This Spoken Letters video is intended to reach all helpers, employers, and individuals who wish to be allies to Indigenous Peoples of Canada. Through this Spoken Letter video, I wanted to showcase two powerful local Indigenous women who are affecting and influencing change by dismantling colonial narratives, shedding light on indigenous history and knowledge, and helping employers and individuals be inclusive allies. This project was a journey for me, and thankfully Bonnie Van Hatten and Gonocolit (English name Melissa Gus) were kind and generous with their time and energy in supporting me in sharing their teachings.
I am privileged to have taken workshops with both Bonnie and Melissa and encourage anyone passionate about becoming an Indigenous ally to not only heed their advice that is mentioned in the above video but also follow the links/contact information at the end of the video to further educate yourself. I fully recognize that I will never be “done” my journey of education and allyship; it will be a lifelong journey personally and professionally. I also recognize that, though I tried, my pronunciation and language use was likely imperfect in the video above. With that said, I will take the advice of Melissa to heart and remember that effort put forth to be an ally or to create cultural safety, even if it is imperfect, is still meaningful.
Huy ch q’u
Thank you,
Emily Post
