Part XV. Sept 30. 2024. Transitions. Reflections from (what I hope is) a Social Impact Thoughtful Mentor.

My purpose is to support people and organizations as they seek to do good, better! Especially during periods of transitions. Please reach out if you need support in these areas.

Follow up from the request for feedback on these posts: thank you to everyone who shared your comments. One piece of feedback was to put the post edition and date first so people can easily determine if they have read it before or not. Thank you for that! And for reading and engaging with these posts.

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Photo explanation. On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation I am sharing the Moose Hide Campaign pins with the men in my life so that they can demonstrate their commitment to honour, respect and protect the women and children in their life, especially Indigenous women and children.

Should you wish to do the same, you can order the pins here .

#1. Book - Five Little Indians. One way to be an effective ally to Indigenous peoples is to do the work of understanding the experience of Residential School Survivors. The book Five Little Indians by Michelle Good , it a difficult but compelling read on those experiences. I just read it and highly recommend it.

#2. Language Matters - Stakeholders. In my work we use the word "stakeholders " on a daily basis. It is designed to be an inclusive term that involves people with an interest in the topic we are addressing. However, in a colonial context, a stakeholder was the person who drove a stake into the land to demarcate the land they were taking from Indigenous peoples. There are lots of other words we can use in its place, like "interested parties" or "those impacted by the issue".

What word or phrase are you using instead of "stakeholder"?

#3. Gratitude - Dr. Melanie Goodchild. Over the years I have had the honour and privilege to work with and learn from many Indigenous colleagues but today I want to recognize one - Melanie Goodchild who I have not only learned from in a professional context but a personal one as well. She was a great source of comfort to me after the loss of my mother, explaining how in her tradition, they would set a place at the dinner table for the person who had died, keeping them present for as long as it was needed. It truly helped with my grief.

We have so much to learn from the Indigenous peoples of the world, here's hoping you seek out that wisdom in your work and life.

#NDTRC #TruthandReconciliation #OrangeShirtDay #EveryChildMatters #LanguageMatters Moose Hide Campaign #FiveLittleIndians HarperCollins Canada Melanie Goodchild