Photo by Jan Hilario

From the burning down of oppressive governments by the “Arab Spring,” to the building of “Occupy” movements across North America, 2011 is the year of the collective individual grouping together to promote change.

These massive movements gave us ample opportunity to think about how we contribute to our communities through our actions, either as individuals or within a group setting. However, to make a constructive difference or a destructive one, was your choice.

On a daily basis we should take a moment to see how our intentions and actions affect us. We are all a collection of thoughts and we should take stock on how we can better ourselves, and our communities, each and every day.

But in lieu of that, the end of the year serves as the most ideal time to gather a year’s worth of thoughts, actions and intentions and reflect on the benefits or degradation that resulted.

A lot of media outlets are doing just that—we’re no different.  This is also a great time for Vancouver to reflect on a year of highs and lows.

Our city came down from the high of the 2010 Winter Olympics only to find some of her citizens trashing buildings, burning cars and even assaulting each other after our beloved Canucks lost the Stanley Cup in June.

After earning – justified or not – a “world class” title at the Winter Olympics, the 2011 riots left Vancouver with a much needed black eye.

Vancouver was finally shown to be vincible.

No amount of fresh air, seaside views or divine-reaching mountains could cover up the reality that a group of inane, careless and overly privileged individuals took to the streets to release some leftover teenage angst.

In our July 12 issue, writer Catalina Parra reflected on the riots by reporting that “many countries constantly confront this kind of social upheaval…but it’s for a purpose; a crisis of some kind. Usually it’s a crisis that explodes when the unsatisfied population has had enough with their political leaders and the economic system.”

The 2011 Stanley Cup Riot an “Arab Spring” does not make.

However, not everyone in Vancouver was hell bent on showing their insolence and immaturity. In that same issue, writer Phoebe Yu brought to light the struggle of one South Sudanese man and his contribution to making South Sudan an official and separate country.

Yu reported that “although this [South Sudan’s independence] may seem like an echo of the Arab Spring uprisings…the Southern Sudanese have been fighting for their freedom for decades.”

She reported that South Sudanese born Charles Pioneson came to Canada in search of a better future and is now the founder and president of a Vancouver based organization which helps the South Sudanese community.

After enduring conditions in a Ugandan refugee camp that he described as “horrible,” he escaped his past with the help of an Israeli Human Rights group.

Through international help and by his own self-determination, Pioneson was able to come to Canada and put the trials and tribulations of his past to good use for the betterment of his people in Canada and back home.

These are the kinds of stories that we at The Source Newspaper focused on throughout the year. We covered the other side of humanity that is sometimes muted by the bigger movements who may or may not have a legitimate cause.

Throughout the year we covered stories on Chinese diaspora, what it means to have a non-Anglophone name, marriages of conveniences, and the worth of a foreign degree. As well as lighter themes such as the contributions of other cultures to the much lauded Canadian Thanksgiving dinner or how to cope with Vancouver’s endless rain.

In all of these stories our talented writers searched for and found the power that one individual – through their actions, intentions and thoughts – can have in making a positive difference.

In the more than 50 stories published this year, The Source Newspaper gave a voice to individuals who may otherwise have felt did not exist.

Building bridges is what The Source Newspaper does. We help build the bridges that some might want to put a torch to, while others might want to help build. All the while we strive to build a safe and free environment where dialogue thrives.

As a group of dedicated, passionate and talented contributors, we were honoured to receive this year’s 2011 Cultural Harmony Award.

Alongside individuals like Sadie Kuehn and Eric Wong, The Source Newspaper was recognized for its efforts in contributing to Vancouver’s vibrancy through a multi-cultural lens.

None of this could have been possible without the effort of so many people who have worked as part of our newspaper for the past 12 years. We are delighted to have received such an honour and we are blessed that so many individuals gave of their time and energy to contribute to a truly invigorating year.

2011 was a year of ups and downs for Vancouver and around the world. At The Source Newspaper we are looking forward to a new year filled with enthusiasm, new stories and the collective thought of making our communities much better places.

We have made the choice to build bridges through our publication, and we thank you for coming along for the ride.