Coast to Coast to Coast Live-Stream Video Conference

Just before lunch on Wednesday, Philip Brass invited me to a Live-Stream Video Conference, hosted by Wab Kinew of CBC's Eighth Fire fame. Faith, my student was just finishing up her exam when I joined the livestream and listened in. The lunch bell rang, and we put the livestream on the smart board.

 

It was very exciting hearing voices from accross the country. Voices speaking with wisdom, vision, creativity, power, kindness, intelligence, and honesty.

 

I was especially touched by Tanya Kappo's soft-spoken intelligence. Near the end, she spoke about love. She fears that saying "love" aloud may sound corny, but she says it anyway because she believes the Idle No More movement is about love. She says she can feel it in handshakes, smiles, and in the round dances.

 

The video conference continued over noon, and by the end just me and Faith were sitting in the dark, listening in.

 

Earlier in the day, Miss Krahn, my former intern had emailed asking for Faith's permission for Miss Krahn to share Faith's narrative, "When I Dance, I Dance for You" which Faith had written for her Treaty Walks assignment. Miss Krahn was leading a discussion on an article, "One Adolescent's Construction of Native Identity in School: 'Speaking with Dance and Not in Words and Wrtiting'." by Amy Alexandra Wilson and Michael D. Boatright, published in Reasearch in the Teaching of English. Faith said yes and I asked if I could publish her narrative on my blog as well.

 

 

After the livestream was over, Faith and I talked a little more before Faith wrapped up her essay.

 

"This really interests me," she said.

 

Idle No More.

 

from January 30th, 2013

http://www.facebook.com/events/479009182136059/

 

We are hosting a LIVE two hour National Video Conference to connect students, youth, people of all ages and walks of life who would like to learn more about 'Idle No More', the important issues that face First Nations and ALL Canadians and to discuss our next steps and plans of action. Speakers include:

Wab Kinew (Host) - CBC Reporter and INM Activist
Special Guests: Idle No More Founders
Pamela Palmater- Mi'kmaq Lawyer, Professor, INM Activist
... Taiaiake Alfred - Mohawk Professor, Author and Activist
Tanya Kappo - INM Activist
Gyasi Ross - Author, Lawyer and Activist
Chief Isadore Day
Chief Leroy Denny
Shelley Young - INM Activist
Molly Peters - INM Activist

We will be connecting live from 1-3 pm Atlantic Standard Time (Halifax time) right across Canada. Schools, Universities, Health Centres and Friendship Centers in each city have access to Video Conferencing so please set it up in your area! The live web stream is http://firstnationhelp.com/livestream/ for those who want to join us from home.

We welcome all questions that you would like to ask our presenters this week. We'll do our best to address as many as possible in the 2 hour time frame- knowledge is power, so ask away!

Idle No More Supporters connecting from Coast to Coast to Coast! Spread the Word and Don't Miss It!!!

Any further questions:
shelley.a.young@gmail.com
molly.peters01@gmail.com