So I'm a little late to this one. In August, Active History shared a list of 150 Acts of Reconciliation to round out the last 150 days of Canada's 150th. They range from the simple (71. Do more than google) to others that will involve some more effort (147. Find out if your local hospital has an All Nations Healing room or something similar. If not, ask your employer to help fund one.)
This list was shared with me as part of a trip that I went on today with Gen YYC to Blackfoot Crossing. The day was fulfilling and honest. We learned about the treaty that had been signed in that very valley, which has hugely benefited western colonizers while harming indigenous people. We heard stories from elders and elders in the making. And we took part in a workshop on intergenerational trauma.
I left Blackfoot Crossing with a fuller heart and clearer direction than when I had arrived. The workshop helped to take this giant and grey concept like reconciliation and make it feel more manageable without losing its weight. It all came back to truthfully acknowledging what has been and then each of us walking our own path and trying our best to be good partners in treaty. It can start with picking a few of those acts in this list and then picking a few more. Eventually once we move past this truth-telling phase, we'll move onto the solutions. It took us awhile to get to where we are, so it's unreasonable to expect that things will be "fixed" quickly.
I decided to honour this day and all of its magic by fulfilling an act – 131. Make a financial donation to a local Indigenous organization. I chose 4R's Youth Movement. It is a youth- driven initiative that was launched to transform the country by creating brave spaces to raise awareness and change the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people. I made the donation in honour of Tim Fox, the inspiring individual who delivered not only the workshop content today, but was brave enough to share his own personal story with us as well.
I'm looking forward to continuing to be an edgewalker on my path to do my part toward reconciliation. Days and lists like these are great guides and inspirations to fuel the journey.
p.s. I'm not sure if it was the content or the place or a bit of both, but I felt clearer in terms of my own unique gifts today than I have in a long time. Stay tuned for more on those projects and a little nudge to other artists/creators about the power of tuning in to our treaty partners for inspiration. Just make sure you pay it forward :)
Being a Force for Good 