Diverse communities strive for shared safety in Edmonton

Differences that usually keep marginalizedEdmontoniansapartbrought dozens together for a safety summit on Thursday.

Representatives from various social and cultural groups met to discuss their shared safety issues.

"What we stand to gain by that is strength in working together, in networking, getting to know each other as neighbours because sometimes there are rifts in different communities," said Lise Robinson, one of the organizers.

Robinson, asocial worker who worksin 12 downtown communities, saidEdmonton'smarginalized groups,such as the Indigenous and Somali communities,face similarchallenges despite cultural differences.

She helped organize a safety summit in April to unite a diverse team of Edmontonians withshared concerns, such as poverty andgang activity.On Thursday, the group reconvened for a second summit.

"It's very invigorating and exciting to see the people that are interested in working together," she said.

"We can really impact the community in a real critical way that is meaningful to them because it's them that are coming up with the solutions for their needs."

Sharingresources for commonchallenges

As a law enforcement officer, Insp.Dan Jonessaid crime occursfor the same reasons regardless of the offender's ethnicity.

"Thefactors are the same sense of belonging, need to belong, financial constraints," he said.

"When you start to see that commonality among communities, it's really great to bring those communities together so they can work towards common goals."

Joneslistened as FatmehKalouti outlined whatsummit participants are doing toimprove safety in their respective communities.

It takes good hearts to actually make a difference.- Fatmeh Kalouti

Kalouti,a youth worker with theBoys and Girls Club,said she joined the summit to represent young people in Edmonton.

"It's nice and refreshing to see how passionate everybody is," she said about the safety summit.

"It takes good hearts to actually make a difference."

Kalouti said she's excited to work with others who are equally committed to improving safety in the city.

"We can pool our resources together," she said.

"It is nice that we have this diversity in the type of people who have come together to do this and I think it ultimately represents our cause ... and represents everybody that we represent as well."

Thursday's participants signed up for one offour new safety committees: Business Safety, Child and Youth Focus, Social Issuesand Research.

They participants will continue to meet at future safety summits to share ideas and discuss their progressin making the city safer.