The REDI office works closely with Derek Thompson – Thlaapkiituup in his new role as the Director of Indigenous Engagement. Thlaapkiituup is from the diitiidʔaaʔtx̣ – Ditidaht First Nation, one of fourteen Nuuchahnulth Nations on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
The REDI team congratulates Derek Thompson – Thlaapkiituup, REDI’s inaugural Indigenous Initiatives Advisor, on his appointment as Director, Indigenous Engagement. In this role Derek will provide vision, strategic leadership and diplomacy in advancing the Faculty’s engagement with BC First Nations/Indigenous communities and organizations. Read the announcement by Dr. Mike Allard.
Derek is committed to establishing meaningful and mutually beneficial relations with BC First Nations/Indigenous communities and organizations to ensure reciprocity, cultural safety and collaborative partnerships to support our mutual commitment to engagement in the processes of Truth and Reconciliation as well as collaborative evaluation of the Faculty’s response the TRC Calls to Action.
The REDI team will continue to work closely with Derek to provide consultation and advice to the Strategic Pillar leads and Faculty leadership in the further development and implementation of the Faculty’s Response to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), supporting the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (“UNDRIP”) and the recommendations in the reports on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and In Plain Sight.
Derek spearheaded the Indigenous Speaker Series, one of the most widely attended series in the REDI office, which aims to continue and advance the conversation about truth-telling and reconciliation. Derek will continue the Indigenous Speaker Series for the upcoming academic year 2023-2024.
We are confident in Derek’s leadership and are excited that there will be new opportunities to build the relationships with BC First Nations/Indigenous communities and organizations that are essential to the process of reconciliation.
The REDI team is in the process of hiring two Equity Advisors who will continue the important work that Derek began in his time with REDI.