Document Type
Activity Book
Publication Date
2024
Keywords
First Nations, Metis, Inuit, Black, African, Caribbean, Indigenous sovereignty, Black liberation, resilience, community engagement, peel region
Description
We created this activity book to delight. As a love letter to dreamers, stargazers and future makers. It pays tribute to Black and Indigenous people – our magic, our creativity and our simple wonderous existence. We hope the illustrations and activities affirm, celebrate and uplift. We hope seeing Indigenous and Black people reveling in each other's company undermines the myth that if one of us wins, the other one must lose. We cannot win alone; we never have. Our communities know the importance of togetherness, solidarity and kinship. We always have.
We centered joy, rest, softness and togetherness of Indigenous and Black young people because it’s too often denied, devalued and even destroyed. For many of us, this line of destruction stretches back to our ancestors and the places, people, customs and land that were stolen. By settler-colonialism. By abduction. By invasion. By genocide. It can be hard to hold our grief and travesties alongside our joy. But we are so much more than our pain and trauma. Despite it all, we also have access to laughter, levity and togetherness.
We curated places and moments of joy in Mississauga and Brampton to give the book a sense of place. These cities are not known for Black and Indigenous connections and so we wanted to dig in around that contradiction and myth. We know this is a myth because over one year ago we started exploring connections between Indigenous and Black young people in Peel region and, we found it! Repeatedly. We found it in each other. We found it in other members of our research team and the many people we met along the way. These aren’t trauma bonds!
We also wanted to showcase beauty and delight in the mundane and highlight some favorite co-conspirators and activists. There are too many to name and far too many to include in this book. What stewards and protectors of the land inspire you? What examples of Black and Indigenous solidarity strengthen your resolve?
There is no one way to enjoy this book. It can be enjoyed in company or solitude. It can be used by one person or passed along from friend to friend. You could find your comfiest nook, unwind, and let your ideas bloom mindfully. You can keep this book your best kept secret or you could share it widely. Don’t worry about staying inside the lines or using the "right" colors. This book is your canvas—make it uniquely yours. Whatever you do we hope this book reminds you that you are already enough.
In radical joy,
Yasmin, Alex & Michella
Faculty
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Copyright
© Alex Hansen, Yasmin Hashi, Michella Mark, Melissa Ishihara, Wendy Wang
Terms of Use
Terms of Use for Works posted in SOURCE.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Original Publication Citation
Hansen, A., Hashi, Y., Mark, M., Ishihara, M., Wang, W. (2024). Indigenous & Black Joy [Activity Book]. Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Sheridan College.
SOURCE Citation
Hansen, Alex; Hashi, Yasmin; Mark, Michella; Ishihara, Melissa; and Wang, Wendy, "Indigenous & Black Joy" (2024). Hearts + Minds. 3.
https://source.sheridancollege.ca/hearts_minds/3
Included in
African American Studies Commons, Ethnic Studies Commons, Native American Studies Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons
Comments
Creators: Alex Hansen, Yasmin Hashi, Michella Mark
Principal Illustrator: Melissa Ishihara
Project Coordination and sleuthing: Wendy Wang
We encourage you to print and share this activity book. Post your images on social media with the hashtag #HeartyandMindful.