Join us for the opportunity to connect and engage. 

Back to Basics: A Conversation Among Leaders about Ethical Space

For this final Shifting the Paradigm forum event we will be addressing Ethical space in the conservation sector by listening to panelists’ experiences with ethical space and diving deeper into understanding why we need these conversations and how organizations can start to make that shift. 
 
We know that ethical space is the intersection of reconciliation and conservation. How can we collectively transform the ways we work to create deeper allyship with Indigenous, youth, women, BIPOC folks, and folks in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community? The team at Carolinian Canada has been on an active journey to explore this question and create ethical space in all our work. As more organizations begin to look at ethical space and what it means, we have gathered leaders in the field to come together and discuss what ethical space is and what it looks like in practice.

Abraham Francis is Kanienkehaka (Akwesasne) from Akwesasne and Deer Clan. He has a BSc in Microbiology, 2014, and MSc in Natural Resources, 2019, from Cornell University. Recently, they became a Ph.D. student at Clarkson University studying Environmental Science and Engineering. Previously, Abraham was the Environmental Services Manager for the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne. The position allowed him to develop and implement projects inspired and directed by community needs and influenced by his research interests. His research interests are at the intersection of environmental studies, Indigenous methodologies, community engagement, education, health, social services, law, and cultural foundations as a means for empowerment and healing within Indigenous Communities. He hopes to bring all his research interests and passions together within his dissertation, targeted at creating tools to support other Indigenous Communities to care for their environments from their biocultural contexts. Abraham has cultivated their expertise around their research and grown an extensive network of Indigenous Scholars/Knowledge Sharers, and Allies that carry a variety of expertise. Their expertise and network inspired the founding of the Aronia Collective, which seeks to align Indigenous Communities with experts to meet their unique needs and non-Indigenous organization to engage Indigenous peoples meaningfully.

Beze Gray (they/them) is a two-spirit Anishnaabe, Lunaape, and Oneida from
Aamjiwnaang First Nation, treaty #29 territory. Beze’s three main focuses in life are speaking out about environmental racism, Anishinaabemowin, and their culture. They are an organizer of grassroots events based on culture and  environment through the group Aamjiwnaang and Sarnia against Pipelines, such as Toxic Tour and Aamjiwnaang Water Gathering. They focus on telling their experience of living in Canada’s Chemical Valley. While reclaiming language and experiencing sharing land-based activities like through the Niizh Manidook Hide Camp. Beze loves experiencing culture and language and expressing their queerness in their homelands and sharing with community.

My name is Ishani Dasgupta and I am a student of the environment and literature, specializing in natural resource studies at the University of Waterloo.

I have worked with various organizations and committees to help create intersectional and ethical spaces that help facilitate discussions on environmental racism and justice. My most recent project assessed the language used to create local nature stories and investigates accessible language for different reading communities.

My name is Janice Ninham I am bear clan from Oneida Nation of the Thames in southern Ontario. Currently I am in MAP where I am paired up with an Oneida fluent speaker, Margret. She is mentoring me in the Oneida language in becoming a speaker. Also I am working under contract for N’Amerind Friendship Centre along with others in creating a program to help others learn the language.

I am a big believer on respect and treating others as I would want to be treated.
I have completed MAP program 4 terms and finished a round of another MAP team through N’Amerind Friendship centre being paired with a fluent speaker and a new learner.

Outside of work I am a mother of 4 children who mean the world to me. I enjoy mentoring, guiding and being there for them and helping to shape them into the adults they may become.

Keynote address by Samantha Whiteye

Samantha Whiteye is a community leader from Eelūnapéewi Lahkéewiit. She is very passionate and dedicated to her work within Southern Ontario and the Indigenous Communities she actively serves. Samantha comes from grassroots immersed experiences which she utilizes her lived experience and understandings to create space, advocate and lead conversations centering on Truth and Reconciliation. Leading with an ethical two eyed seeing approach Samantha demonstrates leadership as a changemaker in the environmental sector.

Samantha is very knowledgeable and connected to her Lunaapeew/Lenape culture as she continuously weaves the medicine and teachings into her work and daily lifestyle. She is also passionate about ancestral seed sovereignty and hopes it helps build bridges back to identity for her people.

Over the past year Samantha has worked closely with Carolinian Canada Coalition and continues her work in a new role as Indigenous Leadership Director to help shift the narratives in conservation.

Starting at 3:00 pm we will commence the Carolinian Canada Annual General Meeting 2023.

Members in good standing 2 weeks (by June 8th) prior to the AGM can vote. Join or renew your membership today at caroliniancanada.ca/contribute. 

Note: You must register to attend the event. Members receive a discount on Forum tickets. However, there is no cost for AGM business meeting portion of the event for members.

We are very excited to have a full slate of amazing nominees for the CCC Board this year!

View the Election Slate Here: CCC Election Slate 2023 - Public.pdf

View the Current Director & Nominee Bios Here: https://caroliniancanada.ca/board-directors

What is the Shifting the Paradigm Forum Event Series?

The Shifting the Paradigm Forum series for 2022-2023 has been working to amplify Indigenous and diverse voices to inspire action and support Indigenous peoples and allies. Shifting the Paradigm supports discussions about creating space for conversations around Two-Eyed Seeing, and the ethical space between Indigenous and colonial knowledge. This event will close the seven-part series Seeding Relationships to Heal the Land that has created a platform for Indigenous-led grassroots changemakers to share the importance of their work with the broader community.

Registration $50 with sliding scale.

Registration for each event is $50 with sliding scale. Save when you purchase all Forum Series Events, or become a Carolinian Canada Member and save even more - Join Today.

Funds raised through ticket sales help to equitably pay our speakers, and to support Carolinian Canada's Indigenous Leadership program.

Please use the sliding scale to pay what you can if you are BIPOC and don't have the means to attend, or if you would like to pay more to assist others to attend.

Carolinian Canada acknowledges that we live on the traditional territories of many nations including the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee, the Lunaapeew, the Wendat and the Mississauga; and the rights and treaties of the many, diverse Indigenous people who live here now.

We commit to the teachings the Two Row Wampum and the One Dish One Spoon Wampum; and our duty to reconcile, learn more and create safe spaces for Indigenous and non-indigenous perspectives to meet and discuss the issues that matter to everyone.

Carolinian Canada is supported financially by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, 3M, WWF-Canada, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, Greenbelt Foundation, City of London, London Community Foundation, Pillar Non-Profit Network, many partners and donors.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD TO YOUR NETWORK

Brought to you by Carolinian Canada: a network of leaders growing healthy landscapes for a green future in the Carolinian Zone, Ontario’s extraordinary far south
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