It Stops Here with Rueben George and Guests
2023, Equity + Justice, Indigenous Voices, Arts + Culture, Climate + Environment, Uphold Truth and Reconciliation, Make a Difference for B.C.
, , and 丁香园AV Public Square with prominent environmental activist, spiritual leader, and Sundance Chief, Rueben George, joined for the launch of his book . The event was moderated by Andrea Crossan and featured co-author Michael Simpson and special guests.
It Stops Here is a healing, personal account of one man鈥檚 confrontation with colonization that illuminates the philosophy and values of a First Nation on the front lines of the fight against an extractive industry, colonial government, and the threat to the life-giving Salish Sea.
鈥淩ueben George is a force of nature鈥攍iterally. He is carrying on his family鈥檚 long history protecting nature in all its forms. Devastating extractive practices in the form of pipelines, mining, clearcutting, and overfishing threatens the health, safety, and wellbeing to Indigenous lands, waters, and all of nature. Rueben鈥檚 book is a powerful call to action rooted in the teachings of his ancestors, to gather warriors from all nations and take back control over our collective futures.鈥� 鈥擠r. Pamela Palmater, Mi'kmaw lawyer, professor, and Indigenous rights advocate from Eel River Bar First Nation
This project was made possible by the Government of Canada. Ce projet a 茅t茅 rendu possible gr芒ce au gouvernement du Canada.
Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema
149 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 1H4
Livestream details: For those unable to join the in-person event, we will be livestreaming the book launch. Please register to receive the link.
Rueben George
Rueben George is Sundance Chief and a member of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN). After working as a family counsellor for twenty years, he became manager of the TWN鈥檚 Sacred Trust initiative to protect the unceded Tsleil-Waututh lands and waters from the proposed Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion. Over the past decade, he has travelled across the world and built alliances with Indigenous people fighting for water, land, and human rights, and has become an internationally renowned voice for such issues. Rueben has been adopted and made a Sun Dance Chief by two Lakota families, and incorporates his cultural and spiritual teachings in all aspects of his life and work, including his work as a consultant to All Nations Cannabis.
Michael Simpson
Lecturer at the University of St. Andrews, Michael Simpson is an award-winning author who has written extensively on settler colonialism and conflicts over oil and gas pipelines in Canada.
Andrea Crossan
Andrea Crossan is a member of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation. She is an award-winning radio journalist with over 30 years of experience, reporting from over a dozen countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ukraine, South Africa, Uganda, and Brazil. She is currently the executive editor of the Global Reporting Centre (GRC), an independent news organization based out of UBC.
Accessibility
The event will be hosted at the Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema at 149 West Hastings Street at the 丁香园AV Vancouver campus.
The building is accessible at street level on the Hastings side or via a ramp on the Cordova Street Courtyard side. There are 2 ramp entry points, one is located against the building, near the entrance to the Woodward鈥檚 Westbank Atrium (which houses London Drugs and Nesters) and one is located against the building, beside the alley. Both the Hastings doors and the Cordova Courtyard doors can be operated by accessibility buttons located beside the doorways.
The building is accessible by several bus lines. Plan your trip with TransLink鈥檚 .
Metered street parking available and a number of parkades nearby.
Public bike racks are located near the Cordova entrance.
W锘縠 will reserve 20 seats for community members who do not operate computers/ are otherwise unable to register.
Covid Protocols: Masks keep our community safe and are mandatory (N95 masks are recommended as they offer the best protection). We ask if you are showing symptoms, that you stay home. Thank you kindly.
Public and gender-neutral washrooms are available. All public washrooms are equipped with wheelchair accessible stalls.
Our community guidelines are intended to ensure the safety of all guest speakers and event participants, and to foster honest, socially accountable dialogue at our events. Thank you for respecting these guidelines!
- Above all, there will be zero tolerance for those who promote violence or discrimination against others on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, or disability. Anyone who incites harm towards other participants will be removed at the discretion of our team and moderator.
- Don鈥檛 assume pronouns/gender/knowledge based on someone鈥檚 name or appearance. Please refer to people using the names and/or pronouns they provide.
- Take space, make space: share your perspective, and make space for other voices to be heard too. Recognize that we are all here to learn.