鈥淚 don鈥檛 know you, but I respect you,鈥� Michael Kelly Gabriel said, motioning to a teen sitting near him.
He stepped closer to the boy, wearing a black New York Yankees hat pushed below his brow.
鈥淚 also like your hat.鈥�
Joined by his dad Kevin Kelly, the son of Kwantlen First Nation Chief Marilyn Gabriel drummed and sang to open a community discussion forum focused on human dignity at the Walnut Grove Secondary School (WGSS) cafeteria Thursday afternoon.
But before that, Gabriel gave an impassioned talk about respect, something that was passed down to him from Kwantlen First Nation Elders.
鈥淲e live by four simple rules: listening, respect 鈥� which is treating people the way you want to be treated 鈥� kindness, and the simplest thing: love,鈥� Gabriel said. 鈥淎ll of us want to be loved throughout our lives.鈥�
Gabriel urged the students in attendance to respect their teachers, who he says are 鈥渓ike family.鈥�
鈥淭hey spend as much time with us as our family,鈥� he said. 鈥淭eachers want the best life possible for each and every one of us.鈥�
The Nov. 23 event, organized by the 91原创 Human Dignity Coalition, promoted the coalition鈥檚 mission to promote, protect, and advance the principles of human dignity, equality, and inclusion in the community.
Attendees included students and staff representing seven 91原创 secondary schools, including Walnut Grove, Brookswood, D.W. Poppy, 91原创, R.E. Mountain, 91原创 Fundamental, and 91原创 Fine Arts School.
Also taking part in the forum were coalition chair Julie Clayton, WGSS principal Balan Moorthy, 91原创 Teachers Association (LTA) president Wendy Cook, 91原创 Township councillor Petrina Arnason, and 91原创 City councillor Rudy Storteboom, among others.
Clayton said the concept 鈥渄ignity matters鈥� is a key initiative of the coalition.
鈥淲e want to push that message out to every part of the community,鈥� she said.
Moorthy spoke about how he rose above the racism that he and his family, originally from Sri Lanka, had to endure once they immigrated to Canada.
鈥淲e are here because everyone in this room has a story,鈥� said Moorthy.
Moorthy, who along with being WGSS principal is the coalition鈥檚 co-chair, said he had his 鈥渇irst taste of discrimination鈥� while attending predominantly-white elementary schools.
It was a time when he was the target of name-calling and racial slurs.
This continued as he progressed as a high school, and then university student, and teacher.
鈥淚 must say that Canada and Abbotsford is a much different place today than it was when we first moved to the community,鈥� he said. 鈥淔orty per cent of the community is now of South Asian descent in Abbotsford.
Among the coalition鈥檚 visions are that youth are safe from bullying and discrimination, people with disabilities are given an opportunity to contribute fully to their community, and that individuals, families, and cultural groups are respected.
The objective of events like the one at WGSS is to increase partner groups and get the word out about respect, inclusion, and equality out to children and youth.
