Tansi Ninôtemik,
In support of Tawâw Outreach Collective, this week's blog posts will each highlight a sticker by Blog Author Olive Bensler (in collaboration with tawâw) to highlight leaders in Indigenous harm reduction and human rights work in Edmonton. 100% of sticker sale proceeds will go to tawâw; all the designs are available here.
If you would like to make an order larger than 20 stickers (of this design or any others listed for this campaign), please reach out directly to rbensler@ualberta.ca).
Artwork by Olive Bensler (Bensler has donated all designs, so all property rights to the artwork and designs belong to tawâw)
Radical Love: pîsimoyâpiy ka-nîpawit ("standing on a rainbow") & môstôs pîsimoyâpiy ka-nîpawit ("buffalo child")
For the first sticker of this series, Bensler highlighted Pîsimoyâpiy ka-nîpawit (Rachelle) Gladue and their two-spirit child pîsimoyâpiy ka-nîpawit (Leo).
Not only is Pîsimoyâpiy ka-nîpawit a co-founder of tawâw outreach collective, but they are also Vice President of the Social Workers Association of Alberta. Immediately upon meeting them, Bensler was struck by Pîsimoyâpiy ka-nîpawit's radical kindness. The clearest example of this is apparent in their pride in Leo's two-spirit identity: she is embraced with joy, much like what is shown in this sticker. Amidst the advancement of Alberta's recent 'parental rights' policies, it is ever more important to highlight such love.
Further, pîsimoyâpiy ka-nîpawit's advocacy for Indigenous harm reduction, their relentless love for people facing houselessness, and their commitment to upholding wahkowtowin (the principle of kinship/relationship with others, including our more than human kin) demonstrate qualities that are undoubtedly worthy of celebration.
Keep your eye out for this week's special series.
Until next time,
The ReconciliACTION YEG team