Who are YARI-Collective?

Notes from the heart 

Intentional efforts to create equitable and just futures require a deeper understanding of what it is that create entrenched social divisions that disproportionately impact the most marginalized members of our society. In settler-colonial and white dominant societies, race and racism are the constructs that have historically and contemporaneously intersected with other forms of inequities like gender, sexuality, class, religion, disabilities and migration status and histories to produce systemic injustices for those inhabiting these positions in society. Young people of colour, especially newcomers find themselves grappling with these inequities while also being propelled to create better futures for themselves and their families. 

The YARI-Collective works as a coalition to deepen our understanding of emerging intersecting social injustices that reproduce race and racism with the purpose of dismantling them. We want to envision a future in which young folx of colour are empowered to decolonize our institutions and make them anti-racist for people living at the intersections of minoritized race, genders, sexualities, abilities, class, caste, religions, and migration statuses.

— Dr. Pallavi Banerjee, Principal Investigator, YARI-Collective;
Professor of Sociology & Research Excellence Chair, University of Calgary

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“Anti-racism”, “EDI”, “DEIJ”, etc. have become customary buzzwords that leadership in predominantly white institutions (including governments and universities) have suddenly co-opted without any deep understanding or meaningful movement towards justice. What excites me most about working with the newcomer youth is that they cut to the heart of it all, without getting caught up in such nonsensical and superficial “performativities” of racial equity. I am excited, honored and amazed every time I get to work with these wonderful youth - who have lived through so much, and offer nothing but hope, love and care for the world that we can be. They get first dibs on showing the world what anti-racist approaches to immigration and resettlement should look like - and how we can use expressive technologies, arts and media to paint these futures in the shapes of their hearts.

I am learning, and could not be happier.

— Dr. Pratim Sengupta, Co-Principal Investigator, YARI-Collective;
Professor of Learning Sciences & former Research Chair of STEM Education, University of Calgary

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Engaging deeply with newcomer youth of color in the spaces of YARI Collective is an intellectually, emotionally, and morally rich experience. Our youth participants, through our collaborative projects, shed light upon possibilities of futures where the experiences of migration, forced and unforced, to Global North are not rife with indignities and dehumanisation of those making the move. Instead, our youth participants show all of us how feelings of love and support, bonds of friendships, and the multitude of identities that we carry can become experiences that are valued and cared for through migration.

— Megha Sanyal, PhD Candidate, Learning Sciences & Team Member, YARI-Collective

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Being a part of a multi-disciplinary research team and getting the opportunity to engage closely with new immigrant and refugee youths of colour has been, intellectually and emotionally, an enriching experience.  Beyond a research project, YARI Collective is a practice of social justice through academia in collaboration with newcomer youths of colour to help portray the unseen experiences of suffering and recreate communities of caring, resistance, and solidarity.

— Dr.Sepideh Borzoo, Postdoctoral Associate, YARI-Collective

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Working at the YARI collective has been an amazing opportunity, allowing me to engage with exceptional young individuals and hear their experiences concerning the settlement process. What has truly stood out to me is the effort of the entire team at YARI in working with the youth to create an environment that not only facilitates the development of different skills but also fosters a safe space in which these youth can express themselves freely and feel comfortable sharing their stories.

— Farah Rahmani, Team Member, YARI-Collective

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Being a part of YARI Collective is an immensely fulfilling experience that involves deep relationship building. The YARI Collective provides a space for youth wherein their voices are not only heard but also valued. Within this context, the collective recognizes the importance of empowering young individuals and giving them a platform to express their thoughts, experiences, and perspectives. My academic curiosity is piqued by the work conducted at the YARI Collective, particularly the exploration of anti-racism as a framework for reimagining the resettlement experiences of marginalized populations.

— Basak Helvaci Ozacar, PhD Candidate, Learning Sciences & Team Member, YARI-Collective

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Being a member of the YARI-Collective has been a very eye-opening experience that has caused me to grow in tremendous ways. Getting to listen to the different perspectives of the youth and the ways in which they’ve navigated the world thus far is something I consider a great privilege. Partaking in this project alongside the other amazing members of the team is another aspect that I truly consider a blessing as it has really allowed for a beautiful environment where the workflow is easy and fun.

— Divine Okeleke, Team Member, YARI-Collective

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For me, being a part of the YARI Collective has involved deep listening, brilliant re-imaginings, creativity, grief and sadness, but above all, abundant joy. Each member of the collective - researchers and youth alike - is encouraged and empowered through recognition to bring their full and most genuine self. As a result, I have learned more than I could ever have dreamed about researching in community, about migration and settlement from the perspective of youth, and about what the future holds if we all saw ourselves and each other as a little more human.

— Riann Lognon, MA Student, Sociology & Team member, YARI-Collective

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As an international graduate student and a person of color, the context of research in this project helps me foreground my imaginations of what needs to be done better for immigrants and the generation of tomorrow. This project extended a deep intellectual space to develop my skills as a qualitative researcher and grow as a critical thinker. It gave me immense fulfillment as I could bring together my interests in collaborative design work, critically-informed educational research and practice of visual arts. Particularly, co-designing with the youth and listening to the intimate nuances of their thought and reflection is a gift that I will carry in my journey ahead as a scholar. 

— Santanu Dutta, PhD Candidate, Learning Sciences & Team Member, YARI-Collective

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Working alongside newcomer youth has impressed upon me the urgency to rethink and reimagine re/settlement processes in ways that centre the lived experiences of the youth themselves. Only in doing so can we truly begin to appreciate the pain, grief, and sadness of their forced displacement, the strength and feminist joy they exemplify in their kinning and networks of intersectional solidarity, and their thoughts and radical potential on creating a better tomorrow for those that follow. Being a part of the YARI-Collective and forming community alongside newcomer youth has been a gift that I will cherish for the rest of my life. 

— Pedrom Nasiri, PhD Candidate, Sociology & Research Project Coordinator, YARI Collective