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Parts Known & Unknown: Exploring the Borders of Truth, Reconciliation and Redress

Every Child Matters

Parts Known & Unknown: Exploring the Borders of Truth, Reconciliation and Redress

W. Kamau Bell joined Anthony Bourdain in Kenya in what was to be the final season of the CNN series, Parts Unknown. Kamau has roots in Kenya and this was his first time travelling to the motherlands of his people, and he stated something that I thought was interesting. He said something like, “coming to Kenya, you know, it’s nice to have a diasporic-kind-of-connection, even though I did not come from Kenya, but I have roots in Kenya, and even if that frame that the connection was built through was colonialism.”

It made me think about what it would be like for someone like myself to travel to the ancestral homes of my people. Well, this is my home. Certainly, more than it is your home, and in this era of truth and reconciliation, it is now both my home as much as it is your home. I come from no other place in the world than from right here, diitiidʔaaʔtx̣ – Ditidaht, we are the Nuuchahnulth and the seas for miles of shoreline and all of the land on the western side of our Vancouver Island home, from Point No Point in the south to Brooks Peninsula in the north, is Nuuchahnulth territory, our haahuulthii.

In the conclusion of that episode with W. Kamau Bell in Parts Unknown, Tony narrates an epilogue, “Who gets to tell the stories? This is a question asked often. The answer in this case, for better or for worse, is I do, at least this time out. I do my best, I look, I listen, but in the end, I know it’s my story. Not Kamau’s, not Kenya’s, or Kenyans’. Those stories are yet to be heard.”

It’s important for colonial settlers, and for new settlers, to Canada to consider who you are and where you come from, and what it means to live in British Columbia, and to think about your own frame of reference as being truly Canadian, even if that frame that the connection was built through was colonialism. The context, the narrative, the history, the good or bad of it, the story of what it means to be Canadian is apart and a part of your individual and shared story as a British Columbian, as a Canadian, as an unwelcomed or welcomed colonial settler, and as a new settler. The stories that have yet to be heard, and are now starting in some ways to be told, is our story, my story, of what it means to be diitiidʔaaʔtx̣, to be Nuuchahnulth, to be First Nations, to be Indigenous, and to also be Canadian in this country and in this province.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a unique opportunity to bridge the divide of our individual and collective stories, our distinct and shared experiences, and our united effort to right and write a new history chaptered with the stories of a sincere determination to tell the truths of the past, to reaffirm and renew our commitments to reconcile all things oppressive, racist and insufferable, and to create an honest and just redress for all Indigenous – First Nations, Inuit, Métis – peoples. It would be momentous to proclaim someday that we all come from a country in which the frame that the connection was built through was equality, acceptance and compassion.

It’s fair to ask, “What will you do between October 1^st, 2022 and September 29^th, 2023, to recognize your part in this history, this story, and what will you actively do to shift the narrative?” We’re at an urgent time in our country’s history to thoughtfully and actively explore all parts known and unknown in our ongoing journey to come to terms with each other and with our past, and with the present day. I look forward to the work ahead this year, and I’ll look forward to us hearing each other’s stories next year and in the many years to come.

With Respect,

Derek Thompson – Thlaapkiituup
Indigenous Initiatives Advisor, Office of Respectful Environments, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

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“The time to make things happen is now. The time to seek out our individual and shared power is now.”

Read the Message from the Indigenous Initiatives Advisor, Derek Thompson – Thlaapkiituup, here

Discover REDI’s Indigenous-Specific Resources here

Welcome to REDI

Frybread Power: The Significance of Indigenous Empowerment, Pride & Resilience

Join us virtually on Wednesday, February 18^th, 2026, from 12:00–2:00 PM (PT), for an Indigenous Speakers Series session featuring Dr. Evan Tlesla Adams, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Public Health, First Nations Health Authority, host of The Conversation docuseries, and a member of the Tla’amin Nation. Learn about his journey in storytelling, medicine, and health-system transformation, which has shaped his vision for thriving Indigenous futures.

Topic | Frybread Power: The Significance of Indigenous Empowerment, Pride & Resilience

Date: Wednesday, February 18^th, 2026

Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (PT)

Live Stream & Recording | Register to receive the webcast link or access to the recording after the event.

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All REDI events are open to the public unless otherwise noted.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Evan Tlesla Adams, MPH, D.Litt. (VIU), Hon. F (DC), D.Litt. (TRU) | Tla’amin Nation

Proud Partner & Father
Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Public Health, First Nations Health Authority
Assessment Lead, The National Circle for Indigenous Medical Education
Acting Associate Dean, Indigenous Health, SFU School of Medicine
Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Faculty, School of Population and Public Health, UBC Faculty of Medicine
Host – The Conversation Docuseries
2024–25 Canadian Harkness Fellow in Health Care Policy and Practice, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa
Deputy Chief Medical Officer, First Nations & Inuit Health Branch, Health Canada, Indigenous Services Canada (2020–23)
Chief Medical Officer, First Nations Health Authority (2014–20)
Deputy Provincial Health Officer, Aboriginal Health, BC Ministry of Health (2012–14)
TD Insurance Spotlight on Achievement Award, Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine, The College of Family Physicians of Canada
King Charles III Coronation Medal | Contributing to and leading Indigenous public health and amplifying Indigenous voices (2024)
Indspire Award, Health | Indspire – Indigenous Education, Canada’s Future (2014)
Gemini Award for Best Performance or Host in a Variety Program or Series (2011)
Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance – Smoke Signals (1999)
Best Actor – American Indian Film Festival (1999)
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Film – First Americans in the Arts (1999)

**Dr. Evan Tlesla Adams’ bio**

Evan Tlesla Adams is a Coast Salish physician and actor from the Tla’amin First Nation near Powell River, B.C. He is perhaps best known for his role as Thomas Builds-the-Fire in the Miramax film Smoke Signals.

Dr. Adams completed his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Calgary and a residency in the Aboriginal Family Practice program at UBC in Vancouver. He holds a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Adams served as the Deputy Provincial Health Officer for B.C. (2012–2014), the Chief Medical Officer of the First Nations Health Authority (2014–2020), and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Indigenous Services Canada (2020–2023).

He was a Harkness Fellow (2024–25) at the John A. Burns School of Medicine in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, and is currently the Assessment Lead for the National Circle for Indigenous Medical Education (NCIME) in Canada. On a personal note, Evan is married to Allan, and they have six children.

Description

Written by Derek K Thompson – Čaabať Bookwilla | Suhiltun , Director, Indigenous Engagement

Dr. Evan Adams is a household name in Indian country, and his alias Thomas Builds-The-Fire captured our collective attention and imagination with his catchphrase, “Hey Victor!” This simple phrase reignited deeper conversations in our communities about who we are and where we come from, about storytelling, memory, reconciliation, and the irony and sincerity of our relationships to one another as Indigenous peoples. Evan and his extraordinary determination are an equal measure of inspiration and admiration for First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and Indigenous peoples to take up the call to come to terms with each other, to heal with each other, to hold each other up, and to anchor our identities to a meaningful purpose.

Dr. Adams has been instrumental in creating and leading processes of transformative change in health systems and related services for Indigenous peoples. He has been key in advising leadership in B.C., across Canada, and around the world on how to prioritise and advance Indigenous health and related services. Evan is instrumental in leading The Conversation, an empowering docuseries where substance use survivors, their families, and their friends engage in raw and emotive conversations about their lives, addiction, and how they found a pathway to healing.

We are honoured and thrilled to welcome Dr. Evan Adams to the Indigenous Speakers Series for this inspiring and insightful conversation. We’ll talk about his life and the pride he has for his family and community, and his career that has emboldened us as Indigenous people to define the significance of empowerment, pride, and resilience. We will talk about what he’s currently doing and what he has planned for the future, and what his past has meant to him in an era of telling our many truths and reconciling the many relationships in our lives, as Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians.

Moderator

Derek K Thompson – Čaabať Bookwilla | Suhiltun, Director, Indigenous Engagement

What Will I Learn?

You will learn from a unique perspective on what it means to lead transformative change in relation to health systems transformation in the context of truth and reconciliation.

Continue Learning

“The time to make things happen is now. The time to seek out our individual and shared power is now.”

Discover more about REDI’s Indigenous Speakers Series here

Find REDI’s Indigenous-Specific Resources here

Research Voices from the Field with Chelsey Perry

Research Voices from the Field is a new feature that showcases cutting-edge research that breaks barriers and promotes inclusion in medicine. Each edition spotlights a research publication and includes insights directly from the authors—revealing their motivations, the significance of their findings, and why the research matters for healthcare professionals everywhere.

In this edition, Chelsey Perry, a Nisga’a First Nation scholar, a PhD candidate in the Department of Medicine, and researcher at the Indigenous Equity Lab, reflect on why they co-authored “‘Our bodies are sacred… the information we share with healthcare providers is sacred’: Envisioning the future of culturally safe healthcare systems for Indigenous women, Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer and gender diverse peoples”— a compelling call for current and future health-care providers to reflect on what culturally safe care can and should be.

In this edition, Chelsey Perry, a Nisga’a First Nation scholar, a PhD candidate in the Department of Medicine, and researcher at the Indigenous Equity Lab, reflect on why they co-authored “‘Our bodies are sacred… the information we share with healthcare providers is sacred’: Envisioning the future of culturally safe healthcare systems for Indigenous women, Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer and gender diverse peoples”— a compelling call for current and future health-care providers to reflect on what culturally safe care can and should be.

Read Chelsey Perry‘s bio

Chelsey Perry, MSc (she/they)

Chelsey Perry, MSc (she/they) is a citizen of the Nisg̱a’a First Nation registered through the village of Gingolx in the Northern BC. She currently lives, works, and learns on the traditional unceded homelands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and Səl̓ílwətaɬ Nations. Chelsey is an Indigiqueer PhD (c) in the Department of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. At the Indigenous Equity Lab, Chelsey’s research focuses on Indigenous health, gender equity, 2SLGBTQQIA+ health, sexual and reproductive health, rematriation, climate justice, and health policy. Chelsey is on the National Steering Committee for Indigenous Climate Action, an executive committee member for the Nisg̱a’a Ts’amiks Dancers, a Nisg̱a’a dancer, and an artist.

“Our bodies are sacred… the information we share with healthcare providers is sacred” is rooted in lived experience, relationship, and responsibility. As a BC First Nations community member, scholar, and student, I have seen, in my own life and through the stories shared by Indigenous women, Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer, and gender-diverse community members, how healthcare spaces are often unsafe, dismissive, and deeply harmful. These experiences shape not only how people move through healthcare systems, but whether they seek care, how much they feel able to share, and whether they leave feeling held or harmed.

Foundational documents such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People, and the In Plain Sight report in British Columbia all clearly name Indigenous-specific racism in healthcare as a determinant of health. Internationally, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples affirms Indigenous Peoples’ rights to health, dignity, culture, and self-determination, yet there often remains a gap between what has been named and what has been meaningfully changed within our health systems. This article responds to calls to action and justice from foundational documents by centering Indigenous voices as sources of wisdom, vision, and possibility. As part of a larger study called Amplify, the research created space for Indigenous participants to gather through art-making, storytelling, and sharing circle protocols guided by Indigenous Elders. In that space, people spoke about experiences in healthcare and their dreams for the future of healthcare that is rooted in relationality and where Indigenous bodies, identities, and health are treated as sacred.

I co-first authored this work alongside my supervisor, Dr. Brittany Bingham, and our relationship as two BC First Nations women is central to why and how this article exists. Indigenous mentorship is not simply academic guidance; it is relational, intergenerational, and grounded in care. Writing this paper together was an intentional act of Indigenous-led scholarship, shaped by trust, reciprocity, and shared accountability to community. As a Nisg̱a’a student working alongside a shíshálh health leader, we carry distinct teachings from our Nations, yet we are connected through shared responsibilities to land, to our communities, and to those who will come after us. That relationship shaped how this work was held, how stories were witnessed, and how knowledge was carried forward.

For those in medicine, this article is an invitation to understand the ancestral wisdom Indigenous women, Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer, and gender diverse Peoples carry and our dreams of what relational health could look and feel like. It asks readers to consider cultural safety not as a checklist or training requirement, but as an ethical practice rooted in humility, reflection, and relationship. It challenges healthcare systems to move beyond generalized equity approaches and to recognize Indigenous Peoples as distinct rights-holders whose sovereignty and knowledge systems must meaningfully shape medical education, policy, and practice.

‘Our bodies are sacred… the information we share with healthcare providers is sacred’: Envisioning the future of culturally safe healthcare systems for Indigenous women, Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer and gender diverse peoples

Authors: Brittany Bingham^a,c,1 ∙ Chelsey Perry^b,c,1 ∙ Sasha Askarian^c ∙ Logan Burd^c,d ∙ Dionne Paul^c ∙ Elder Roberta Price^a,c

Abstract

Purpose

In Canada, the First Nations, Métis and Inuit have historically experienced – and continue to experience – significant challenges associated with accessing equitable and safe healthcare that is rooted in racism and stigma against Indigenous peoples. Previous research demonstrates a lack of culturally safe and accessible health services available to Indigenous peoples. This study sought to understand Indigenous women, Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer and gender diverse (IW2SIQGD) peoples’ visions and dreams of what equitable and culturally safe healthcare spaces could look and feel like by utilising Indigenous art-based methods of inquiry and the power of storytelling.

Methods

The three art-based workshops occurred on the traditional and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations (Vancouver, British Columbia). The first workshop involved host nation protocol, a meal and discussing art as a method of storytelling. The second workshop focused on making moccasins. During the third workshop, participants continued working on their moccasins and an Elder led a 2-hour semi-structured sharing circle. Participants were asked questions about their dreams of what equitable and culturally safe healthcare spaces could look and feel like.

Main findings

The wisdom and recommendations of IW2SIQGD peoples were categorised into five broad themes related to Indigenous experiences of accessing healthcare and their perspectives on what culturally safe healthcare should look and feel like: 1) Connecting to ancestral knowledge; 2) Cultural safety, humility and anti-racism; 3) Our bodies, identities and health are sacred; 4) Relationality; and 5) Envisioning the future. The practical knowledges drawn from the vibrant dreams of IW2SIQGD peoples emphasise the necessity and value of Indigenous-led healthcare systems. Indigenous knowledges and ways of being are the medicine we need to see reflected in healthcare systems.

Principal conclusion

When Indigenous peoples’ voices are amplified, their ancestral knowledge becomes the medicine that needs to be seen in healthcare spaces. It was witnessed throughout this study that Indigenous art is a rigorous research method. It is recommended that all healthcare providers be trained in culturally safe, trauma-informed and gender-informed care practices. Healthcare bodies are urged to uplift Indigenous voices in the creation of culturally safe clinical guidelines, health policy in British Columbia and Canada, and invest in accountability measures within health systems to eliminate Indigenous-specific racism.

Have you’ve published or come across valuable research on the praxis of REDI in medicine? Share it today.

We especially welcome submissions of research articles that explore equity, diversity, inclusion, justice, decolonization, Indigenization, or trauma-informed practices in medicine and healthcare.

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Engaging Values, Shifting Culture: Evidence-Based Approaches to Frame Messages that Inspire Enduring Change

Are you a leader looking to foster connection with your community? A faculty member navigating complex conversations? A staff member interested strengthening inclusion? A clinician trying to offer meaningful feedback? A communicator drafting an EDI-related message?

Watch a recording for an It Starts With Us session with Mark Chenery, Co-Founder and Director of Common Cause Australia. Mark facilitated training on the Common Cause Values and Frames Fundamentals—an evidence-based approach designed for healthcare professionals, educators, leaders, and staff who want to communicate in ways grounded in shared human values. Whether you’re a leader guiding your community through challenging times, a faculty member facilitating complex discussions, a communicator crafting sensitive messages, or a clinician providing meaningful feedback, you’ll learn how to frame messages that foster connection, reduce polarization, and strengthen shared commitment to justice, equity, decolonization, Indigenization, and inclusion (JEDII).

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Learn About the Master Class

Topic | Engaging Values, Shifting Culture: Evidence-Based Approaches to Frame Messages that Inspire Enduring Change

Date: Monday, January 26, 2026

Time: 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM (PT)

Live Stream & Recording | Register to receive the webcast link or access to the recording after the event.

All REDI events are open to the public unless otherwise noted.

Speaker Bio

Mark Chenery,
Co-founder & Director, Common Cause Australia

Mark Chenery is a communications expert and trainer who works with mission driven organisations to incorporate a values-based approach to community engagement.

His background includes advertising and journalism and heading up the community engagement program of an international human rights organisation in Australia.

Since establishing Common Cause Australia in 2014, Mark and his colleagues have trained thousands of campaigners, communicators and fundraisers from Australia and beyond in the science of values and framing.

His research and training has changed the way many Australian and international mission driven organisations as well as government departments and agencies engage with the public on social justice, health and environmental issues.

web: commoncause.com.au
email: mark@commoncause.com.au
twitter: mark_chenery

Description

Shifting culture requires more than policies; it requires messages that resonate. Learning to ground EDI communication—in teaching, leading, and everyday interactions—in shared human values is key to creating lasting change. Join us for a virtual Common Cause Values and Frames Fundamentals training, an evidence-based session designed for healthcare professionals, educators, leaders, and staff who want to communicate in ways that resonate with our deepest, self-transcendent values.

Common Cause has partnered with universities and healthcare organizations around the world to help leaders, educators, and practitioners shift culture and drive meaningful social change. Their engaging workshops combine research with real-world examples from healthcare, education, and EDI—offering practical tools to strengthen your impact.

In this training, you will explore:

How human values shape behaviour—and why they matter.
Communication strategies that motivate enduring cultural change without triggering backlash.
How to frame programs, messages, initiatives, lessons, and conversations so they build support for justice, equity, decolonization, Indigenization, and inclusion (JEDII).

This training is especially relevant if you are:

A leader sending a message to your community during a difficult or polarized time—seeking to prevent division and keep people working toward a shared goal.
A faculty member facilitating a challenging classroom discussion on equity, Indigenous health, or systemic injustice.
A communicator drafting a website update or institutional announcement on sensitive issues.
A clinical faculty member delivering feedback to residents in a way that resonates and motivates growth.
A leader or speaker offering opening remarks or framing a land acknowledgement—and wanting to do so in a way that is authentic, engaging, and meaningful rather than perfunctory or formulaic.

Follow-up Master Class

If there is sufficient interest, participants who attend the training (or watch the recording on our website) will be invited to join a follow-up Master Class composed of two small-group sessions (3 hours each, virtual). Each Master Class will be limited to up to 15 participants and tailored for specific audiences—educators, clinicians, communicators, or leaders.

Working in groups of five, participants will apply values-based messaging principles to real scenarios, drafting communications they can take back to their workplaces. These sessions are designed to deepen your learning and provide practical opportunities to embed these strategies into your day-to-day work. Please indicate your interest when you register.

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New Year, New You: REDI’s New Year Book List

Explore a compilation of books that have deeply inspired the REDI team in their work. Immersing yourself in the stories, lived experiences, and perspectives of individuals from various historically marginalized groups can foster empathy, understanding, and even aid in mitigating bias in your teaching and clinical practice.