Ask Me Anything: National Indigenous History Month - Reconnecting with Identity
May 21, 2024 - Defence Stories
Featuring: Dylan Jenkins, Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Pat Stevens, and Vanessa Brousseau
Co-hosted by: Darlene Bess and Rob Chambers
Date and time: Wednesday, June 19, from 1:00 to 2:30 PM EST
Audience: Open to all Government of Canada employees
Link to join: Join the event
Caption
Thank you to our contributors from across the Public Service of Canada – National Defence, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Indigenous Services Canada, Public Service and Procurement Canada
MCs: Darlene Bess and Rob Chambers
Panellists: Dylan Jenkins, CPO 2 Pat Stevens, and Vanessa Brousseau
Production Team: Samantha Moonsammy, Lyrique Richards, Charlene Lal, Adele Dacres
Event description
In June, we commemorate National Indigenous History Month. During this month, we recognize the rich history, heritage, perseverance, and diversity of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across Canada.
Learning about the cultural and linguistic diversity as well as the contributions of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, places and experiences is a step forward each Canadian can take on the path to reconciliation.
In this month’s Ask Me Anything (AMA), we will honour National Indigenous History Month with a courageous conversation on Reconnecting with Identity. Join us as our speakers share their sincere stories and candid reflections on the Ask Me Anything stage!
About the Ask Me Anything series
This session is part of a series of Ask Me Anything discussions that give us a platform to share stories, listen, ask respectful questions and continue on our journey towards more inclusive organizations.
As an individual, you can’t necessarily change where you live. You certainly can’t change your past, but you can adjust who influences you—through the authors you read, the music you listen to, the movies you watch, and the interactions with your community. The ‘Ask Me Anything’ series provides you with an opportunity to increase your perspective — to learn from the lived experiences of individuals who are bravely sharing their stories to help educate and move the public service towards a culture where equity is embedded.
The series also provides an opportunity for you to know that you aren’t alone. These experiences, especially the negative ones, are systemic and can happen all too frequently throughout the public service. The objective of shining this light is to continually increase the network of public servants ready to take action and move forward toward a culture of inclusivity and belonging.
Meet our panellists and co-hosts here!
Mission: Ask Me Anything series
We recognize that individuals are composed of a multitude of layers that make us who we are. We do not fit easily in one box or another and we can’t be neatly counted. We represent the mosaic of Canada.
It is important that we find value in each other’s experiences, differences and unique characteristics. When we build our cultural competencies, we are able to work better together in our teams and respond to each other with relevance, empathy and compassion. By celebrating and sharing our authentic selves, we gain greater appreciation of each other and the diversity that surrounds us.
We know through diversity, that workplaces and communities are stronger, more successful and resilient. And most important, it creates spaces of inclusion and fosters a sense of belonging at work where people feel valued.
Visit our wiki page (accessible on the Defence network) to watch past episodes and continue your self-directed learning with our Resource Guides.