Empowering Connections: My Experience at the National Cultural Brokers Gathering in Winnipeg
By Amy Wang
If like me you enjoy travelling to meet multicultural people in one venue while learning, understanding diverse cultures and making connections, I recommend taking part in the Cultural Broker Gatherings. I want to share the exciting and amazing experience of the National Cultural Brokers Gathering in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Although the Gathering took place in August, the memories are still fresh in my mind.
I have worked in the settlement sector with the Immigrant Centre for 18 years, assisting new immigrants in successfully settling in Manitoba. However, my experience has been refreshed, and I have learned so much since I joined the Cultural Brokers Network of Canada team one and a half years ago. As a Cultural Broker, I see the importance and value of our role in bridging newcomers and various systems.
It was a different feeling and experience than other gatherings in other provinces. As I live in Winnipeg where the National Gathering was held, I was so excited to go to the airport with the CBNC crew to pick up our guests. I had the amazing opportunity to meet and greet everyone right off the plane. I also volunteered to pick up our curriculum colleagues from the hotel each morning, which gave me more time to connect with them and build strong relationships.
At the National Gathering, I listened to others’ speeches, presentations, opinions and the skills, and knowledge that they shared, even the silence activities were impressive and impacted me; moreover, I helped to build a teepee, learned about indigenous cultures, cultural dancing and instruments, and more. I felt like I was a fish swimming and flying in the ocean. It was my first time creating art with beautiful napkins. I never thought I could make art with them! The experience encouraged me to continue studying as there are many unknown areas that I have not touched.
Attending the gathering helped me make connections with people from different sectors and regions. I was delighted to guide colleagues and explore the city of Winnipeg with them, visiting places like the Leaf, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Folklorama's various pavilions, and trying local ice cream and local restaurants.
It was an incredible opportunity to bring Cultural Brokers together to share and learn about different knowledge and cultures. This collaboration helps newcomers, and the system build strong, trusting relationships in a respectful environment. Cultural Brokers need to motivate themselves because their roles are essential in our society. I wouldn’t have fully understood this if I hadn’t attended the Cultural Broker Gathering.
I hope we will have more opportunities to bring people to grow together.
