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Events: National Indigenous Peoples Day 2024
June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day(External link), a time to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures, and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples.
We encourage you to participate in local events to honour the day, and National Indigenous History Month(External link) (June), as well.
Wednesday, June 19, 6:00 - 9:00PM
Indigenous Arts & Craft Market & Strawberry Social
Deshkan Ziibi, 495 King Street West, Chatham
Join us for strawberries and ice cream, browse, shop, network, and visit. Free event. All welcome.
Learn more about National Indigenous Peoples Day, this and other local upcoming events on the 7 Generations Indigenous Cultural Friendship Centre website(External link).
Indigenous vendors looking to participate (free registration) can contact Naomi naomi@skanaflc.com(External link)
Co-sponsored by Ska:na Family Learning Centre, the Bleak House, Women's Equity Business, 7 Generations Indigenous Cultural Friendship Centre, United Way of Chatham-Kent, Municipality of Chatham-Kent, St. Clair Catholic District School Board, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.
Thursday, June 20, 2024, 6:30PM
The Spirit Horse Returns
Chatham Capitol Theatre (238 King Street West)
Introducing "The Spirit Horse Returns," a captivating orchestral concert production that seamlessly blends diverse North American Indigenous perspectives, stunning visual art, and a rich orchestral score to tell the powerful stories of the Ojibwe Horses.
The production is a collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous co-creators, including Anishinaabe artist and Ojibwe Horse breed expert Rhonda Snow, songwriter Jodi Contin (Wasauksing First Nation, composers Kevin Lau (a first-generation Canadian), and Andrew Balfour (of Cree descent), writer and performer Ken MacDonald (an eleventh-generation settler), and featuring musicians from London Symphonia.
Pre-show art experience with Rhonda Snow one hour prior to each performance in the Rotary Lounge (Lower Level).
Get evening (open to public) tickets on CKTickets.com(External link)
For more information contact cortnee.goure@sccdsb.net(External link)
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Event: May 3 - 5 Events in Honour of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
In honour of National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people, several events will be held March 3-5 in Chatham-Kent.
All events are open to everyone.
Wear red to show your support (i.e. shirt, coat, pin - not a red dress).
About The National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People
Also called Red Dress Day, the day honours and brings awareness to the disproportionate violence that Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people face in Canada.
The red dress was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project(External link), in which she hung empty, red dresses to represent the missing and murdered women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people.
The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people found that, in Canada:
- Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit people are 12x more likely to go missing or be murdered than all other women, and 16x more likely than Caucasian women.
- In the last 30 years, more than 4000 Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit people have gone missing or been murdered. That’s about 133 a year or 3 a week.
- Because of persistent forms of oppression (racism, colonialism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism), complaints about missing Indigenous Women, Girls, and Women, are less likely to be taken seriously or followed up.
The National Inquiry led to 231 Calls for Justice directed at governments, institutions, social service providers, industries, and all Canadians.
Supports
This day may be triggering for some people. Help is available.
National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls toll-free support phone line (24/7) 1-844-413-6649
Hope for Wellness Help Line (24/7) 1-855-242-3310
Learn More
Read the final report and Calls for Justice from the MMIWG2S+ National Inquiry on the National Inquiry website(External link)
Visit the National Family and Survivors Circle website(External link)
Visit the Amnesty International No More Stolen Sisters website(External link)
Find book, video and podcast recommendations on Simon Fraser University’s website(External link)
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Honouring Cinco de Mayo Respectfully
Learning about, understanding, and appreciating cultures that are different than our own is an important part of promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
As we approach Cinco de Mayo, an important day in Mexican history, we are sharing recommendations to ensure events acknowledging the day are rooted in cultural appreciation.
Click on the image below to view the resource.
Please reach out to Rebecca, Coordinator, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice, if you have questions, comments, or feedback on the resource or questions about an event you are planning DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca(External link) or x. 2447.
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February 2024 DEIJ Lunch and Learn: Inclusion During Ramadan
February 2024 DEIJ Lunch and Learn: Inclusion During Ramadan
Tuesday, February 27, 2024, 12:10-1:00PM
PABC 224 or Teams (Hybrid)
Please register in advance: DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca(External link) or x. 2447
Starting around March 10th (the date varies with the sighting of the moon), Muslim communities across the world will observe Ramadan.
Join guests from the Chatham Islamic Centre to discuss how to be inclusive in the workplace and when providing services during this important time.
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February 2024 DEIJ Calendar
Continue reading...
Click on the image above to download the February calendar of dates important to communities in Chatham-Kent. Click on the text in the calendar to learn more about each date. The calendar can also be found under the 'Resources' section of the DEIJ Employee Portal.
If you are printing the calendar, please print on Legal size paper.
If you are sharing with partners, please use our external website version.
Please contact us if you notice dates missing or errors DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca or x. 2447
How to Use the DEIJ Calendar
Use this calendar to inform programming, scheduling, and to better understand colleagues and communities we serve. For example:
- Avoid scheduling events (for staff or community) on days important to communities in CK to ensure everyone can participate and show respect for each other.
- Supervisors: People may ask for time off in honour of some of these dates. Employers have a duty to accommodate employee's creed to the point of undue hardship, including providing time off for religious holidays. Learn more from the Ontario Human Rights Commission(External link).
- Outside of these holidays, people may have regular prayer or reflection practices that we can work to support. For example, Friday afternoons are a significant time of prayer for some people of Muslim faith.
We encourage you to get to know your team - find out what days and holidays are important to each other, if and how these days should be acknowledged.
Outlook Calendar
Did you know you can access a DEIJ calendar through Outlook? See and learn about important dates to communities in CK with the click of a button.
To get access to the calendar, email DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca or call x. 2447
Community Events:
Find information about some of the events to honour important days in our community in the 'Engage' section of the DEIJ Employee Portal.
There are a number or events happening in February to honour Black History Month in Chatham-Kent. We hope to see you at some of them! -
Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities During Holidays
The Pride at Work group has some tips to share about how to practice allyship during holidays. See the infographic below for ideas.
Comments or questions about the tips or Pride at Work? Contact Lisa Powers lisap@chatham-kent.ca(External link)
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May 2023 DEIJ Calendar
The May 2023 DEIJ calendar is posted below. The calendar is embedded with links for you to learn about the days in more detail.
Ways to use the DEIJ calendar:
- Share the calendar with colleagues
- Consider days of significance when scheduling important meetings or events to avoid potentially excluding some groups of people
- Know that some people may ask for time off to honour days of significance to them
- Ask colleagues if they are celebrating or honouring anything this month as a way to open dialogue about days that are important to your team members.
- Print the calendar and post in the workplace or in public-facing settings
If you’re an employee of the Municipality, you should also have access to the DEIJ Outlook calendar which is updated frequently with learning resources and local events taking place this month.
We also continue to post information and events in the 'Engage' section of our DEIJ Employee Portal.
Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions. We always welcome your perspectives.
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CK Asian Cultural Association Newcomer Event 2022
Check out this flyer below for the Newcomer's Event 2022.
Click the following link to register for this event: CKACA NEWCOMERS EVENT 2022 -RSVP (google.com)(External link)
Hope to see you there!
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June 20th- World Refugee Day
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On June 20th, World Refugee Day is honoured!
What is a Refugee(External link)?
A Refugee is a person who is living outside their home country that is unable or unwilling to return to their home country because of war, violence, or persecution. It is estimated that there are millions of people around the World who are displaced from their homes.
What is World Refugee Day?
Today is a day to acknowledge the courage, resilience, and strength of the millions of Refugees across the world who've been forced to leave their homes and lives to start a new one due to conflict, violence, war, or persecution.
This day emphasizes the need to recognize the hardships refugee's endure, and to be empathetic in their journey of rebuilding new lives.
Watch this video to learn how Refugees Are Good for Canada(External link)!
Refugees in Canada & Chatham-Kent
In 2019, Canada was a world leader in the resettlement of Refugees, welcoming 30,082 people who were displaced from their homelands. Locally, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent has been working to ensure that people who are displaced are able to live and get the supports they need in the community.
In 2016, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent was recognized as a welcoming community by the Federal government and one that supports all people immigrating to Chatham-Kent. Over the last few years, the Municipality has worked with partners and community members to welcome families and newcomers to the area, including people displaced by violence, war, or persecution. In May 2022, Municipal Council directed staff to reach out to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada to express our community’s continued interest in welcoming Refugees and displaced people to our community.
What challenges do Refugees face when they move to Canada?
There are many challenges people who are Refugees may experience when settling in a new place. Two key challenges include language and culture shock.
Language
Not knowing the language can make it difficult for people to participate in the community and to access supports. Aside from the subsidized training provided through government funding, there are several ways individuals can help Refugees when it comes to language barriers.
Tips:
- Offer translation services to reduce barriers to Municipal services.
- Connect community members with local settlement agencies and resource(External link)s
Culture shock
Although Canadian societies are multi-cultural, people may find themselves disoriented and feeling overwhelmed by the differences between their home country and Canada.
Tips:
- Engage in training through local Settlement agencies(External link) to understand cultural diversity and develop inter-cultural competencies
- Be curious about the unique characteristics, skills, and identities people hold and embrace those differences.
- Managers: Learn about how focusing on “culture fit” when attracting, hiring, and retaining employees can unintentionally lead to bias(External link).
Local Resources:
Assistance for Refugees and Displaced Peoples(External link): Supports available to people arriving in Chatham-Kent and information on how the community can help.
The Chatham-Kent Local Immigration Partnership (CKLIP)(External link): ready to welcome newcomers, including Refugees and Immigrants from around the world!
CK Ethno-Cultural Community List(External link): A list of some of the ethno-cultural communities, associations, and groups in Chatham-Kent.
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National Indigenous History Month and Indigenous People's Day
Continue reading...
June 21st is Indigenous People’s Day, and June is National Indigenous History month. From the rich histories, to the unique differences between Inuit, Métis, and First Nations Peoples, heritages, cultures, and experiences, this month is an opportunity to celebrate, learn about, and recognize Indigenous Peoples in our communities and Country.
Indigenous Cultures and Identities
The phrase ‘Indigenous Peoples’ is often used an umbrella term to refer to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people. First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people have their own distinct identities, cultures, languages, heritage, and experiences. Learn about the terms First Nations, Inuit, and Métis(External link). And, great diversity exists within Indigenous communities.
First Nations and Indigenous communities moved and shifted throughout history, especially after European contact when Indigenous Peoples and communities were displaced. The McKee Treaty of 1790(External link), a land agreement involving the areas now known as Chatham-Kent, Windsor-Essex, Middlesex and Lambton counties, involved the Odawa, Potawatami, Chippewa, and Huron Nations.
Currently, what is now known as Chatham-Kent is neighboured by two Anishinaabeg Nations. The unceded territory of Bkjewanong (Walpole Island) is home to Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa Nations (known as the Three Fires Confederacy(External link)). Chatham-Kent also neighbours Eelūnaapèewii Lahkèewiit, often referred to as the Lunapeew People of Delaware Nation at Moraviantown. Originally from the Atlantic seaboard, the Lunapeew people were one of first to establish settlements in this region and are often called the ‘grandfather nation’ by other Anishinaabeg(External link) Nations. Of course, many other First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples live in Chatham-Kent. Maawnjidimi, a local Social Planning & Action Table through the United Way of Chatham-Kent, is a group dedicated to promoting wellbeing for Urban Indigenous people living in Chatham-Kent.
Learn about local First Nations(External link). Note: For hard copies of this resource, contact Rebecca rebeccah@chatham-kent.ca(External link) or x. 2447
Learn about First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and people in Canada.(External link)
Learn about First People of Canada through the Canadian Museum of History.(External link)
We Acknowledge History to Create a Brighter Future
Indigenous communities have long histories on Turtle Island(External link) (now known as North America). Due to Colonialism(External link), forced assimilation, and segregation, Indigenous Peoples have been physically, mentally, emotionally, and spirituality removed from their lands, cultural practices, languages, and ways of knowing(External link). Indigenous Peoples across Canada continue to face issues with access to rights, land, food, and clean water. Despite these challenges, many Indigenous communities and First Nations have retained and are revitalizing their languages, ways of knowing, and cultures. And, there are growing movements to acknowledge the sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples and honour historic treaty relationships(External link).
Local Urban Indigenous leaders are in the early stages of establishing a Friendship Centre in Chatham-Kent! Called 7 Generations Indigenous Cultural Friendship Centre, the Centre will support Urban Indigenous Peoples and support capacity-building efforts for organization in Chatham-Kent.
Honour Indigenous History Month
You can honour Indigenous History month by doing the following:
1. Commit to learning: Lean about the rich history and cultures of Indigenous Peoples as the processes and impacts of Colonization. Understand the differences between European or Western and Indigenous knowledge systems and how these can impact interactions(External link). Start by visiting the links in this article. Learn about Indigenous Peoples, communities, and Nations in this region(External link). Take part in GINDAASDAA Circle, a local book club. Thje group is working on the next flyer, but the contact is the same. Engage in Indigenous Cultural Safety or Awareness trainings. Contact local First Nations or Friendship Centres to ask about learning opportunities. Popular online self-directed trainings are offered by San’yas(External link) and University of Alberta Faculty of Native Studies(External link) (free option), but should be complimented with local knowledge
2. Attend a local Indigenous People’s Day event(External link). On June 21st, from 10AM-2PM at Ska Na Family Learning Centre, 25 Eighth Street, in Chatham.
3. Remember the concept of intersectionality: Great diversity exists within Indigenous communities. In addition to Indigenous Cultural Awareness training, seek out Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression, 2SLGBTQ+, and Trauma-Informed trainings.
4. Speak up: Learn about and use ways to interrupt bias(External link) when you hear or see comments that are anti-Indigenous, racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or that don’t recognize the inherent worth of all people more generally.
Resources:
Many of these resources are also available under 'Important Documents' on the DEIJ Employee Portal.
Supports for Indigenous Peoples
Hope for Wellness(External link): Immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention for Indigenous Peoples across Canada. Toll-free Help Line 1-855-242-3310 or connect to the online chat at hopeforwellness.ca(External link).
Residential Schools Health Support Program(External link): Residential School survivors can call 1-866-925-4419 for emotional crisis referral services and information on other health supports from the Government of Canada.
List of Friendship Centers in Ontario(External link)
Learn About Indigenous Peoples, Communities, and Rights
A Road to Understanding Indigenous Cultures (chatham-kent.ca)(External link)
Local resource, developed with local Indigenous Knowledge Keepers to help form a better understanding and connection with each other.
Truth & Reconciliation Calls to Action(External link)
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples(External link)
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Calls for Justice(External link)
Land Acknowledgment Resources
First Nation Protocol on Treaty Lands (ictinc.ca)(External link)
First Nation Protocol Thanking the Host First Nation Why You Should (ictinc.ca)(External link)
Why Should You Learn to Pronounce Indigenous Names (ictinc.ca)(External link)
Whose Land – Learn Whose Land You Are On(External link)
Pronunciations: Traditional Territory Acknowledgement - Lambton Kent District School Board (lkdsb.net)(External link)
McKee's Purchase | The Canadian Encyclopedia(External link)
Treaties | ontario.ca(External link)
Allyship
Amnesty International. “10 Ways to Be a Genuine Ally to Indigenous Communities(External link).”
Indigenous Perspectives Society. “How to Be an Ally to Indigenous People(External link).”
Relevant Municipal DEIJ Posts
National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People.
Earth Day and Environmental Justice.
