Vision, Mission, Vallues and History

Born Too White Ottawa was founded on June 13, 2020, two days after the VirtualNOAHCon2020. This charity organization is organized exclusively for charitable purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt of federal tax code.

Mission:

Born Too White Ottawa works to empower immigrant children and youth with albinism so that they advocate for themselves.
Support immigrant children and youth with albinism in building self-esteem and confidence in addressing and eliminating barriers and stigma surrounding albinism in the community to enhance their economic well-being, social participation and integration.
Informing and empowering newcomer families of the individual(s) with albinism on supporting their loved ones.

Vision:

We envision a future where immigrant children and youth with Albinism take the lead in championing their own rights, eliminate barriers and stigma surrounding albinism in the community and help each other in the process of recovering from traumatic experiences.

Values:

We believe in everyone’s ability to contribute to Canadian society.
We are committed in eliminating the barriers so that to allow an easy integration process of Africa descent newcomer children and youth with Albinism.
We believe in collaboration and cooperation with agencies, community organizations and faith groups upholding the organization’s mission.
We are committed to accountability to our stakeholders:- donors, funders, and the community.
We believe everyone has a role in supporting the lives of individuals with albinism in the community.

Activities and Programs of this organization is solemnly focusing on:-

Providing a platform for immigrant children and youth with albinism to interact, navigate, develop self-esteem and empowered so that they advocate for themselves
Providing leadership training, mentorship and guidance to immigrant youth with albinism to foster empowerment, that will enhance their economic well-being, social participation and integration.
Providing specified programs/Activities; at the moment includes Teens Spotlight and Passion Project.
- - Teens Spotlight will provide a platform where newcomer children with albinism will interact with others and create a community that will inspire and comfort each other.
  - Passion project program on the other hand will mainly focus on involving newcomer youth with albinism to take roles in what they love.
Hosting and/or participating in events and activities that promote either public awareness of albinism to the public or empowerment of immigrant children and youth with albinism.
Collaborating with the local community and health centers to partake in campaigns and events that champion the inclusion of people of albinism, as well as educating the public on albinism issues to help eliminate barriers and stigma surrounding albinism in the community.

History

Being born with albinism in some parts of Africa may mean a death sentence.

Children with Albinism, especially from parts of Africa are often forced into isolation (Protectorate centres) because of fear of being attacked, abducted and even murdered. Growing up in such an environment, many individuals with albinism such as Desire are rampant to socialization problems as their interpersonal skills are impacted.

Even after migrating to Canada, these families are susceptible to post-traumatic stress which often slows their integration process.

Additionally to the past experiences, the financial status of these newcomer families and congenital disorder characterized in people with Albinism also causes a number of vision defects, susceptibility to sunburn and other skin problems which hinders youth financial stability, social participation and integration.

July 8, 2020 Desire (A youth with albinism) and Reuben were going home from a community workshop and while waiting to cross a traffic light, they were confronted by a person who thought they were not respecting the Covid-19 social distancing for Desire (Who has low vision) unintentionally standing close to her. Of course, they did respect the Covid-19 social distancing rule but to de-escalate the situation they decided to say sorry and move a small distance away. The event left Reuben and Desire rethink of familiar numerous encounters they had witnessed and how people like Desire are often misjudged by people they met.

July 9 to 12, Reuben and Desire attended the first Virtualnoahcon2020 organized by the National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation - NOAH an event that led to the start of the Born Too White Ottawa July 14, two days later.

Both Reuben and Desire were inspired by the great work of NOAH which made them realize the existing gap within the immigrant children, youth and families with albinism to the access of community resources and information which is impacting their integration process. With the desire to make a change to the children, youth and families with albinism, Reuben proposed the idea of Born Too White Ottawa with an aim of inspiring self-esteem and empowerment to young immigrants with Albinism so that they advocate for themselves.