Reconciliation in Action seeks to foster meaningful urban Indigenous participation, access to services and resources and intercultural and intergenerational sharing and relationship-building opportunities through the realignment of existing resources and policy to the lived realities and priorities of local residents and urban Indigenous children and families.
Reconciliation in Action began as an initiative of Our Place and ALIVE in the Strathcona community. Through partnerships with local community centres and resident-led groups it has now expanded to other neighbourhoods in East Vancouver, where over half the city’s population of Indigenous residents currently live.
RIA supports organizations to evaluate their own practices and policies, outreach and connect with Indigenous residents, and contribute and participate in Reconciliation-focused activities and initiatives including RISE (Responsible Indigenous Strategy for Empowerment) youth leadership and development initiative, EPIC (Elders Participating in Community) and RIA Quarterly Events.
RIA is anchored by community gatherings that occur every three months in different community centres. These events are meant to elevate and support Indigenous knowledge keepers, youth leaders and artists within the community, and to celebrate the diversity of our neighbourhoods.
To date, RIA events have been hosted by the following community centres:
- Strathcona Community Centre
- RayCam Community Centre
- Britannia Community Centre
- Thunderbird Community Centre
- Hastings Community Centre
For more information on where our next RIA event is, or to inquire about getting involved, you can e-mail: info@ourplace-vancouver.ca
You can also check us out on our facebook page @ Reconciliation in Action