I called her Jo And people got upset. She’s an elder! She’s a knowledge keeper! She’s a Grandmother! She is Josephine. But I called her Jo. On road trips, In her office, On the phone, In so many conversations, Because she was my friend. But they convinced me I was being disrespectful. So I […]
And the journey continues … Yesterday, I shared a mantra that should be the guiding light for anyone working in or for a diverse community, namely … “Nothing for us or about us, without us”. Today, let us expand on that by looking at the “without us” part for it is essential to get […]
The answer is ALWAYS on your side. In Step One of the 52 Steps of Reconciliation Video Series, I shared an image. A sacred eagle feather, one side representing the Indigenous people who have always called this land “home”, the other representing the non-Indigenous people who settled here, making it their home. The latter […]
In the residential schools, innocent children had no protection. The adults told them they were worthless, a burden, that they would never amount to anything. And over time, so many began to believe the horrid words. As a nation, whether newcomer or long-time resident, whether Indigenous or non, we condemn the treatment of the […]
