I’m grateful this week for the learning opportunities. My week began with the weekly meeting with our exchange students. As usual, together we reviewed and discussed their lesson planning. This week they were looking at cultural scripts. This was a good segway into our conversation and learning with one of our Elders in Residence who kindly came to meet with us. I noted as we introduced ourselves, how much I/the students, followed cultural scripts that were focused on our role in context rather than who we are as humans. I noticed my own discomfort when I tried to introduce myself in a less colonial way, following the example of our Elder. Yet in changing my cultural script for introducing myself, I know I have an opportunity to create greater connections.

I always get so much out of meeting with our Elders and it was a moving experience for the students. We heard a creation story, and about the history of colonialism and residential schools in Canada, beyond what is available through ‘official’ sources. 

These messages were reinforced at the Vancouver Community College Teaching, Learning, and Research Online Symposium. The Keynote provided incredible insight into the effects of colonization on our way of being and the steps we can and need to take toward decolonization. Part of this includes how we create connections with others (for example in how we introduce ourselves, from the information we share to how we shake hands). Words that kept coming up at this conference were connection, relationship, vulnerability, cultural safety, and cultural humility. I’m pondering how to weave these ideas into the intercultural mission and vision to create a framework that fosters engagement and commitment to creating a truly inclusive space. I plan to explore the Decolonize First Workbook discussed at the Symposium for more ideas/insights. 

As I work on finding materials for the Motion Picture Foundation course, specifically the section on Indigenous Perspectives, I’m mindful of finding resources created by Indigenous humans. I particularly like this video called, “What non-Indigenous Canadians need to know.” 

In looking for resources on intercultural fluency, I’ve felt disheartened by some of what is available, that continues to promote western Anglo perspectives and still includes biases that we can and need to move on from. Again, this makes me reflect on where I might be making the same mistakes in my own work. I realize from attending this week’s Brave Space conversation on Ableism, that in my work promoting diversity, I have not given sufficient thought to considering issues from the perspective of differently-abled humans. 

As Michelangelo is quoted as saying: 

I am still learning