Kristin Thompson
This spoken letter is in response to the November 2020 report In Plain Sight: Addressing Indigenous-specific Racism and Discrimination in B.C Health Care and goes out to all Canadians, particularly my peers working in the social services field.
The intention of this spoken letter is to educate on the truths of our colonial history and the impacts still seen today, and to promote reconciliation efforts in social services by encouraging social service workers to become allies to Indigenous peoples by taking an anti-racist stance and challenging Eurocentric narratives in the workplace through advocating for change to current practices that may cause harm to Indigenous service users and staff members.
I have chosen to accompany my spoken letter with a video in which the observer can participate in a walking meditation through a wooded trail on Snuneymuxw territory. This walk, in nature, honors Indigenous land-based practices, such as medicine walks, in which participants are invited to slow down, tune in, and reflect on what the soul/spirit requires. The music heard in the background is an Indigenous flute song entitled ‘Awakening of the Beauty Within’, played by Kelvin Mockingbird. The song is meant to compliment the meditative walk and aid in the reflective process of truth and reconciliation.
Thank you for joining me on this journey, take care.
