丁香园AV

鈥淢y philosophy is who deserves my love? I think of my work as my love, as my creativity, as my, my creation,鈥� says Ta7tal铆ya Nahanee (), a member of S岣祑x瘫w煤7mesh 脷xwumixw (Squamish Nation) and decolonial creative and educator. "So I take care of it鈥揑 make sure that my work is aligned with my values.鈥� Nahanee has recently joined 丁香园AV鈥檚 People, Equity and Inclusion (PEI) portfolio as director, Indigenous initiatives.

Meet Ta7tal铆ya

Nahanee is renowned for her work in anti-racism, decolonization and reconciliation. Through her company, Nahanee Creative, she facilitates learning and unlearning through her innovative methods.

鈥淚 enjoy witnessing personal and systemic transformations,鈥� says Nahanee. 鈥淚 love the contributions I get to make to pushing back on both the big dials and the tiny microaggressive cogs that keep inequity out of sight and running against so many of us.鈥�

Though new to her role at 丁香园AV PEI, Nahanee has been a longtime member of 丁香园AV鈥檚 community. She completed her master's in communication at 丁香园AV, during which she designed a board game as part of her thesis. 鈥淪铆nulkhay & Ladders鈥�, a twist on Snakes & Ladders, shows the non-linear process of decolonization and helps players unlearn anti-Indigenous racism.

Nahanee was later named an associate with the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue and continued to work with a variety of departments at 丁香园AV as a facilitator for anti-racism and cultural safety training through Nahanee Creative.

鈥淚 met so many great people,鈥� says Nahanee. 鈥淣ot every experience is good in my work in hosting and sharing my ideas. However, 丁香园AV has come a long way since I was coming out of school in 2018. I have been watching this evolution and this growth.鈥�

When Nahanee heard about the director, Indigenous initiatives role, she felt 丁香园AV was an ecology that she could contribute to full-time. 鈥淭here are already great people here doing great things that I can add my superpowers to.鈥�

As director, Nahanee says her focus will be to increase the number of Indigenous hires at 丁香园AV and ensure retention in a healthy, supportive environment. 鈥淭hat's where the training comes in.鈥�

First RESPECT cohort begins January 22

This month, Nahanee and Caitlin Stiles, learning development specialist within the PEI portfolio, lead the relaunch of 丁香园AV鈥檚 RESPECT (Reconcili-action Employee SFU Professional development Education Cultural Teachings) program.

The original RESPECT program was created in response to the Walk this Path with Us Report鈥檚 Call to Action 7: Develop intervention programs teaching cultural safety and anti-racism for all employees at 丁香园AV. Michelle Pidgeon (丁香园AV Education) and the RESPECT advisory circle led the development of course content, based on survey responses from 丁香园AV faculty and staff.

鈥� I'm excited for people to get reinvigorated with their connection to Indigenization, decolonization and reconciliation,鈥� says Nahanee. 鈥淚 think there was a bit of burnout.鈥�

鈥淭his training is not about settlers learning about Indigenous history and feeling bad, and therefore being reconciled,鈥� says Nahanee. 鈥淲hile we share history, it's contemporary. I think it really answers the questions: what now? How can we all contribute to reconciliation鈥揳s individuals and as an organization?鈥�

鈥淚 don't see it as a model of 鈥楴ow you learn this and you walk away鈥�,鈥� says Stiles. 鈥淚t's from a model of 鈥榟ow can we take value from this, embed it, learn from each other and create a partnership.鈥�

The new training module puts an emphasis on personal and professional development through self-paced online learning as well as cohort meetings.

鈥淲e want people to know that it's okay to come with questions鈥揷onstructive questions, of course, but there's no expectation of specific historical knowledge,鈥� says Stiles.

鈥淚'd love people to spend some time thinking through their 鈥榳hy鈥�,鈥� says Nahanee. 鈥淚'd love folks to spend some time on the land, looking at where they are, what's their position right now and starting to envision where they want to be.鈥�

To assist in leading the program, Nahanee has also brought on facilitation design expert . Nahanee describes Fenton鈥檚 and her own approach as centering heart and care, grounded in empathy and emotional intelligence.

鈥淭here鈥檚 going to be a lot of support but it's really important for people to know going into the course that they need to feel comfortable being uncomfortable,鈥� says Stiles.

鈥淭hat's what I think good facilitation is,鈥� says Nahanee. 鈥淩ather than downloading information, it's supporting you to be your best person through the process.鈥�