reconciliation starts with truth

I acknowledge that I live and work in Treaty 6 territory, the traditional and ancestral territory of the Nehiyaw, Denesuliné, Niitsitapi, Anishinaabe and Nakota Sioux Peoples. I also acknowledge that this is District 9 of the North Saskatchewan River Territory of the Métis Nation of Alberta. These are the traditional gathering places for many diverse Indigenous Peoples whose histories, languages and cultures continue to influence the community and our future. 

With respect of this land I care for, I have filled my yards with local plants, trees and flowers. This is a gift back to the bees and the soil, and it serves as a perennial reminder of what it means to live in co-operation with the world around me. 

I am the daughter of immigrants to this land and as a settler, I recognize that I have been part of a system that has oppressed Indigenous people and their ways of being. As a settler, I also have a responsibility to respect this land and the people by helping to shift systems in ways that amplify Indigenous voices, prevent harm and lead to the promise of Treaty that has not yet been fulfilled. As a settler, I will continue to focus on finding pathways especially for Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people toward safety and well-being.