Nip-Rock High Students Walk in ‘Stand Up Against Racism’ Event at Confederation College
Student Ashley Nurmela (right) leads the silent walk around Confederation College’s Shuniah building as part of the ‘Stand Up Against Racism’ event. Submitted photo
The event welcomed members from the community, College community and secondary schools. Submitted photo
THUNDER BAY, ON – Second-year students in the Native Child & Family Services program at Confederation College responded to the racism in the community with a “Stand Up” silent protest event, which took place today. This is the second year this event has been organized by students. In 2015, it was created to specifically address racially motivated Facebook posts targeting the Aboriginal community.
In an effort to Stand Up in Unity against Racism, the College community and community at large were invited to join the class as they participated in a walk around the Shuniah building on campus following some opening announcements.
“Our goal is to be the voices for the many who feel they do not have one, who have lost their voice, or who cannot stand up on their own,” said Ashley Nurmela, one of the second-year students from the Native Child & Family Services program. “This event is our way to respectfully challenge the racism taking place in our community and ultimately, our way to play a part in creating a better tomorrow for our families.”
Confederation College President Jim Madder reflected on the efforts of the students responsible for the event. “We are proud to support the initiatives of our students. We applaud Ashley and the rest of the second-year Native Child & Family Services class for their continued courage to stand up for what they believe in. Their event and message builds on Confederation College’s culture of respect., which has been a priority for us for many years.”
Guests were encouraged to wear red or white, and many purchased event t-shirts and other branded items to show their support. Proceeds from the sale of these items will be used to create a bursary for an Aboriginal student attending Confederation College. These items will continue to be available for purchase by ordering through ABC Embroidery at info@abcembroider.com.
Special guests of the event include Councillor and Acting Mayor Joe Virdiramo, City of Thunder Bay’s Aboriginal Liaison Ann Magiskan, Donna Gagnon from Aroland First Nation and Elder Sam Achneepineskum. With overwhelming response from the community, the event saw an incredible amount of support. In addition to the special guests, the event also welcomed members of the Guardian Angels and several local high schools. Nipigon-Red Rock District High School traveled to Thunder Bay to join in, and many members from the Confederation College community and community at large also participated.
New this year, a collaboration with Lakehead University will help spread the “Stand Up” message even further in the community. Lakehead University will host a KAIROS Blanket Exercise on April 22 from 1:00-3:00pm in the Agora Circle on campus. The exercise is an interactive learning experience that teaches about the history of Indigenous rights. It was developed in response to the 1996 Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, which recommended education on Canadian-Indigenous history as one of the key steps to reconciliation. The Blanket Exercise covers over 500 years of history in a one-and-a-half hour participatory workshop, helping to effectively educate and increase empathy among participants. Members of the community are welcome to attend.
Nurmela plans to see the annual “Stand Up” silent protest and related events continue to grow in the future. She extends her deepest gratitude to the community for its incredible support.
