The truth can be elusive as much as it can be right in front of us. The truth can be all together liberating or controlling. The truth has a way to either stifle or reveal our resolve to come to terms with our ego. The truth can sometimes feel like an impediment, especially when we’re the obstacle. The truth in an instant can alter our lives like an earthquake or much like a quiet warm sunny day. The truth has roots as deep as ancient forests and as shallow as a tumbleweed. The truth, in its many forms, anchors our misgivings and sets us on a course to a truer sense of self-confidence. It is a necessary standard in this era of telling the truth about the many historical and present-day wrongs to be truthful, compassionate and dignified.
On Wednesday, September 21st, we were fortunate to host Omeasoo Wāhpāsiw, Dorothy Burn, April White, Jenny Gardipy, Darren Thompson, Jacob Hamilton, Nicki McCarthy, and Charles Nelson. Each of these great good people showed us all how to be truthful, compassionate and dignified. Despite the difficulties of their past, they also demonstrated an individual and shared resilience, a deep humility and a wry sense of humor about the human condition. It is a rare opportunity to witness people in a state of vulnerability and doubt, and rarer still to see people express with such openness in a very public setting.
For your courage, poise and many truths we offer our most sincere gratitude to all of you for participating in the first session of the Indigenous Speakers Series for this 2022 – 2023 academic year – We Are Children of Indian Residential School Survivors: Awakening Our Spirits, Our Purpose & Our Confidence. THANK YOU – Omeasoo, Dorothy, April, Jenny, Darren, Jacob, Nicki, and Charles.
If you have missed this important session, we invite you to watch the recording.
Derek Thompson – Thlaapkiituup
Indigenous Advisor