new blog

http://journey-through-my-life.blogspot.ca/

new chapter. new blog.

I'd like to thank the thousands of people who have read my blog during the past year. I am so grateful to have shared my journey with you. 

I'd like to create a new blog to write about other things, that have stemmed from this beautiful gift VIDEA & CIDA & Women for Change have developed within myself. 

I want to write about things that inspire me, or just thoughts that I have, and take my blogging to a more interactive blog, about what it's like to be in an exciting Time of Change for Indigenous Peoples. 

I may never know who reads, this whether your a first time reader, or have read every post, but thank you. I keep writing because people keep reading. Ill post the link to my new blog after I create. 

It's not the end, Its only the beginning. 

Samson moving forward

When I was under-going my pre-departure training over a year ago, I was staying in a beautiful community, the T'Sou-ke First Nation on Vancouver Island. 

I was in awe of the sense of community, I remember journalling, how I felt so welcome, and was made to feel like a family from the membership in the community. 

I felt like people genuinely cared for each other and were concerned about everyone's well being, It was such a close group and it truly touched my heart. 

I wanted to bring the same idea back to Samson, to encourage the Unity of our Peoples. I had a vision for Samson, and the kind of community I wanted children to grow up in. 

Over the past few months, I have joined up with some amazing ladies from the community to follow through with this vision. 

We started a small group to focus on empowering our youth and building up the family. Our goal was to educate, and empower. 

I can't explain the up most purest form of happiness that I've seen from the Children that we've been able to bring happiness to. It is truly magical. 

In December we hosted a Secret Santa Event for 300 youth. The kids enjoyed an evening skating with Santa  and everyone got a Christmas meal and a toy from Santa himself. 

In February we started the First Annual Winter Celebrations and spent Family Day with hundreds of other families in Samson and had hay rides, got our faces painted, played in and out door activities. 

(I invite you to view our Community Newsletter http://www.samsoncree.com/newsandevents.htm for the full scope of pictures and activities) 

We also started the First Ever "Iskwesis" Girls Skating Program, the program was designed for girls who were not in any other organized sport, to keep active in the Winter and come and skate. We've networked with Sport Central in Edmonton who provided twenty girls with skates and helmets. The program runs every week on Wednesdays. The program started with 7 girls, and now we have over 40 girls who come and skate with us every week. 

Me and Iskwesis Girls

I am grateful for my time in T'Sou-ke for giving me the understanding of what's important in life. Families helping other families. 

I am grateful for the women who love the Samson Community, just as much as I do. I also believe they should be recognized for the amazing work that they do. 

Charmaine Crane- Justice Soosay- Debra Buffalo- Myrna Buffalo & the many more who help us achieve our dream, of making Samson a better place to live. 

FNSC

On February 27 & 28, 2013, I was able to take part in the Second Annual First Nations Sustainability Conference. Not only, was I an Organizer of the event, but also I speaker where I was able to share my story. 

I felt so honored to be among so many amazing people who were all participants of a common theme, to share our Stories of Sustainability amongst First Nations Communities & Buildings. 

As each speaker presented new generational thinking, a piece of their presentations stuck with me. I may not be the most educated in this field, but I am passionate in my learning, and passionate of how I can present some of these ideas into my community. 

Our Keynote guest Wab Kinew, had talked about sustainability not just being one thing, like providing a new sustainable house, but being apart of a web of issues, especially when dealing with First Nations Peoples. You have to fix everything.

 

I was very inspired and felt like I had accomplished a milestone after I spoke, especially combating my fear of public speaking. 

Public speaking, was something I never dreamed or considered when I grew up, It just kind of chose me & I truly believe the Creator has given me a voice to share my story. I took this opportunity to speak, to be able to give youth a voice in terms of Sustainability. 

In First Nations communities, the vast majority of the population is under the age of 30, So I believe that the youth need to be more involved when thinking of the “The Big Picture” and moving forward into the Future. 

I don’t have children yet, but when the Creator blesses me with my own children, I’d like to provide them a life where we learn about living sustainability from an early age, and continue on for generational impacts. 

 Myself & Wab Kinew- Host of 8th Fire

go

it's unbelievable to look back one year ago and where I was. 

and when people ask me to reflect, I don't want to.... It makes me think that it's over, it isnt, This experience of what I am doing now, is just another experience of it all. 

I am only looking forward, and for all the doors to be walked through. 

2012-2013

http://www.ponokanews.com/community/185472891.html

Ponoka News had done an interview in regards to how I felt being featured in Dave Douglas's "Leading the Way Book" and a follow up on some of the projects I've been working on :) 

The Generation that Refuses to Give Up

The #idlenomore movement in Response to the passing of Bill C-45, makes me prouder than ever to be an Indigenous Women in a generation that is determined to make and demand change.

I was looking through my twitter, and following some updates of the #idlenomore, and It hit me, it was literally one of those comedic “light bulb” moments you see in cartoons.

The last week I was in Zambia, Women for Change was advocating and educating Women from every part of the country. The Women were coming together to stand up for their Basic Human Rights, and also Women’s Rights they've never been granted before.

While I was there, The Zambian Government released the first draft of a New Constitution (the last Constitution was from Colonial Times which was surpressed on Zambians)

Many Women’s groups, and NGO’s unified to put together a massive conference to unite Women to Educate ALL women, regardless of the tribe they were from, which Indigenous Language they spoke, how wealthy or non wealthy they were, there was no discrimination. Just Women to Women.

All of the Women came together, not only to get Educated about the Constitution, but to forward their recommendations for the Second draft. When the Conference was over, ALL the women, were unified in their stance in regards to the constitution.

This loops back to the relationship we have with our Brothers and Sisters across the World. Our Sisters in Zambia, took all the knowledge they learned at that conference, back home to Educate all the other women who could not attend.

 There was a day in Zambia, I asked the Creator why he sent me here, and I got one answer, “He sent you here to show you something”  Now I know what that something was. An example of how to mobilize and educate the people.

This relates to us here in Canada, because here we are, Chief Spence in her 21^st day of her Hunger Strike, and there are still many First Nations who may not fully understand what the movement is about. It is very complex to understand, there are many layers to peel back to fully grasp it’s complexity. You need to know what the treaties are, Indigenous Rights, and Human Rights, and how the Bill got to where it is today in terms of the Justice system.

I'm a fourth year University Student, and I still am researching about it,I know in my own community, there is a high percentage of the adult population that have literacy troubles, How do you expect them to fully understand, when we need to back up, and educate about the treaties first, before we explain how the Bill will be hindering protection of the land, or about the Sustainability of our Water.

I think about the Women’s Constitution Conference and how women from all walks of life, had united together to fight for their rights as Women. I never mention a problem, without ever having a solution to offer.

First Nations need to move forward with one unified response.The Conservative government will not listen, if all of our Chiefs have different responses, or critiques of the movement, we'll be disregarded once again, claiming, we don't know what we want.

  This is the Generation that refuses to give up

I think about the African Proverb:

 “If you think you are too small to make a difference, you have never spent a night with a mosquito”

#idlenmore

@ashleydennehy