Grantee Spotlight
Our project is Season two of our podcast Spilling Labrador Tea Under Cedar Trees. Season 2 is titled: “Colonialism Around the World”, and we’ve been interviewing Indigenous youth from different parts of the world to learn about their colonial experience and cultural revitalization. So far, we’ve covered First Nations, Metis, and Inuit in Canada; then we interviewed folks from Korea and Mexico. Next up is Aotearoa (New Zealand), Zambia, and many more.
The Foundation exists to ensure cultural documentation and promote the involvement of youth and Elders in cultural activities. We strive to inspire our people to proudly embrace their heritage, empower them to continue the traditions of our Ancestors, and restore the spirit of Mi’kmaq culture in Newfoundland and Labrador. This specific project focuses on hosting monthly arts and crafts workshops over zoom to bring together Indigenous youth from both on and off the island.
Daughters of the Land is an Indigenous non-profit organization whose mission is to provide women, children of all ages, and at-risk youth with the opportunity to experience traditional and contemporary land-based education, language, and culture. Activities are conducted in safe, nurturing environments and help them cultivate a sense of identity. The Urban Youth and Families Food Sovereignty Project was aimed at providing urban youth and their families with education on food security and growing foods, as well as immersing them with land-based experiences such as hunting, fishing, gathering foods, and the many techniques used to preserve and sustain foods for long term storage.
Safe Water Studios is a not-for-profit organization created in 2019 to support Indigenous youth artists and clean water solutions. We operate primarily in what is currently known as Ontario and host workshops that are available across so-called Canada. We aim to create a safe and fun e-space for Indigenous youth and youth artists to learn and create. Our group was formed by two Red River Métis artists Jacob and Garrett Vickery. This is the second project we have collaborated on with CRE.
Future Artistic Minds is an affirming space where youth can explore and develop their creative practice. Having access to mentorship, equipment, and space to grow and learn has helped FAM youth artists to explore their identity, build their skills and uncover new career paths related to art
Waterways is an Indigenous-led non-profit based out of Winnipeg. We run land-based programming for Indigenous youth mainly surrounding canoeing. We are currently funded for a few projects by CRE. These include our Cross Lake, Bloodvein, and Peguis/Fisher Lake programs. We are also a trustee for Bison Local and run programs in conjunction with them for their "Back to the Water" Program.
Our grassroots youth group has organized and run a Meals on Wheels Program for Elders for the past two years. We planned a medicine gathering trip to Saskatchewan to pick Sage and Sweetgrass, as well as visited medicine men and a Sweat ceremony. Their latest project was a summer Kayak trip down Takla Lake which took 4 days to complete, camping along the way. Residential School survivors and knowledge holders came and spoke at the campfire at each camp spot, sharing their history and knowledge. A video was created to document this journey.
White Owl Native Ancestry Association (WONAA) is an Indigenous community agency that first began in 1975. We endeavour to enhance the lives of Indigenous People in the Waterloo, Wellington, and Dufferin Regions of southern Ontario through culturally appropriate counselling supports, youth and family programming, and Land-based education.
Our program supports a small group of youth within the Oneida community who are without regalia of their own and who want to learn more about the importance of the Oneida culture. This program is helping to build a sense of community amongst our youth as they will share their talents and skills with one another.
Shawish is a virtual Indigenous marketplace whose mission is to help Indigenous businesses thrive across North America. Within the online platform, Indigenous artists can create their own profiles and upload their own products. Our commitment is to support our vendors by reducing fees as much as possible. This site is perfect for any ally that wants to support First Nation Communities. Through Shawish, we as Indigenous people can continue our ancestors’ ways of life.
We hope that the film "Building Connections through Indigenous Youth Stories" will contribute to the great work happening around cultural revitalization in our community. This format of storytelling will provide a broad reaching approach to sharing our ways of connecting with our culture. Our hope is that other Indigenous youth will view the film and feel empowered to start their own journey of learning about the Mi'kmaq traditions and ways of living.
Revitalizing Our Sustenance Project (ROSP) is an Indigenous youth-led program to help provide Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth opportunities to learn about the importance of sustainable agriculture practices while feeding our community! We strive to revitalize our relationships with food, community, and the land.
