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Winnipeg high school students tackle racist image with books

Winnipeg high school students tackle racist image with books

One Winnipeg high school student wants to change the city's image.

Sisler High School student Duyen Chau decided she had to do something to change the way the city is viewed after a number of negative stories about Winnipeg made national headlines.

"So recently Winnipeg has garnered a lot of negative attention in the media, especially from Maclean's magazine being called Canada's most racist city and I was inspired to do something and create a more positive image for Winnipeg so I created GIANT," Chau said.

That stands for Global Issues Aboriginal Networking Team.

Chau said members of the group are other Sisler students from Ethiopia, India, China and the Philippines.

As the leader of the group, Chau said she reached out to the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs in hopes of building a positive connection with the Aboriginal community and Winnipeg youth.

She wanted to find a community to help, especially to find ways to help improve literacy, and the book drive for the Fisher River Cree Nation began.

"I strongly believe that education is the fundamental basis for academic achievement and social success. One way, the first step to achieving this goal is offering a variety of books to the children in need because I know Fisher River Cree Nation does need books to add to their library," Chau said.

The group has collected more than 500 both new and gently used books for the community.

McNally Robinson donated a box of new books to the cause.

Three hundred more new books came in from the First Books Books On Wheels program.

The rest came from Sisler and Shaughnessy Park students.

Chau and 15 students from the GIANT program will travel to Fisher River Sunday to deliver the books.

She said she's looking forward to the smiles on the children's faces when they open the books and start reading.