Jun. 19, 2017
Many people were inspired by funny, engaging and articulate speakers at the third Indigenous Education Speaker Series held at the Aboriginal Learning Centre on June 9. The events invite leading Indigenous thinkers to share their perspectives about reconciliation through education. It is planned in partnership with Pathways Community Association and supported by the Calgary Foundation.
“The Speaker Series shows that there are Aboriginals who have made it big and are doing their dream careers. Aboriginals such as myself see that it is possible. That anything is possible,” says Kai, youth planner and student at Jack James High School.
More than 40 students participated in interactive workshops where they learned about photography, filmmaking and public speaking. Approximately 100 people attended the evening event, which was open to all CBE staff, students and the greater community. Cowboy Smithx an award winning filmmaker of Blackfoot ancestry from the Piikani and Kainai tribes of Southern Alberta, Blaire Russell a photographer and artist from Kainaiwa tribe of the Blackfoot Confederacy, and the Wandering Spirit Company shared their personal acts of reconciliation through art forms.
Thank you to the youth and grad coaches from Jack James, Forest Lawn, Discovering Choices, Ernest Morrow and Samuel W. Shaw Schools for organizing and planning this wonderful event.
It’s about community connection, repairing relationships with the parents and the communities so that we can work together to make school a great place for all kids. – CBE staff member
