London, Ont. Families host 'Pancakes For Peace' to support Afzaal Family
Three families from the Deer Ridge neighbourhood in West London, Ont. hosted a pancake breakfast Saturday to start conversations about breaking down barriers in their community.
13 days after a fatal crash took the life of four members of the Afzaal family, the neighbours organized a fundraiser this week which quickly snowballed into a larger event which saw more than 200 people attend.
Marta Vallares (L) and Sam Fakih (R) cook up some pancakes at ‘Pancakes For Peace’, June 19, 2021 (Brent Lale/CTV News)
"It was just the need for us to come together as a community, get to know one another learn about one another and meet our neighbors just build a stronger, more resilient community," says Jennifer Spinney, one of the organizers who hosted the event in her backyard less than 2 km from the site where the Afzaal family was killed.
"Several members in our community, part of the Muslim community and friends with the family who were affected," says Spinney.
Muslim's in attendance Saturday say the outpouring of support from Londoners has been 'unbelievable' over the past two weeks.
''It is still raw, we are still a little nervous and we're still scared," says Gennan Fakih, a muslim woman, and co-organizer.
"Our children are worried but I think seeing everybody come together has really empowered them and they're feeling the love," says Fakih.
"They want to support the community as much they can of just bring everyone together. They need to know they have a voice, and that they're loved, and that the community is behind you".
One of those children is 12-year-old Jianna Ibrahim.
"I obviously want everyone here to just be treated like they're just people and I want everybody to be treated equally," says Ibrahim.
"We all have our differences, but that's what makes us special so I feel like we all just need to accept who we are and come together".
The organizers managed to get major corporations like McDonalds, Tim Hortons, Dollarama, Costco and the Real Canadian Superstore on board. Springbank Balloons and A&B Party Rental also contributed to make the breakfast possible.
Among the hundreds who came by was London West MPP Peggy Sattler.
Adam and Jianna Ibrahim pose with London West MPP Peggy Sattler at ‘Pancakes For Peace’ June 19, 2021
"There's so much work to do in order to deal with hate and Islamophobia and to heal and move forward together as a community," says Sattler.
"These kinds of events really show that Londoners want to embrace our Muslim family and they want to connect and and show that they care about what happened. The terror attack has forced a lot of people to start reflecting on their own biases and their own whispered judgments that may be made because of the way someone looks, dress, because of the food they eat or because of the faith that they practice".
Sattler hopes the tragedy touched a chord of common humanity that people didn't reflect on before, and think's it will spark a change to move beyond racism, hate, discrimination and Islamophobia.
"I'm hoping that it's the beginning of learning about one another," says Spinney.
"We have a space for people to write down some comments about maybe fears that they have about their neighbours, or perceptions about what they believe their neighbors think of them. I'm hoping to start a conversation about what our fears are, and then we can review those responses and explain those responses through cultural and religious differences."
Organizers accepted donations for pancakes, and the breakfast raised $1800. The money will be directed by the Afzaal family as they are no longer accepting money for themselves.
Anyone else who wishes to contribute can do so through the Launch Good Campaign which is endorsed by the Afzaal family, the London Muslim Mosque and the National Council of Canadian Muslims.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
It could take years to catch up on child vaccinations in Ontario post-pandemic
Ontario is still playing catch up on routine vaccinations that many children missed during the pandemic and public health officials are warning that it could take years to solve the problem.