Serendipity

“Community” is a word I hear being thrown around quite often in today’s climate. Everyone seeks for community, seeks to feel a sense of belonging. They seek for something that is missing and communities are that for these individuals, a safe space to grow and develop.

I, just like many of you grew up with community. This community was small. We grew by the numbers as generations were born and are left with wisdom as generations leave us. Community was what allowed for me to grow up feeling like I belonged.. until I wasn’t. It became political and no longer welcoming.

I am a Hmong Canadian, and as a Hmong Canadian our community is already a very small community of people. I grew up with friends within this community. People I went to school with, everyone knew everyone. One way or another our families were intertwined in this web. As I got older I was able to formulate my own thoughts based off what I had witnessed for myself. This already small community was broken. It had been for a very long time. It was broken by belief, religion, money and ignorance.

I am not shaming anyone, I too am apart of this community. Apart of the fall, but I have a voice now. A voice to bring forth issues and find resolve. Divided by religion, divided by belief, divided by money, divided by ignorance, division amongst a community that could stand together as just humans, we could be strong. We could strive in a world that doesn’t know of our existence. Yet, we all stand alone, forgetting the simple fact we all suffer, we all hurt, we are human.

This goes not only for my community but the communities that exist outside in our day to day realities. I believe we have created segregation and division amongst our own, created an unhealthy atmosphere for generations before and after us to exist in. I understand that my ignorance towards such matters may bring forth criticism, but I am willing to learn and challenge those in these communities to open there doors to allowing others inside. Amongst these communities also exist a community in which everyone exist in, we all live as humans. We live on earth, live in a reality in which has been segregated since the beginning of time. Regardless of religion, race, sexual orientation, or belief, I strongly believe we can coexist and learn from one another to create a harmonious world for the past, present and future to live in.

Let us build a new community that can love and appreciate. Shine its light where darkness has shadowed for so long.