Asian Tribune 9 October 2020

Issue 265 (4) Asian Tribune 9 October, 2020
Asian
Star
Native Village/Country parent’s
background
I was born in Toronto, ON in Canada. My
parents are both originally from India. My
mother is from Punjab and my father is from
New Delhi.
Your Early Education
I attended elementary and high school in
Pickering, ON which is a suburb just each of
Toronto. I attended the University of Toronto
and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce
degree.
When & Why You came to Canada
I’m Canadian-born and raised!
Your career advancement initiatives,
volunteer work and present occupation
I currently work for BlackRock Asset
Management and am the Chair of the
Canadian chapter of our internal Women’s
Initiative Network (“WIN”). The mission of
WIN is to help progress the careers of our
female workforce by offering them
opportunities to develop their skills to fulfill
their potential. I am a firm believer in
corporate citizenship and giving back to my
community. I also sit on the executive
committee of 100 Women in Finance
(Toronto Chapter) and am a board member
for the Canadian chapter of Women in ETFs.
I also sit on the board for Emajjin Children’s
Foundation and Strides Toronto Foundation.
Your Regret in Life
Having been born, studied and lived my
entire life in Toronto, I wish I had taken the
opportunity to live and work in a different
country when I was younger.
Pick Any One of Your Best Achievements
I am extremely proud of my recent inclusion
on the HERoes Role Model Lists for 2020.
Although I don’t do anything for recognition,
this helped to validate that my efforts are
having an impact on the important topic of
gender inclusion.
Were You Ever Discriminated?
Yes, I have experienced discrimination both
at school and in the workplace. I have been
called “paki” in school and told to “go back
to where you come from” even though I was
born in Canada. I’ve also experienced
situations in the workplace where male
colleagues have made incorrect
assumptions about me and treated me
differently because I am a woman.
Are You Happy in Canada?
Divya Steinwall
I am very happy. Although it is the only place
I have ever lived and hearing about changes
and challenges that are happening in other
parts of the world, I am extremely grateful
to be able to call Canada home.
Any Comments on Canada’s Culture
I love and appreciate the diversity of
Canada’s population and our welcoming
nature. People are generally accepting and
are allowed to be who they are.
Any Comments on Canada’s Weather
Although I don’t always love the snow, I
enjoy that we have four distinct seasons and
get to experience all the seasons in nature’s
bounty.
What Brought You Success in Canada?
Having equal access to educational and
employment opportunity.
Are You Willing to Help New Immigrants
and How?
I would be very happy to help new
immigrants, particularly with mentoring
women entering the business workforce.
Your Message for Canadians of Asian
Origin
I encourage all Canadians of Asian and any
origin to embrace their diversity and to share
their unique perspectives while also making
the effort to learn, understand and
appreciate those from other backgrounds.
www.asiantribune.ca. Also, follow us on twitter @AsianTribuneEdm
English Page
Yearning for Identity
Gurcharan Kaur
Thind,
403-293-2625 (R),
403-402-9635 (Cell)
"Is meeting
someone or getting
separated predestined?
A child gets lost
in a fair. He cries and
runs here and there in
search of his parents.
All are strange faces
around him. Someone
kind hearted solaced
him and finds his
mother for him. In a
moment the gush of
tears stops and smile
prevails on his face.
But that tide of pain
during separation and
deep down relief after
meeting can be realized
only by that child
who got lost among
the crowd of people.
No one else can feel,
realize or describe
that pain…." While
standing by glass window
and looking absently
at the vast sea
of people of the outside
world, she was
lost in her thoughts.
"Was I also lost in the
crowd of people? I
couldn't hold my
mom's finger tightly or
someone knowingly
made me abandon
her? ……Who am I?
What is my reality?
What is my real identity?
Whom I could say
my own? These and
many more questions
are disturbing me all
the time." Her eyes got
misty with these
thoughts.
"I have everything---
Beautiful house, loving
husband, a sweet
daughter but often I
get emotional. A yearning,
a type of squirm to
search for my identity
had overcome me. I
could still recall those
horrible moments.----I
am just three years
old. I am wearing my
new frock that I wear
on special occasions.
This is bit short for me
and I am pulling it
down to cover my
knees. There is a policeman
in our room
along with a gentle
looking lady. They are
very kind to me. I am
in my mom's arms.
She is hugging and
kissing me passionately
as well as crying
bitterly. I am confused
looking at those
strangers and the
strange behavior of my
mom, I have never
seen before. Then that
lady pulled me from
my mom's arms and
picked me up in her
lap.
…...Now I am in a police
car going away
from my mom. My little
mind is unable to understand
why they are
taking me away from
my mom and where
am I going? It is swelteringly
hot day. My
legs are burning due to
hot iron seat. But I am
dumb, unable to utter
a word. That woman
picks me up and puts
in her lap. I feel relieved.
Then we
boarded in a plane.
Now everything looks
like small toys moving
on earth.
……I have reached in
a big house surrounded
by vast green
fields. But still confused
why I am here?
Who chose this new
life for me and why?
…..Any how I started
living there, far away
from my mom, with
another mom. Here
lived a man whom I
call papa and also two
more kids like me.
When I used to live
with my mom, there I
had no papa. I have
never seen a man ever
coming to our house.
My mom lived alone!"
She jerked her head
and wiped her misty
eyes. She looked at
her beautiful house
and her own portrait
hanging on the wall. It
was her graduation
photo with black gown
and cap, when she
had been awarded
with degree of journalism.
Now she is a famous
journalist. She
kept on staring at this
for a while.
……Yes! But it was not
a plain sailing to be a
journalist. My foster
parents, I don't know
they adopted me willingly
or the government
made them
adopt me forcibly, they
left the farm house and
went to live in a town.
There were more
white families living
around us. We three
were different from
their kids. Our physique
and black hair
doesn't resemble with
their sleek bodies and
golden hair. They took
us as uncivilized and
idiotic fools. In the sixties
of twentieth century
these white
people didn't hesitate
to look at us with contempt
and speak illwords
openly. They
feel proud saying that
they have accepted us
in spite of being
aboriginals, either
through words or with
derogatory stares. My
innocent mind understood
everything but
couldn't react.
And me! I remember, I
tried my best to be like
them. I never did anything
that made me
look silly. Though I
very well knew that I
am not one of them, I
am different from
them. 'But who am I?
To whom I really
belong?'My heart
aches to know about
this.
Then I was in grade
six. In our history book
there was a chapter
about natives of this
country. There I learnt
that I belong to
'Chipewyan' tribe. But
I couldn't pronounce
this word correctly. A
white boy mocked at
me, 'See! How Betty
blabbed her own
tribe's name.' I felt extremely
embarrassed
and ashamed. 'Why
couldn't I speak this
word correctly? This is
my real identity! Why?
Why can't I? See the
strangers could!' I was
trembling with humiliation
and helplessness."
She touched
her forehead with her
trembling fingers as if
wiping that feeling of
embarrassment and
shame. She moved
from window and sat in
a chair. She opened a
book and began turning
its pages restlessly.
"I don't know why I was
(Continued Next Issue)