| Summary: | Today, Brampton suffers from a negative image. Especially Brampton’s majority of working-class immigrants who are experiencing socio-economic and territorial exclusion. The exploitation by the media has also had an effect on the negative identity construction. With a population close to 600,000 people, Brampton has many people to serve. Of the 600,000 there are 234 different ethnic groups speaking 115 different languages. Brampton’s First Cultural Master Plan is supposed to set the strategic direction for arts and culture in the city. My critique is that it misses the point. The under-presented Brampton youth (who are mostly black and brown) to me is Brampton’s heart and soul - the youthfulness, cultural diversity and entrepreneurial energy ought to be the most important resource for the city. This said, Brampton’s focus on business and economic development is but one of many examples of urban design that neglects the ethnicity and diversity of immigrant Canada. Brampton’s identity is growing, maturing, diversifying and transforming. As the city grows and matures, so are the residents. We live in a world where everything and everyone is being constantly classified into categories: religion, gender, ethnicity and race. The malicious use of racial categories has resulted in violence and racism. And most of the violence has been directed at First Nations Peoples, Black Canadians and immigrants from non-European countries. I argue that Brampton will continue to face racial tension unless something is done to the negative representation and misrepresentation of cultural diversity. I think the energy ought to focus on young people as they themselves are defining their identities and wanting to make Brampton their own. My thesis, thus, begins with the question: How can architecture bring communities together to co-exist while acting as a setting for self-identity formation, especially for youth in the city Master of Architecture (M.Arch)
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