Honouring murdered, missing Indigenous women, girls
September 30, 2016. Friendship centres, churches and community groups will be hosting rallies, marches and candlelight vigils throughout the province this coming weekend through to Oct. 4 in remembrance of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls. Oct. 4 is the official day when Sisters in Spirit vigils honour the lives of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. The violence experienced by Aboriginal women and girls in Canada is a national tragedy, says the Native Women’s Association of Canada. The day is marked throughout the country.
Lethbridge hosts inclusion conference
September 30, 2016. On Oct. 2-4, Lethbridge will host the Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination’s Inclusion Conference 2016: Building Inclusive Neighbourhoods in a Changing World. Hosted in collaboration with community partners and Beyond Your Front Door neighbourhood initiative, the inclusion conference (Oct 3-4) will provide participants with an opportunity to hear and learn from community, citizen and municipal leaders, community planners and builders, academics and other passionate learners, and to attend experiential learning sessions that will make topics real and personal. They will also hear from inspiring speakers, such as Lethbridge’s own Tanya Pace-Crosschild, speaking to reconciling as a community, and Ahmed Knowmatic, speaking to what it is to be a neighbour. The event kicks off with a community day on Oct. 2 at Lethbridge City Hall.
Ribbon cutting marks Louis Bull Tribe’s solar energy projects
September 30, 2016. Indigenous Relations Minister Richard Feehan will be on hand when Louis Bull Tribe marks its four solar-energy powered public buildings with a ribbon cutting ceremony this morning. Over the summer Louis Bull Tribe made the green energy transition installing solar panels on Louis Bull Health Services building, Public Works/fire hall, Head Start program, and Adult Training Centre. There are plans for more installations in the future. Councillor Desmond Bull, who spearheaded the project, contends that approximately $7,500 annually could be saved on electricity costs with the conversion of the four buildings.
Art tour of downtown Edmonton
September 30, 2016. The Edmonton Arts Council is celebrating public art in the heart of Edmonton with a bus tour on Oct. 2. The free tour will take in the public art treasures at Rogers Place Arena, the Quarters Downtown, and conclude at Michael Phair Park with a community celebration. Highlights include Alex Janvier’s mosaic Tsa Tsa Ke K’e (Iron Foot Place) and Destiny Swiderski’s new mural Amiskwaciw Wåskåyhtan Îhåtwin (Beaver Hills House). Swiderski’s installation will be officially marked with a dedication and blessing by Elder Jerry Saddleback, and a performance by Running Thunder Dancers. Food and refreshments will be provided by Native Delights and 104 Street business partners.
Walk, exhibit reflects on being Indigenous in Edmonton
September 30, 2016. Johnny Lee, a lifelong resident of Edmonton and an inter-generational trauma survivor of the Indian residential school/sixties scoop era will lead a social issues walk in downtown Edmonton on Oct. 1. Lee’s walk ties-in with Walk With Me, an interactive audiovisual exhibit created to share stories about what it means to be Indigenous in Edmonton. It is currently on display at the Stanley Milner Library and online at www.soundcloud.com/risedm. The walk will start and end at the Stanley Milner Library in front of the “Walk With Me” exhibit. Lee is now a community betterment advocate as well as a social and environmental justice warrior.