How many times have you heard the refrain, “Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the world”?
Diversity has always been our badge of honour, but what does that really say about our city? For decades, multiculturalism felt special in a world of cities that were largely homogeneous. But these days, with immigrants moving to urban centres everywhere, saying “diversity” is our strength feels a little empty.
This video is my attempt to name something I think a lot of Torontonians feel but don’t really know how to articulate — that a city can be full of cultures but still struggle to define its culture with a capital C.
I unpack why that tension matters more than people think, and how this amorphousness impacts everything from the way we drive and work to the way we befriend and connect. Yes, it’s a rant, but it’s also an invitation to think more deeply about Toronto’s identity, how we create a sense of belonging and the kind of shared culture that our city does or doesn’t have.
If you’ve ever felt like Toronto can be both vibrant and disconnected at the same time, then The Green Line’s inaugural “venting video” is for you. If Toronto were a person, who would they be? It’s a question that may very well help us feel more at home, at home.
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