The Society’s Coalition of Racialized Professionals hosted several events in March and April.
In March, Society members of Persian Heritage and elected reps from the OPG and Hydro One Local met to celebrate Nowruz – Persian New Year.
Nowruz means “a new day” and is based on the Persian solar calendar. Nowruz has been celebrated by diverse communities for over 3,000 years. Preparations begin weeks before the actual day with the cleaning of the home during “Khane Tekani” which means shaking the house to remove the dust. The spring-cleaning ritual symbolizes the purification of the soul and preparation for the new year.
The celebration is closed by embracing a nature day which officially ends Nowruz. This is held after 12 days of celebrating and families venture outdoors to enjoy picnics and embrace the beauty of spring, often tying wheatgrass to symbolize the connection to nature and the cycle of life.
The Pickering Christian Fellowship group hosted a free Easter lunch at the Pickering Information Centre. This group is led by Society members Jon Bruce and Ken Lindhorst.
Members of the group provided a free lunch which was served to over 40 employees who gathered for this event. The participants heard from guest speakers and the collected donations which was sent to “The Refuge” Youth Centre in Oshawa. The Refuge is a drop-in centre that serves homeless, hurting and hungry youth 26 and under. The Refuge offers programs that meet basic needs, encourage transformation and generate awareness and teaches homelessness prevention.
