Welcome

We are so glad you are here! On this site you will find lesson plans, slideshows, and resources to run an online conversation club for newcomers to examine the topics of colonization, reconciliation, and systemic racism in Canada. These resources can, of course, also be used for an in-person conversation club post-Covid-19, or by anyone who wants to learn more!

This project was conceived of during a UBC Master’s of Education program (Education for Sustainability) as the result of three non-Indigenous students diving into what our roles and responsibilities are living here on this land. One of the group members, is a recent newcomer to Canada and was directly experiencing and receiving feedback about the lack of opportunities to practice conversational English. We piloted an online conversation club titled 'Exploring our Roles' for 15 newcomers to look at the topics of colonization, reconciliation, and systemic racism, all while providing a space to practice conversational English. In this conversation club, we emphasized that we all have a role to play in taking meaningful action towards reconciliation.

These resources have been compiled on this site in the hopes of contributing to the successful stewardship of similar projects, so that others may continue to learn, progress, and grow as fellow citizens on the crucial path towards reconciliation. We hope that this small contribution will assist in the creation of a more positive and regenerative path forward for all on this land.

Acknowledgements

This project was created by individuals working on the ancestral, unceded, unsurrendered territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, Cowichan, Katzie and Tswwassen First Nations. Additionally, we are all students of the University of British Columbia, located on the unceded territories of the Musqueam First Nation. We recognize that acknowledging the Indigenous lands we are on is not enough. We are committed to taking tangible actions towards reconciliation. This project is one example of that commitment.

We would also like to extend sincere gratitude to the many, many people without whom this project would not have been possible. Thank you to UBC and CityStudio Vancouver for providing the space and opportunity to pursue this project. Thank you to Dr. Allison Earl, Dr. Pierre Walter, and Dr. Rob VanWynsberghe for teaching and mentoring us through the design-thinking process and helping us to understand how to tackle social change projects on a systemic level. Thank you to Dr. Wendy Mendes of the City of Vancouver for her ongoing guidance and support through all the many stages of our project. Thank you to Pablo Zacarias, Naomi Maina, Dr. Vanessa Andreotti, Dr. Yvonne Poitras-Pratt, Dr. Elisa Lacerda-Vandenborn, and Sulyn Bodnaresko for their support providing us with valuable resources, insights and advice to help guide our project in its early stages.