The Archway Diversity Education program in Abbotsford hosts a workshop called Towards Genuine Reconciliation with professor Keith Carlson on Wednesday, March 8.
The free event runs from 6 to 8 p.m. in person at Archway Community Services and online.
The workshop will discuss settler colonialism, an overview of local Indigenous culture and history, and how non-Indigenous people can help move towards genuine reconciliation. There will also be space for questions and discussions.
“Our country and community have become more aware of Indigenous history, issues and resilience but are often unaware of what their role is in moving towards reconciliation,” said Muhi Bakini, supervisor of the Archway Diversity Education program.
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The Archway Diversity Education program promotes cross-cultural understanding and learning through training, a resource library, consulting on policy and delivering workshops.
Carlson holds the Canada research chair in Indigenous and community-engaged history at the University of the Fraser Valley, where he is the director of the new Peace and Reconciliation Centre.
He began his professional career working as the research coordinator for the Stó:lo Nation for nine years.
Carlson recognizes that many of the contemporary challenges and problems facing society are anchored in history and can be better understood and addressed through an examination of the systems that created and sustain them.
Carlson says his approach is to not merely identify and critique the sources and causes of conflict, trauma, colonialism, and inequity, but to help people design and implement new and better ways of doing things.
His principal focus is to contribute to the dismantling of settler colonialism and white privilege and to identify new systems of shared authority that create mutual advantage.
Visit Archway.ca/Diversity to sign up for the workshop.