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Meera Bala moved from Sri Lanka to Canada in 1988 due to the civil war when she was only a child. When Meera and her family arrived, they didn't speak English, and there were very few South Asian immigrants where she lived. It was a challenge for her as she faced discrimination and bullying at school. Experiencing that discrimination as a young child just because she was different had made her a better teacher. She has zero tolerance in her classroom, and she has just released a book for children called Palm Trees Under Snow. The book reflects a bit of her own story, and her goal is to empower young children, especially children of immigrants, so they know that they can achieve great things with hard work and determination. Subscribe to the Podcast If you enjoyed listening to this episode, don’t forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts. And make sure to follow the show on Instagram and LinkedIn. Lastly, if you’re an immigrant and you want to share your story on the show, go to immigrantsoftoronto.com/join and fill out the form. I’ll be in touch shortly after receiving your submission. Thanks for listening, I’m Oscar Cecena and this is Immigrants of Toronto. Learn more about Meera Bala Meera Bala Meera Bala is a Tamil-Canadian author and publisher of children’s books. She immigrated to Canada from Sri Lanka with her family in the 80s. Her love for reading and writing began very early. As a child, she enjoyed writing stories and letters for her family and friends. She graduated from York University’s Concurrent Education program with a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in English. Meera Bala is an educator with the Toronto District School Board for the past 19 years. She has taught junior, intermediate and special education classes. She has always been a huge advocate of social justice, multicultural and equity issues and served as the equity representative for many years at her school. Meera was an aspiring author for many years, and finally, during the pandemic, she made her dreams into a reality. In March 2021, she wrote her first book, Palm Trees Under Snow, and started her publishing company, MB Publishing. Outside of writing children’s books, she enjoys spending time with her parents, husband, and two wonderful sons. She has a close support group of siblings, friends and co-workers that she’s extremely grateful for. Get in touch with Meera Website: www.wordsbymeera.comInstagram: @wordsby.meeraFacebook: facebook.com/wordsbymeera