Land Back and Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples

As an Italian-Canadian woman I live on Indigenous land, and hold a deep respect for the traditional ways of knowing that Indigenous Nations have developed since time immemorial. I believe in the inherent rights of Indigenous Nations, including the right to self-determination. My dedication to stepping into my responsibility as a guest on Turtle Island and working to educate Canadians began over a decade ago when I had the opportunity to work in a First Nations community in Treaty Three territory in Northern Ontario. The relationships I built while there left an indelible mark on my existence and continue to propel me forward in this work.

I action my solidarity by:

  • Educating other Settlers about injustice and our role in dismantling it.

  • Supporting Indigenous leadership, and amplifying the voices of Indigenous youth in my work.

  • Working alongside Indigenous colleagues to educate, and model my responsibility as a Setter in the work of dismantling colonialism and oppression.

Transformative Justice

I value spaces that recognize and name systemic oppressions that operate globally. I believe in actions that dismantle the colonial, White supremacist, abelist, heteronormative, capitalist structures within our industries and in our communities in order to stop the harm against out planet and our communities.

I action this value by:

  • Striving to understand my roles and identities as a White, Italian-Canadian woman living on stolen Indigenous land.

  • Ensuring that issues of power and identity are made explicit in all my work.

  • Amplifying the voices of diverse communities in my education practice and encouraging justice-centered actions in our classrooms.

  • Working to dismantle systems by taking actions to interrupt and creating moments where we can together imagine new possibilities.

  • I listen to and incorporate feedback on my actions.

Healing and Community Building

I see a great need for gathering community to facilitate individual and collective healing. This work counters isolation, disconnection, and ultimately dehumanization of others. I value relationships, creative action and storytelling, collective wisdom, and open conversation.

I action this value by:

  • Offering a sliding scale in my coaching to make my practice accessible to folks in many different fields.

  • Facilitating monthly conversation circles for Italian Canadians for Black Lives

  • Facilitating PWYC Collective Wisdom Circles with Creating Realities Collective during the Pandemic.

  • Offering retreats to dive deep into our personal and collective work.

  • Utilizing tools in my facilitation, education, and coaching practices that engage all aspects of our humanity.

Learning in Public…

Here are the current questions I am sitting with in my work

  1. What roles can and should Settler peoples like me take on to support justice for Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island?

  2. In what ways can I action my commitments to justice for Indigenous peoples?

  3. How can the Italian-Canadian community (of which I am a part) in particular engage in a robust process of truth, relationship-building, and reciprocity with Indigenous Nations?

  4. How might my public offerings (my newsletter, the webinar series I co-produce with Dr. Restoule) continue to serve educators interested in Indigenous Education?