The founder of ‘We Day’ and a former prime minister have teamed up to talk about Aboriginal rights, culture and experiences in Canada.
‘We Stand Together’ is an awareness-raising campaign inviting First Nations teenagers to work with other teenagers, building ties between communities.
Craig Kielburger, who co-founded youth initiative ‘We Day’ and Paul Martin, who now heads up the Martin Aboriginal Educational Initiative, are working together to take the folkloric lens off the camera.
Ojibway, Metis, Mohawk and Canadian students are all working together on partnership projects, planning sports together and using social media to spread the word.
“They take they're learning and determine what are their next steps, advocacy, fundraising, or volunteerism, continue to raise awareness in their communities about these issues,” said Kielburger.
Martin said students don't learn enough about First Nations people in school, and he's working to change that.
“We started out with 400-odd and now close to 850, and it's all the schools that want us to come, that's what's so spectacular about it,” said Martin.
“I refer to it as a native renaissance, an awakening on indigenous issues,” said Nadine St-Louis of the Ashukan Cultural Space, where the event we held Wednesday,
Any schools interested can visit we.org for action plans and get involved.
“I’m trying to keep our language and culture alive, because it’s endangered, because there are not that many people that are fluent speakers and who know the whole story,” said Jayden Diabo of the Kahnawake Survival School.
