Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territories

Idle? K(no)w More: Take Action Forum

5:30pm
Friday February 22 2013

A forum for the people on Indigenous Sovereignty; Protection of Land, Water, and Air; and Nationhood, Decolonization, and Resurgence.

This forum is open to the public. All are welcome to attend, especially Indigenous and Non-Indigenous participants in Idle No More actions, info sessions, teach-ins, and activities. To learn from insightful and inspirational figures in the Idle No More Movement as a place to begin a dialogue and conversation with everyone involved.

SPEAKERS LIST:

- Ta'Kaiya Blaney: 12, lives in North Vancouver and is from the Sliammon First Nation. She has performed as a singer, songwriter and actress and Indigenous activist at many events and conferences. Ta’Kaiya recorded her latest song, Earth Revolution in the studio in fall, 2011. The first time she sang it in public was at Occupy in Vancouver, BC in October 2011. Earth Revolution calls on the “Children of the Future,” which Ta’Kaiya has named “Generation Now” to act now to save the earth “I’ll do my part to fix what is broken, give back what we’ve taken…” before it is too late: “..because there won’t be a tomorrow, if we don’t change today.”

- Arthur Manuel: Art is a spokesperson for the Indigenous Network on Economies and Trade and Defenders of the Land network. Former chairperson of the Interior Alliance of BC First Nations, Manuel has been a leading voice of opposition to the Canadian government’s agenda to “extinguish” Aboriginal and Treaty rights and assimilate Indigenous peoples into the Canadian body politic. Active locally in Secwepemc land struggles, and at the national level, he has also taken the struggle international at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, following in the path of his father, the late George Manuel, President of the National Indian Brotherhood and founder of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples.

- Leena Minifie: is a mixed blood (Gitxaala and British) film/video artist raised in Kitimat BC and who now resides in Vancouver as a freelance Producer /Production Manager for film & television. Leena has pursued a lifelong dream of producing media art and independent film. Her work in this area started in video before progressing to film and multi-media. 

- Khelsilem Rivers: Khelsilem is a community organizer and language revitalization activist. Influenced heavily by his grandmother, he always believed in the importance of being Indigenous, despite encroachment of a foreign culture, society, and civilization. In this regard, Khelsilem has pursued avenues where he can strengthen all aspects of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw ways. He is an Idle No More organizer.

- Carrielynn Xwementelot Victor: Mother, Artist, Performer, Plant Activist, has always been a creator. Member of Rapsure Risin she began writing and recording rap music at the age of 14, and continued on into her twenties. At the age of 21, Carrielynn began to write, record and perform blues music, as the sounds and feelings that come to life through the soulful sound of blues music compared to no other. She has always had an eye for images within objects and life, was a gift Carrielynn was born with, and once this was realized she carried on working to perfect varying styles and practicing new ways to create.

- Jerilynn Webster aka JB the First Lady: Jerrilyn is a Vancouver based female hip hop artist, beat-boxer, performing artist, aboriginal youth educator, single mother, award-winning actor, and member of the Nuxalk and Cayauga Nations who is "using [her] words to go upwards/not backwards." She is an Idle No More organizer.