#BowValleyLocals
Celebrating our diversity, one story at a time.
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#BowValleyLocals is a social media campaign for local residents to share stories, meet neighbours, and celebrate the diversity of the communities in the Bow Valley, AB.
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Our goal is to foster increased understanding between residents, strengthen community connections, and reduce discrimination.
We’re building a welcoming community.
We want to create a place where everyone can fully participate and contribute in the economic, social, and civic life of our community. To succeed, both immigrants and non-immigrants need to learn about and adapt to one another.
Welcoming communities are not just vibrant and pleasant to live in. They can be stronger, more resilient, and more prosperous. For example, the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII) at the University of Southern California found that "...in regions where immigrant integration is fostered, immigrants perform better and the entire region also thrives."
Get To Know Your Neighbours
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Stories of Resilience
Hear from local residents as they navigate the COVID-19 pandemic in the Bow Valley. They each share their challenges, fears, hopes, and lessons learned during this unique time in history.
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Recipe Exchange
Experience global flavours and learn new cooking techniques from Bow Valley community members! Each cook shares their personal story, the story behind the dish, and a recipe for you to try at home.
Tell Us Your Story
About The #BowValleyLocals Project
People have been relocating to the Bow Valley for a long time, but in recent years, the diversity of our community has increased.
Today, people from across Canada and over 60 countries make their homes in the Bow Valley. #BowValleyLocals celebrates the diversity of everyone living in and contributing to this vibrant community.
In 2014, the Bow Valley Immigration Partnership (BVIP) researched immigrant integration in 17 areas of community life. We found that barriers to integration include misconceptions and stereotypes.
Stories help us connect and build a stronger community.
In 2015, BVIP teamed up with Humans of the Bow Valley to launch #MeetTheLocals, a call to Bow Valley residents to learn more about one another and to celebrate our diverse stories. Humans of the Bow Valley was a celebration of the people of the Bow Valley, inspired by Humans of New York and created by Javan Mukhtarov, an Azerbaijani-born Canmore local with a passion for meeting his neighbours.
Our 2019 research confirmed an ongoing need to build understanding between locals. We re-launched the campaign as ‘#BowValleyLocals’ as part of a multi-agency plan to ensure the Bow Valley is a place with both the desire and the capacity to help immigrants integrate.