Dear Editor,
I had the privilege of spending some time with Mohammad Sharaz, his son, Salahuddin Sharaz, and friend, Haroon Kareem recently.
If you’re from Vancouver, you will recognize them as the British tourists whose photos were mistakenly leaked as suspicious characters for taking photos in a mall, which caused a media frenzy.
They turned out to be just regular dudes from Manchester, here to seek a very specialized treatment for vision impairment.
The whole fiasco helped me learn two things:
1. The mix up is a humbling reminder that we cannot allow this current climate of fear to make us jump to conclusions based racial prejudice.
Sharaz and the others handled what could have been a traumatizing experience with grace, compassion and humility.
Without realizing it, they became a sort of media role model for any minority person who has been discriminated against because of their background.
They reclaimed their power by not shying away from the spotlight but rather by using it to educate, inform and pacify the city.
2. I love the power of social media, but if we just use it as a soap box to stand on and shout out praises or criticisms, we aren’t using it (or ourselves) to the fullest potential.
Lots of people I know asked why and how I reached out to Sharaz and his group. It was actually quite easy.
So, I just say this: If you feel compelled by a story, don’t just complain or feel bad, do something about it!
Sign a petition, write a letter or reach out a loving hand.
If we use social media as a mechanism to create more action, more love, more change, isn’t that what it’s all about?
I’m proud to now call these guys my friends and I hope I helped them see how welcoming and compassionate Vancouverites really can be.
Ayako Turnbull
Richmond
