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After joining the Board in 2020, Sandra Hucalak has deepened her understanding and appreciation of the work REACH does. “I learned a lot about the breadth and scope of the organizations in the first year,” says Sandra. ”I found it inspiring to be immersed in some of the issues and challenges facing the community and see the role of reach as a convener.” While Sandra was already familiar with the work of REACH, her service on the board has given her a deeper view of the community-level efforts happening across the city.  “Coming into the board as a volunteer, you only know what you’ve read,” she says. “But in participating in discussions and hearing presentations, I’ve been quite moved by the opportunity to walk with giants. There are incredible people who are quietly doing extraordinary work in the community.” Sandra has served in senior leadership roles in her career for the past 25 years, bringing her valuable leadership and business expertise to the REACH board. She has experience working in the key area of bridging the divide between essential systems and vulnerable populations. In partnership with Boyle Street Community Services she led the creation of Canada’s first biometric bank in Edmonton, for citizens who are homeless or living in poverty. This service provided vulnerable people with much needed security for their money, while addressing the unique systemic barriers to accessing banking services in this community. “I’m able to bring that level of expertise from the business and communications perspectives,” she says. “As someone who has spent a great portion of my career in health care, issues and challenges, I’m happy to be able to support the organization as we tackle some really tough issues.” Serving on a board is a unique volunteering opportunity for a variety of reasons.  “I’ve always loved being part of volunteer boards,” says Sandra. “They have incredible strength in that they’re able to bring diverse groups together while creating an opportunity to be real pillars in the community.” Serving on a board is also an opportunity to gain leadership skills, share learnings and support the next generation of leaders in the community. It’s an opportunity to meet other people who care about community issues, expand networks and be a part of tackling the city’s complex issues.. “Personally I feel it’s a real privilege to participate and contribute to the REACH Board,” says Sandra.  “I’m really passionate about the incredible work this organization does in the community. REACH is tackling some of the city of Edmonton's most challenging issues.”

For Lux, serving on the Board for REACH Edmonton is all about giving back. “I’m originally from the Calgary area but Edmonton is just a better fit for me,” they say. “Now that I’ve made this my chosen community, I want to give back.”  Lux joined the board in 2021, with an interest in learning more about executive leadership and expanding their knowledge and connections in the non-profit and social serving sector.  They are also excited about learning more about strategic planning on longer term scales.  Professionally, they manage the Family Resource Network for C5 in the North East of the city.  “Being a part of the REACH board allows me to learn more about those pieces,” says Lux.  “I think backbone agencies are needed in the sector,” they say. “There are so many doing the work but sometimes the work overlaps or there aren’t enough agencies supporting behind the scenes by recognizing gaps, doing research, and bringing people together to work collaboratively with the community.”  “This is something REACH does really well and it’s an important aspect of community work,” they add.  With two decades of experience working in social serving agencies and education, Lux has a strong understanding of the communities REACH’s partnerships often aim to serve.   “As a gender-diverse person of colour, I see safety differently,” says Lux. “I don’t speak about safety the same way, I just see the issue differently.”  Volunteers are an essential part of what keeps Edmonton running, and boards are a part of that.  “It’s about recognizing what gifts you have to give too the community and what are the best ways to use those gifts,” says Lux “A big part of why I wanted to join the board is that representation matters. In a lot of places of leadership on boards there aren’t a lot of people of colour or gender diversity, so instead of just complaining, I thought I could be a part of that representation.”

The social and economic challenges facing Edmonton’s core neighbourhoods are both complex and interconnected. A new approach to providing an on-street presence in Business Improvement Areas (BIA) is being piloted that aims to address the relationship between vulnerable Edmontonians and struggling business-owners who share the same neighbourhood. YEGAmbassadors, a collaborative partnership between the North Edge Business Association, the City of Edmonton, The Mustard Seed and REACH Edmonton,  now features a specific two-person Community Safety Ambassador Team. This team aims to create more positive connections between businesses and vulnerable neighbours through relationship building, information sharing, and increasing connections to business supports or social services depending on the needs. Starting in the Fall of 2020 through to the Spring of 2021 the #YEGAmbassador partners, the Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA) and Boyle Street Community Services came together to prototype a street engaged Community Safety Ambassador model. The aim was to learn what was needed for business and the community to address the increased vulnerability everyone is experiencing due to COVID. Key lessons that came out of this were that the model  could not be traditional outreach work but required a balanced approach to engage with business community members and social agencies, given the increased vulnerability everyone is addressing due to COVID. Businesses need consistent, uninterrupted, coordinated help to manage priority issues related to their lack of perceived safety and drug related activity that create fear for staff and customers. Establishing these relationships requires time and continuity. Stronger coordination and connection to City services, community organizations, program initiatives and enforcement may lead to more appropriate response to business needs. The Community Safety Ambassadors, Kaleigh Greidanus and Raelene Goulet, are supporting businesses to develop capacity and engagement with their local community. They are proud of their new roles,and feel honoured to support both vulnerable Edmontonians and vulnerable businesses who often share spaces in the same neighbourhoods.  “ Having worked in the downtown core and built relationships with people in the community, I have been able to learn more about how complex and diverse the needs of this community are,” says Kaleigh. “ Everyone has such unique experiences, and therefore everyone needs different levels of support. I’ve tried to translate that mentality towards supporting the businesses as well. Each business faces its own unique set of challenges and for that reason the support they need from us will vary.”  While the team is still quite new, they’ve already started some innovative projects aimed at connecting business owners and community members in a positive way.  One way the community safety ambassadors work to support these two groups is by providing care packages for businesses to hand out to individuals in crisis. “We started out thinking we’re here to support small businesses in helping them solve their challenges and found that their main challenge has been communication and being able to have positive interactions with people facing homelessness,” says Sami Ayyaz,   Some of the challenges businesses face on a daily basis include: loitering, excessive litter, people sleeping around businesses, theft, and crisis situations that cause disturbances. The team found that care packages are a good way to de-escalate the situation.  “People may just be agitated because they’re cold, hungry or can’t get somewhere,” says Sami.  The packages include things like bus tickets, water, granola bars, mittens, and hats.  “It’s just a way to get a conversation going,” he says. “They can offer them something and possibly even create a positive relationship between the business owner and the vulnerable person. We’ve already distributed about ten care packages to businesses who were interested and the reception has been really good.” The team is also exploring new training approaches that could be offered to businesses to help them navigate these complex situations, build relationships and enhance people's sense of safety.  “A lot of these businesses are hanging on by a thread, and unexpected expenses caused by vandalism or theft could impact on their livelihood,” says Sami. The team is also engaging with businesses to connect those interested with nasal naloxone kits, in partnership with Alberta Health Services and George Spady, as well as training on how to use the overdose-reversal medication The team is already deeply committed to creating connections between these two groups who need more support. “The pandemic is really impacting marginalized communities,” says Kaleigh. “It’s so important that these folks can share their stories and feel loved and heard. There are a lot of businesses that are already socially active and engaging with the vulnerable community, so we get to build off their great work and inspire other businesses to do the same.” Community Safety YEGAmbassadors is a collaborative partnership between the North Edge Business Association, the City of Edmonton, The Mustard Seed and REACH Edmonton.

While the Edmonton Public Library and Canadian Native Friendship Centre have been partnering on Cree language classes for years, shifting the classes online during the pandemic has resulted in an explosion of interest in the program. “When Covid hit and we shut down the library branches and started offering virtual classes,  demand for it increased because it was so accessible online,” says Andrew Halbertstadt, Manager of the Londonderry and McConachie branches of the Edmonton Public Library. “Attendance and registration skyrocketed. We started getting people attending from all over the place.” Because of the increased demand, a second class was added.  Beginner classes happen on Tuesdays, with more intermediate students gathering on Wednesdays.  While registration for each class maxes out at 50, new students are still being welcomed from the waiting list, as not everyone who registers for the sessions always ends up attending.  The classes run from October to May, but new students are welcome to join at any time.  “I’ve been letting people in each week since October from the wait list. Not everyone ends up attending but the attendance ratio is still quite high compared to other classes we offer,” says Andrew. “People are committed, which is great to see.”  While joining mid-season can present some extra challenges, students who join late often do quite well if they persevere, because of the higher level of immersion in the language. “We keep it open because we want it to be as inclusive as possible,” says Andrew. Because the Cree classes have been so well received, the Canadian Native Friendship Centre and EPL are partnering to offer Stoney language classes as well.  Leslie Skinner has been teaching the Cree classes for nearly 9 years, after attending them himself to regain his language.  He aims to create a community among the students, as well as preserve the language and the traditional knowledge it holds.  “One thing about our language is it’s kinship based,” he says. “So in the class, part of our goal is to build a bit of kinship and community as we’re learning. We try to make it a welcoming environment because we’re trying to build that community in learning.” The culture itself is embedded in the language, as well as knowledge about how to live on the land in a traditional way.  Even in a simple thing like a place name, like Grande Prairie, or maskotêw  (ᒪᐢᑯᑌᐤ)  in Cree, means ‘a prairie that was created by fire.’ From that name, we know we used to do prescribed burning,” says Leslie. “So there’s knowledge like that in the language.” Other examples include exceptionally specific words for tracking, hunting, tanning, or assessing what kinds of trees provide wood that is easier to work with. In addition to survival skills and land stewardship, the language contains the values of the culture, and how to live together in a healthy way.  “There’s knowledge in the language about how we treat each other, our traditional way of life, our kinship with the rest of creation,” he says. “The language is more adapted to the land, it orients you more to the land. It’s not that you learn the language and then learn about the land, they happen together and feed into each other.” While the classes are a way for Indigenous people to reconnect to their culture, Leslie says it’s also important for non-Indigenous people to learn as well.  “For non-native people, it’s important to the survival of the language because in order for the language to survive we have to be able to speak it in our day to day lives,” he says. “And If you want to get an understanding of who native people are, how we treat each other, and get to know us, language is the deepest way you can do that.”  For more information about Cree classes, or to register, click here: https://epl.bibliocommons.com/events/search/q=cree%20classes&fq=branch_location_id:(BC_VIRTUAL)   For Stoney language classes, click here: https://epl.bibliocommons.com/events/search/q=Stoney%20Language&fq=branch_location_id:(BC_VIRTUAL)

When the Edmonton Emergency Relief Services Society (EERSS) closed its doors at the end of September, a gap in services was left for many newcomers to Canada.  The Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers (EMCN) knew that many of its clients were relying on EERSS to get settled in their new lives in Canada, so they decided to fill that gap.  “The idea came when EERSS closed their doors. We had already had a partnership with them,” says Dalia Abdellatif, Emergency Relief Connector at EMCN.  At the beginning of November, EMCN opened the Don Baergen Donation Centre to help the new refugees.  “At the time EMCN didn’t have any sources to help their clients get essential goods or gather donations so we thought about opening a small donation centre so we can help our clients,” says Dalia.   Donations have already started coming in since the space has been opened at EMCN, but more donations are always needed. “We’ve only been open for a month and have been helping approximately 30 families,” she says.  “We have household items, clothes, bedding, pillows, shoes, all the winter gear.  Most of the newcomers, especially if they come in the winter, they struggle to adapt to the temperature and the weather,” says Dalia.  Many of the newcomers being served are refugees. “Some of them have jackets, but they’re from back home not going to work in freezing temperatures, so they need good winter jackets,” says Dalia. The donation centre, located at EMCN at [ADDRESS HERE], is still in need of household items and winter gear for immigrants and refugees arriving in Edmonton.  “These donations are important because newcomers, when they arrive, some of them they don’t have anything,” she says. “They left everything behind, especially the refugees. They don’t have the money to buy all the things you need to start your new life, so a little bit of help at the beginning makes them feel welcome in the community.”   The donations not only meet a practical need but show newcomers that Canadians are glad they are here, and want them to succeed. “I always tell them the donations are from the community,” she says. “ So they know that the community is welcoming them to their new homes.” To make a donation to the Don Baergen Donation Centre, contact Dalia at [email protected] .

Of all the Canadians living with HIV, 14% of them don’t even know it.    A new cross-country partnership is aiming to change that.   I’m Ready To Know is a national project focused on implementing, scaling-up and evaluating low-barrier options for access to HIV self-testing.    “We want to reach the undiagnosed and give people choices about how to connect to the care they need,” says Antonio Bavaro, Peer Navigator with the I’m Ready Talk Program. “The flagship initiative, the I’m Ready research program, is distributing 50,000 free HIV self-testing kits across Canada while inviting self-testers to connect care and anonymously share their results.”    “Through this research project we’re providing all Canadians with free access to three at-home, rapid tests to screen for HIV.    Reach Nexus and Unity Health, part of St Michael's Hospital in Toronto, are working together to bring this innovative technology to all Canadians.    “Community Based Research Centre is one of several organizations involved in the rollout of the program which launched on May 18. Although the CBRC is based in Vancouver, Edmonton’s Men’s Health Collective and their Peer-N-Peer program operate under their rainbow umbrella,” says Bavaro.   While the testing service is available to all Canadians, the project is putting extra focus on connecting with marginalized communities.    “This is an avenue to introduce people with systemic barriers to services to the supports that are available so we can take an active role in trying to work with these populations more directly and shrink this gap in health care equity,” says Bavaro.    Access to treatment and counselling, the first point of access for community care is usually through the STI/AIDS test. Because of this, they want to focus on people who are proven to be facing additional barriers to care. This includes newcomers to Canada, Indigenous people, LGBTQ2S+, people who are living with disabilities or struggling with poverty. They might not know exactly what support they can access.    This way, the test serves two purposes: know if you are HIV positive, and receive support regardless of what the results of the test are.    Through the I’m Ready app, clients can book an appointment either on the phone, face to face, or via video chat. They can also skip the intake process and call the program directly if they don’t want to fill out the survey that compiles the research data.    “Your privacy is protected and all this information will be destroyed when the research is complete,” said Bavaro.   Stigma and privacy concerns are real barriers to people from all walks of life and class levels getting tested.    Kamoi Lyngo, a Cultural Navigator with the REACH Immigrant and Refugee Initiative has seen access to home-testing make a real difference.    “I worked with a team that did remote testing back home in Jamaica and it was very effective,” says Lyngo.    “As a navigator primarily serving the newcomer LGBTQ community, I provide support to my community and do referrals to the STI clinic here in Edmonton,” says Lyngo.    “People will often ask if there is an option to do it more privately because they are afraid of being seen at the clinic, but previously this was not an option. “I can personally see this being positively received by the community.”   Bavaro says every effort to overcome systemic barriers to testing and care has been made.   “Anyone with an address or P.O Box can receive these discrete kits. If you don’t have either of these, you can pick up a kit in person at one of our partner organizations [Hyperlink: https://www.readytoknow.ca/ready-get-a-kit/pickup-locations/  .”    More information about the program can be found at   https://www.readytoknow.ca/  .

Some things can only be learned through experience. In co-creating the 2021 Police and Youth Engagement Program (PYEP), six youth coordinators discovered this for themselves, learning valuable skills while connecting with local police.  From August 9 to 13, 42 high school youth from ethnocultural communities gathered in person to participate in programming that was created by youth coordinators.  Youth coordinators are natural leaders, selected within their communities and hired for the summer.  PYEP strengthens their leadership skills and builds their capacity and confidence to connect with police. “I gained a lot from being a youth coordinator,” says Youel, a coordinator with PYEP. I learned leadership and public speaking skills. We did a lot of training. It helped me lead activities and presentations, and was especially helpful with my job of managing the volunteers.” In addition to learning organizational and leadership skills, the program also gave the youth the opportunity to learn about policing as a sworn and civilian member.  “This program changed the way I see the police. I loved the smiles on everybody’s faces when we had the police here,” says Shane, a coordinator with the program this year. “That’s the part that gave me the most joy. No matter where you are, many people have a negative view on the police, especially people of colour, so to see the youth having these moments, engaging and making connections of their own was really enlightening.” Many youths said their experiences with the program changed the way they see the police in Edmonton, an effect that organizers know the youth bring home to their parents and their larger communities. “I asked them a lot of questions about the law and it made me feel less afraid of the police because I felt comfortable,” says Yasmin, a youth coordinator. “One of the most surprising things I learned is that I shouldn’t be afraid of the police.” PYEP is supported by the Edmonton Police Service, Edmonton Police Foundation and Canada Summer Jobs.

For two weeks in October, the outdoor rink at the Parkdale Cromdale Community League was transformed into an art piece focused on the reality of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.  While Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society was on hand to help ensure that the exhibit was created in a respectful and appropriate manner, the project itself came from the Parkdale Cromdale Community League.  “It was the leadership of the community that came up with this idea, we’re just a partner that came along,” says Murrary Knutson, Deputy Executive Director at Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society.  The exhibit consisted of a series of red fabric panels in a circle, which featured projections of the faces of women who have been lost.  The centre of the rink displayed a red ribbon skirt, a ribbon shirt and a sash to symbolize the loss of thousands of missing women and girls, men and boys, as well as two-spirit people.  “This is something that very much needs our collective attention, and over this past year there has been because of the gravesite discoveries and the first Truth and Reconciliation Day, there have been Indigenous issues in the news,” says Knutson.  “But the fact is that this happens so frequently to the females in our community, and it’s still not really talked about. So we’re very proud to be a part of this exhibit and to raise awareness on this topic.” Kevin Wong, President of the Parkdale Cromdale Community League says the idea sprouted about a year ago.  “My partner and I were listening to the news and listening to the horrific stories and we felt like we needed to do something on the local level,'' says Wong. “So we thought, why don’t we use the rink space, when it’s so underutilized in summer and fall.” The movement to bring more attention to the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women has often used the symbol of the red dress to represent the loss of countless mothers and sisters in the community.  “At first we said, why don’t we get a bunch of red dresses. Then that slowly evolved into using the fabric as a symbol for the dress,” says Wong. “Cheryl Whiskeyjack from Bent Arrow, provided a lot of guidance and pulled some people in to help us understand how to approach this properly.” While the exhibit was up Oct. 5 to 17, during which time a sacred fire was tended to 24 hours a day.  “It took quite a few volunteer hours to make sure the  fire is attended at all times,” says Wong. “I’m so proud of our volunteers who showed up to tend fires and be part of this exhibit.”  Approximately 50 volunteers came together to make the project a reality, including people from as far away as B.C. and the North, as well as a number of Edmonton Police Service officers. The project was a community-led endeavour that Wong hopes is just the beginning of Community Leagues taking a hands-on role in promoting reconciliation on the ground.  “We’re trying to acknowledge we’re on Treaty 6 land, and integrate different cultures into our programming,” he says.  As for the exhibit that has now been dismantled, discussions are underway to explore making it a travelling exhibit, shown in other communities, especially in Indigenous communities so family members could view the moving memorial at home.  “We want to make that happen, we just don’t know what that will look like yet,” says Wong. “I hope this brings some comfort to the families of those who were lost, that their loved ones are not forgotten, and people are still remembering them.”  For more information on this important issue, read the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women here (​​ https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/final-report/ )  To learn more about the Parkdale Cromdale Community League, visit their website here: https://www.parkdalecromdale.org/   To learn more about the work of Bent Arrow, visit their website here: https://bentarrow.ca/

After three years serving as the Chair of the REACH Board, Pilar Martinez, CEO of the Edmonton Public Library, ended her time on the board after the election of new members in June of this year. With six years total serving on the board, Martinez is proud of the work that’s been done during her years of service.  “I’m really proud that we upped our game in terms of governance. The board is now in super shape in terms of bylaws, governance policy and clarifying our strategic role. We brought in that bird’s eye view of where we add value. We’re not deep into the programs and operations.” she says. “It is such a cohesive, diverse and engaged group. One of the phrases I’ve heard in governance is ‘nose in, fingers out’.” Serving as chair was a positive experience, rife with learning opportunities for Martinez.  “I learned how important it is as chair to listen and create opportunities for everyone’s voice to be heard, by reaching out to people who haven’t been speaking up, which is especially important when we haven’t been able to meet in person,” she says. While she’s sad to be leaving, in accordance with bylaws that allow directors to serve a maximum of two terms, she’s excited to see what the future has in store.  “I’m sorry that I have to leave because this new crop of directors is going to add incredible diversity of background and they’re going to need to focus on advocacy which they’re super well-positioned to take on,’ she says. Going into the near future, with a new City Council and new board members, Martinez is positive about the direction the organization is going.  “I hope the board continues to be this asset to REACH that is able to champion and position REACH as an invaluable organization, especially with this new City Council,” she says. “There’s such deep commitment among the board members, new and returning, to the mission of REACH. They’re there because they want things to be better. I haven't seen that depth of passion on other boards that I see at REACH. There’s a real collaborative spirit. They understand that relationships and people are messy and complex.” With her time intimately involved with REACH now in the rear-view mirror, Martinez is confident in the future of the organization and will continue to advocate for the work REACH does in the community.  “I just want to say how fabulous an organization REACH is. It’s just incredible the work that’s being done. People have no idea the impact the organization has on our community and the communities we serve,” she says.  “Going forward I see an opportunity for REACH to play a bigger role in Edmonton, because the organization is in the proactive space instead of the reactive space. Amplifying community: this is what REACH does.”

A summer program designed by youth, and for youth, created a space for teens and young adults from ethnocultural communities to connect and correct misconceptions of each other. The Police and Youth Engagement Program (PYEP) ran August 9 to 13 this year. This youth-led and community driven summer program builds capacity for immigrant and refugee youth while engaging police and the community. The program aims to bring police and youth together, remove misconceptions on both sides, build trust, and create a safe and comfortable environment in which dialogue can occur.  “My experience was pretty positive,” said Constable Abdirahman Kulmiye with the Edmonton Police Service’s Equity, Inclusion & Human Rights Branch. “It’s a reminder that kids are kids. In our line of work we don’t always deal with people in the best circumstances all the time.”  PYEP expands police knowledge about ethno-cultural communities and the issues that affect them. “I think for the police membership, any engagement event brings out a little more understanding of themselves and others.” says Kulmiye. “None of us really knows how to be a human being.. We don't have instruction manuals so we gain our humanity through our interactions with others.” “I think it’s a slow progression of breaking down barriers,” says Kulmiye. “Police are people, and we’re approachable more often than not. We’re just trying to have a conversation.” PYEP is supported by the Edmonton Police Service, Edmonton Police Foundation, Canada Summer Jobs and REACH Edmonton.

As Canadians prepare to celebrate the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society is focused on creating connections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.  While the organization has held events centred around the horrific legacy of Residential Schools in the past, this year is different.  “After they found those 215 bodies in Kamloops, now everybody knows about it,” says Lloyd Yellowbird, Senior Manager at Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society. “There’s more community involvement and awareness. People are adjusting to September 30 and what it means.” Bent Arrow will be hosting a free, online event to mark the first Day of Truth and Reconciliation. “It’s our first time putting something like this together,” says Yellowbird.  “We want an opportunity for children to be involved so we’re going to read some stories to them. There will be a ceremonial piece to it too. We’ll have an elder do a prayer, smudge and welcome everyone.”  In addition to ceremony and cultural education, Residential School survivors will also be sharing their stories with the audience.  The virtual event will be livestreamed on Bent Arrow’s Facebook page on Sept. 30, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Through this event, the organization is working to build healing relationships between settler and First Nation communities through education on issues related to the effects of the colonial policies that Canada was founded on. “It's not just treaties, it also has to do with equality, missing and murdered women, those sort of issues within reconciliation as well,” says Yellowbird.   The aim is to use education to build relationships and strengthen connections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. “In our teachings, it’s never to put blame on anybody but to teach people,” says Yellowbird. “One thing we’re taught in our culture is to never approach a situation in an angry way, always approach it in a good way, that way it’ll be heard.” Learning is the cornerstone of the reconciliation process. “It’s important for people to take the time to learn about Residential Schools. We have over 6,000 children’s bodies that have been found. That’s part of the genocide that was in place. These were just children,” he says. Yellowbird has personal connections to the thousands of children who never returned home.  “My uncles didn’t come home on my dad’s side. Now I understand why there was so much trauma,” he says. “These things are really important. How can we all be wrapped into reconciliation?” While some parts of reconciliation are related to the relationship between the Federal Government and Canada’s 630 First Nations, there is much that  individuals, families and communities can all do to begin the journey in their own lives. “Instead of waiting for the government to do something, we need to become allies with each other,” says Yellowbird.  “An ally is a friend. Somebody you can build that friendship with and trust. It’s about understanding each other. Being an ally to me is being somebody who understands our cause, our issues, and we’re educating them on those issues. Building that friendship is what it really comes down to. Building relationships with community and families.” Settlers who want to be better allies to the Indigenous community are encouraged to start their journey by learning. “Get connected to us, we can definitely help. When we put these opportunities together, these teachings, it’s to educate. We want people to take the time to be a part of Ceremony with us and be part of our teachings,” says Yellowbird.  “We always have that opportunity at Bent Arrow for people to attend our ceremonies when we do them. We don’t put restrictions on things like that. When you look at our way of life, it’s spirituality, and everybody’s part of that.” The ongoing discoveries of unmarked graves at the sites of former Residential Schools has awakened many non-Indigenous people to the realities of colonization in Canada.  “There have been a lot of non-Indigenous people wanting to learn since the recovery of these children's bodies ,” says Yellowbird.  “This day is a stepping stone to the other teachings we have for people.” While reconciliation will take generations, each person living on Turtle Island can start that journey today. “The way people think about Indigenous people, I hope I live long enough to see it change,” says Yellowbird.  “It’s a slow process towards healing. This land is for everybody. We’re all human beings.”

The refugee’s journey to a new life in Canada is often complicated, difficult and challenging in many ways. But LGBTQ refugees face a lot of additional, specific barriers to a new beginning in a new country.  Basel Abou Hamrah  came to Canada as a refugee from Syrian in 2015, and faced these barriers firsthand. “I wanted to be connected to the LGBTQ community but I didn’t know how,” says Basel.  When he walked into the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers (EMCN) he saw signs of hope. “I saw rainbow flags at the door and was happy with that but didn’t know to whom I should speak,” he says. “Sara, who had an office beside my classroom, I saw she had rainbow flags on her desk, so I thought maybe I should talk to her. One day I said, I love this rainbow flag at your desk, and she said she was thinking of taking it off and I said no please don’t do that and I came out to her.” Sara Buczynski is a Settlement Practitioner at EMCN, who now works specifically in the area of LGBTQ outreach.   “When I started at EMCN I decided I would be out and already had started talking about newcomer LGBTQ issues. I was getting different clients identified needing support.  Management was interested in supporting it but didn't know what the need was,” says Sara. “In Edmonton, none of the settlement agencies were offering LGBTQ services and support.” Basel was able to offer insight to the LGBTQ refugee experience.  “I didn’t feel safe going to the Pride centre because what if someone from my ethnic community saw me go in there? Sara introduced me to other Syrian persons and it turned out there are no services for us, no place for us here in Edmonton, a space for LGBTQ newcomers,” says Basel. “In Turkey, there was a group for Syrian LGBTQ refugees called Tea & Talk. They support each other like a family.” He wanted to see something similar created in Edmonton.  “Sara came on board and we started the LGBTQ newcomer group in May 2017,” says Basel. “Since then, we've been meeting weekly, including holidays, every Friday night. We celebrate Christmas Day together, we celebrate New Years together. The idea of this group is we are a family for each other. We're a chosen family. We need to be together on each holiday.” The group quickly grew from six people at the first meeting to more than 140 members.  The group hosts different activities every week including information sessions about Canada, LGBTQ terminology, cooking nights, movie nights, karaoke nights picnics and field trips including Calgary Pride in 2019. Basel now offers refugee-specific services to refugees from inside the Pride Centre of Edmonton and EMCN. “I felt uncomfortable coming out in the newcomer community and I also didn’t feel welcome at an LGBTQ agency. Many LGBTQ services don’t have the knowledge to help the newcomers with their specific issues,” says Basel. “We realized there are a lot of needs in the community that we cannot solve in the social group time. We realized that’s over our capacity. So the Pride Centre and EMCN came together and they started the Rainbow Refuge program in October 2017.” Since its inception, Rainbow Refuge has grown to address the specific needs of the LGBTQ refugee community.  “Now, there are settlement services, support with immigration processes, it’s a whole program,” says Basel. “ We offer support with employment referrals, mental health, and the Newcomer Group is still there for social support.” Rainbow Refuge gives LGBTQ refugees points of entry when seeking services or support. “Some people feel comfortable approaching a newcomer agency, some the Pride Centre,” says Sara. “So depending on the individual, there are now multiple entry points.”  While this issue is common across Canada, Edmonton’s service providers are taking a leading role in addressing them.  “Organizations in most cities now see the need and they are working on it,” says Basel. “I think this is a unique partnership.” Being able to connect with someone who has been through the LGBTQ refugee’s specific experience is meaningful to those wrestling with the challenges it brings.  “I think it’s so important there’s lived experience here, LGBTQ and newcomer in one person, delivering the service,” says Basel.  With funding from the Edmonton Community Foundation and Immigrants Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the two full time positions ensure that refugee claimants who don’t yet have Permanent Resident numbers are able to receive help with the process of showing that returning to their home countries will put them at risk.  “Before, a lot of claimants were being refused by the refugee board because the process can be very complicated,” says Sara. “They need to prove they would be in danger if they went back.” This piece of the work is specifically funded by the Edmonton Community Foundation until December of 2021. This service doesn’t fall under any specific government responsibility, and so is not included in the five-year funding agreement with IRCC. Because of this, Rainbow Refuge is currently seeking sustainable funding options for this life-saving work. “Before, they had to do this on their own, and less than 50% of applicants were approved,” says Sara. “We have a 98% approval rate now. These services are saving lives. This is an essential service.” Sara and Basel emphasize that this part of the work is one of the most important pieces of resettling LGBTQ refugees in Canada. “This period, before they have a permanent residency, is when they’re the most vulnerable,” says Sara. “It’s a critical time for getting established in Canada.” Basel says he is certain this program is changing lives. “Every day we realize how this program is very important to our community,” he says. “In the beginning, it was more about community connection but then we realized there are many needs that have never been addressed for the LGBTQ newcomer community. Doing this work made us realize those needs, so every day we appreciate that we have this program, but we need funds to continue this program.” They are certain the social support aspect of the program will continue, regardless of funding issues around the refugee claimant process.  “I think we will continue to grow. We’ll support more and more people,” say Basell. It’s a pleasure for us to see our group members. They are thriving, they’re achieving great things.”