Weaving Love and Joy into the Journey of Truth and Reconciliation
In this dynamic and inspiring evening, author Monique Gray Smith will share her personal journey of truth and reconciliation and how that journey has transformed her and her family. She will share stories and offer readings from her various books.
Monique will delve into both the truth and reconciliation and explore critical aspects of Canada’s history and the continued impacts on Indigenous families. Monique will share her Cultural Resilience model and strategies for weaving aspects of it into your work. The evening will explore the importance of story and the integral role love and joy have in the education of the hearts and minds of our young citizens.
Doors
Doors open at 6 pm. The event begins at 6:30 pm.
Tickets
Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for students (K-12 and post-secondary). The event is free for Nation partners and Elders, please contact Dianne Biin for details. The event is free for SCFA members, please contact Duff Sutherland for details.
About Monique
Monique Gray Smith is an award-winning, best-selling author. Her books cover a broad spectrum of ages, topics and emotions. Woven into all of Monique’s writing, speaking engagements and online courses is the teaching that Love is Medicine. In September 2022, she released her fourth children’s picture book, I Hope, with Orca Book Publishers. Monique’s most recent book is Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults, which received the Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Award for 2022. Originally written by Robin Wall Kimmerer and the adaptation includes illustrations by Nicole Neidhardt. Monique’s novel Tilly and the Crazy Eights was longlisted for Canada Reads 2021.
Monique is trained as a psychiatric nurse and has worked in various capacities in community and as a consultant since 1990. Her focus has been weaving history, resilience and trauma-informed training for educators, social workers, librarians and early childhood teams. She is an appointed member of the Board of Directors of Royal Roads University and the Minister’s Advisory Council for Indigenous Women for the Government of BC and is the elected President of the Board of Directors for the Victoria Native Friendship Centre. In 2019, Monique received the City of Victoria Leadership Award for Reconciliation.
Monique is Cree and Scottish and has been sober and involved in her healing journey for over 32 years. She is well known for her storytelling, spirit of generosity and focus on resilience.