51吃瓜网

I am incredibly grateful to Mr. John Blachford for supporting the Archie Malloch Undergraduate Internships in Public Learning Award and making my summer internship with the Kabir Centre for Arts & Culture possible.

As I finished my third year at 51吃瓜网, I knew going into the summer that I wanted to complete an internship in Montreal. Since I am a psychology major, I enjoy exploring real-life environments beyond the traditional laboratory setting, where I can apply my classroom knowledge. After seeing the internship posting for the Kabir Centre, I realized this organization was the perfect place where I could combine my academic studies with my background and passions.

The Kabir Centre is a multi-disciplinary arts organization based in Montreal. Their primary aim is to promote harmony among the members of the South Asian diaspora living in Canada and to build bridges with the larger Canadian society. The Kabir Centre regularly presents events that showcase classical South Asian music and dance, as well as literature events such as book club discussions and poetry sessions. One of their most well-known programs is their annual film festival of South Asian films (SAFFM).

My internship primarily involved supporting SAFFM. I assisted with event promotion, collected donations from attendees during the festival, took photos, conducted interviews with film directors and attendees, and helped facilitate the post-film discussion sessions. I enjoyed being on-site at the festival, as it allowed me to connect with the South Asian community in Montreal and view niche films I otherwise would not have had the opportunity to see!

After SAFFM concluded, I was tasked with creating a festival archive within the Kabir Centre鈥檚 Google Drive. I gathered data from each edition of SAFFM since its inauguration in 2011, consolidating details such as the number of films shown, country focus, and special milestones. This information is crucial for the organization鈥檚 future collaborations and funding applications.

My academic background in psychology helped me understand the true impact and necessity of programs like those at the Kabir Centre that promote cultural socialization鈥攖he processes through which people learn about the histories and traditions of a culture, acquire cultural beliefs and values, and develop positive attitudes toward that culture. In our present climate, mass media plays a powerful role in this process. I saw that SAFFM provided an opportunity for Montreal鈥檚 South Asian community to see their identities reflected on the big screen, fostering connections to their heritage and enhancing overall wellbeing. Cultural socialization also extended to non-South Asian attendees, who learned more about South Asian cultures through the films and engaged in post-screening discussions about current regional issues. This is a crucial step in establishing harmony between communities. Connecting this classroom concept to my internship and recognizing the Kabir Centre鈥檚 role in social justice efforts, deepened my dedication to my role within the organization.

A memorable moment from my internship was helping at a book talk hosted by my supervisor, Dr. Syeda Bukhari, for Dr. Habiba Zaman鈥檚 memoir Reframing My Worth. It was fascinating to hear Dr. Zaman discuss her experiences of identity and resistance as a Bangledeshi-Canadian woman, and I could compare her story with my own Sri Lankan-American identity. I also enjoyed bringing a few friends to the event and sharing a part of my internship with them! It was heartwarming to hear that each found something meaningful in Dr. Zaman鈥檚 talk.

Although most of my work was completed on-site, I found it challenging at times to stay motivated with remote tasks, especially those without strict deadlines. Reaching out to my supervisor for clarification and scheduling regular check-ins was key to staying on track and completing the work.

Ultimately, my summer internship with the Kabir Centre has left me with many takeaways regarding my personal and professional development. I found it refreshing to work amongst those of South Asian backgrounds like me, inspiring me to seek similar environments in my future career. Additionally, interacting with a diverse group of attendees at SAFFM honed my interpersonal skills and made me more aware of accessibility concerns during project planning. I also gained a unique perspective on the applications of psychology in the arts & entertainment sector, seeing how cinema can be a vital tool for cross-cultural understanding. In my future career and education path, I hope to explore more mechanisms that can help marginalized communities connect with larger societies.Mr. John Blachford鈥檚 generous funding of the Archie Malloch Undergraduate Internships in Public Learning award allowed me to cover expenses such as rent and groceries and support myself throughout the summer in Montreal. Thank you again to Mr. John Blachford for enabling 51吃瓜网students like me to have unforgettable experiences during their undergraduate studies!