Up Fest takes over Sudbury starting today

Up Fest takes over Sudbury starting today

Up Fest takes over Sudbury starting today

Media Outlet: The Sudbury Star
Posted: Aug 13, 2015

Sudburians looking for a break from the seemingly endless food and music festivals that take place in the Nickel City’s warmer months may just find what they are looking for this weekend with Up Fest, an emerging art festival that plans to take over Sudbury’s downtown core.

Up Fest begins today and runs until Saturday, and will see Durham Street temporarily closed down, covered with sod and renamed the Shkagamik-Kwe Playground, to make way for the interactive art instillations and live music that will be featured over the weekend.

Sad that we lost our families

Sad that we lost our families

‘Sad that we lost our families’

Media Outlet: The Sudbury Star
Posted: May 09, 2015

It is safe to assume that removing a child from his or her home is nearly always a last resort. But sometimes, there are no other options. Foster care has a contentious reputation, especially with respect to aboriginal children, but as of last month, families in seven First Nations communities in Northern Ontario have alternatives that are respectful, inclusive and culturally harmonious.

Denise Morrow, the executive director of Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services, located on Newgate Avenue, said last month’s designation means the organization can offer a viable, community-based alternative to the court system.

Aboriginal support group offers help to 'two-spirit' people

Aboriginal support group offers help to 'two-spirit' people

Aboriginal support group offers help to ‘two-spirit’ people

Media Outlet: CBC News
Posted: Feb 23, 2015

Support group in Sudbury for two-spirited indigenous people.

The aboriginal health centre in Sudbury is encouraging indigenous people who are lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender to join a sharing circle.

Perry McLeod-Shabogesic, the director of traditional programming at Shkagamik-kwe health centre, said the Two Spirit Circle is open to all, including Cree, Anishnabek, and Metis people.

The term two-spirit covers those who identify at different points of the sexual identity scale.  Prior to European contact, two spirit people were seen as essential members of a diverse village, McLeod-Shabogesic said, and they have special gifts.

“One of them was this ability — this duality — that they could see from two perspectives. So they were often used in ways of counselling, bridging that difference between the male and the female perspective on things.”

So far four or five people regularly participate in the sharing circle, but McLeod-Shabogesic  said he believes there are others out there who need support.

The group offers both traditional and Western views to support lesbian, gay, bi-sexual or transgender indigenous people.

Two-spirit people face the double challenge of racism and homophobia, he noted.

“We are talking Sudbury here. It’s not San Francisco. Some of the struggles are little heavier in a northern Ontario town for someone from the LGBT community.