The word "queer" used to be a derogatory term for a homosexual male. tance and understanding from their community. They wanted a The LGBTQ community has successfully reclaimed the term, and it has voice, one that also connected back to their roots. This was the foun- become a positive reference to any member of that community. dation for the Routes to Roots program. In the fall of 2012, Vancouver Foundation's Youth Philanthropy Council stepped up to the plate, providing $10,000 for QMUNITY To support programs like QMUNITY's Routes to Roots, or other projects funded by Vancouver Foundation's Youth Philanthropy to establish Routes to Roots, a youth-led project for LGBTQ newCouncil, visit vancouverfoundation.ca/give comers of colour dedicated to creating more inclusive spaces for the celebration of diverse identities. Young, queer, p28-29 Routes to Roots.indd 29 Fall 2013 I Vancouver Foundation l page 29 13-10-11 1:38 PM