My name is Andrew Hopf. Growing up in suburban Ontario, I was raised by great parents who instilled the values to kindness, honesty, compassion and empathy. However, because of our demographics the opportunities to have conversations or to explore the experiences of those who may be oppressed, marginalized or racialized were rather limited.
Truthfully, as a young white male, I was completely naïve to the privilege that I had. I never had to experience any obstacles in life or question my well being or freedom because of my skin colour and up bringing. With the recent events in the world, it has given me an opportunity to reflect on the systems that are in place here in Canada, explore my own biases and seek to understand the life other people live through their lense. I’ve always been “Proud to be Canadian” and although I still am proud of the values I live by, I now have a better understanding of how systemic racism is absolutely still an issue here in Canada and want to be part of the movement to help break down obstacles so many of our fellow Canadians still face.
Now, as a coach, mentor and more importantly a father, I want to be part of this movement that is striving to create change, one conversation at a time. I want my son to be aware of the systemic privilege that he has and to be present, informed and compassionate enough to listen, reflect and act in a way that creates a more equitable world for those around him.
To connect with Andrew please email
alliance@uwaterloo.ca
