Hate in Cornwall – Part 7
Acts of prejudice and intolerance have been creeping into our community, targeting individuals who deserve empathy and understanding. By bringing these incidents to light, we can humanize the victims and challenge the ignorance that fuels hate, a vital step toward eradicating hate and fostering a community built on compassion and respect. Silence is not an option. This is the story of Bilal Chaudhary, a business owner who, together with his father Naveed, runs Detail Projects—a car wash and detailing service located on Marlborough.
Q: Could you share a specific moment that stands out to you, and how it affected you personally?
A: I remember as a kid, I was around probably around 8-9 years old and was out running errands with my mom. My mom chooses to wear a head scarf to cover her hair anytime she goes out of the house. On this particular day we were entering Independent Groceries when a man made a comment calling my mom a Taliban. I heard it loud and clear and looked at my mom as she just continued walking and ignored the whole comment. Once we were all done, we went to our car to put the groceries away and my mom went to put the cart away, I sat in the car and waited. By the time she came back I could see she was visibly upset and asked her what happened. My mother started tearing up and explaining those guys made comments when she was putting the cart away!! My mother is the most nicest woman you’d ever meet, and would Never even hurt a fly. Now as you can imagine, seeing my own mother cry made me really upset, and even till this day o think about how I wish I was older so I could’ve stood up for my mom that day.
Q: You said you’ve tried to ignore racism in the past—what helped you find the strength to do that, and what made you decide to speak out now?
A: My parents definitely helped me with the strength to ignore most of the racism that I faced as they would share their stories with me and tell to ignore it, and that I’m not the only one going though this. The highschool I attended was amazing when it came to no racism. We still had a few oddballs here and there, but for the most part I made most of my childhood friends there and am still friends with most of them today, and we treat each other with love and respect like we are brothers! The reason why I decided to speak out now is, firstly I am much older now and feel like I can express and share my thoughts much clearer and better for people to understand. I also have a pretty decent social media where I can get my story out, which I didn’t have at a younger age. I’ve also realized that these times it has been getting even worse and worse by the day ever since we’ve had a huge Influx Of “New Canadians”. Many of the newcomers don’t speak proper English which is why it’s harder for them to get their message out there.
Q: You mentioned receiving love and support from much of the community. Can you talk about a moment or gesture from someone that really made a difference to you?”
A: The community in Cornwall is such a beautiful thing when we all come together to stand against something wrong. Ever since I shared my story on Facebook people have been reaching out to me left and right, coming by the shop to talk with me and apologize on behalf of the people who are making such comments. I also had Luigi’s pizzeria Come in and bring pizza for the whole team and tell us how much we mean to them! People have been coming by to get their vehicles cleaned and buy gift cards for their loved comes for Christmas! The thing I realized from all of this is the fact that we have MUCH more nice and good people in our community than the bad ones, and I am so proud to call this city my home for the last 25 Years.
Q: What message would you like to share with those who have shown support for your business?
A: I want to say how it warmed my heart to see all the support coming from every single person who has supported me and my business. It reassured me once again how many more good people we have in this town. I teared up after reading the support comments and messages sent to me, I really couldn’t believe this Many people actually cared about what I was feeling and doing through and went above and beyond to support me. I wish I could name every single person, but just know that I know who has been showing support and I will never forget it nor will other people who see it as well! Thank you so much Cornwall.
Q: You mentioned starting your business with your father and your family’s 30+ years in Canada. How has your family’s story shaped your sense of belonging here?
A: My family came to Canada 32 years ago and they came here with literally nothing. No money, didn’t even know the language properly, didn’t know how to read and write English, yet they still came to this country to look for a better future for them and their kids. They sacrificed everything to come here and give us an amazing life which me and my siblings have had here in Canada! My parents now speak very good English and can read/write in English as well. My Mother even finished her college degree after coming here and is now a supply teacher at Bridgewood Elementary school here in Cornwall. My father has started multiple business in Canada from Asian grocery store to a fast food place, a gas station, and even a KFC which all started from him driving a cab for 10-12 hours a day everyday. Learning about all of the hardships my parents went through and the racism they had to face, has shaped me so much and definitely inspired me to be the man I am today. If my parents came here with nothing and still got to this point, I HAVE to continue their legacy and that is where my business with my father started, Detail Project Carwash & Detailing Centre. I went through school and college and learned as much as I could about business through my father and marketing/creating a brand through my own research and school. I told Advertising and Marketing in college because I always knew I wanted to continue my fathers legacy and eventually start my own business. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for my strong amazing parents, and I wish people would just put themselves in their shoes and imagine going to a new country, not knowing almost anything, and starting a whole new life.
Q: If you could speak directly to the people who have shown racist behavior, what would you want them to understand?
A: I would tell them that I don’t hate them, and I think of them just as equally human as I am. I would tell them that we are all children of god and we need to be nicer to each other if we want things to move forward not backwards. I wish those people would just be a little more empathetic and put themselves in the other persons shoes. Imagine going to a country to have a better life for you and your family, which is already so hard, only to get there and have people be mean to you, call you names, and so on. People have been killed just because of the religion they believe in or the colour of their skin. How would you feel if you had a family member that didn’t quite look like you, and they had been bullied or murdered over it? Please just try to understand that we are not trying to take anything from other Canadians nor are we here hurt anyone. We pay our taxes, business and personal, created jobs for the community, give back to our community and much more. There will always be people who abuse the system no matter what race, but please understand that racism isn’t fair to anyone, and it does much more damage than you might think.
Q: What message do you want to share with others in Cornwall who may be experiencing similar challenges?
A: I would want them to know that they are not alone. They have so much support from our amazing community and to remember there is a lot less mean people than the nice ones. If you feel threatened or intimidated by anyone please share it online, or to friends, police, so people can be aware of what is going on. I think the more we point out this stuff, the more people will think twice before saying certain things.
