On September 30th, in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, 89.5 The Lake & Q104 are proud to partner once again with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund for “A Day To Listen 2024”.
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund aims to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Through the Legacy Schools program, they provide tools and resources to over 8,000 Educators in Canada so they can confidently teach about not only the true history of this country, but also the richness, strength, and diversity of Indigenous cultures in their classrooms.
A Day to Listen 2024 will feature three incredible hosts…
January Marie Rogers – A poet, sound and performance artist, and podcast producer who is Mohawk / Tuscarora from Six Nations.
Julian Taylor – An acclaimed singer-songwriter of West Indian and Mohawk descent.
Kim Wheels – An award-winning producer and host who is Mohawk/Anishinaabe.
Together they will help to amplify Indigenous voices and share stories about art, culture, reconciliation, and all our relations.
The them of A Day To Listen 2024 is “All My Relations” which is is a term used by Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island to express that everything is interconnected. Humans, animals, insects, plants, and inanimate objects are all related. We are connected through ancestors, land, communities, air, water – everything.
The special programming will feature many guest speakers…
Michael Etherington is an Omushkego-Cree from Treaty No. 9 and member of Fort Albany First Nation, is an Indigenous Relations Consultant and Manager of Indigenous Relationships for the YMCA of the GTA. He has extensive experience supporting organizations in advancing Indigenous relations.
Aly Bear is the third Vice-Chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), and a proud Dakota Winyan and Anishinaabekwe from the Whitecap Dakota Nation. Vice-Chief Aly is the youngest woman and first lawyer to be elected to the FSIN executive.
Miles G. Richardson is a citizen of the Haida Nation and Canada. He grew up among his people on Haida Gwaii, attended high school in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and in 1979 received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Victoria. From 1984 to1996, he served as President of the Council of Haida Nation.
Amber-Sekowan Daniels is an Anishininew screenwriter, showrunner, and comedian. She was born and raised in Winnipeg and is a band member of Garden Hill First Nation.
John R. Sylliboy is L’nu from the Millbrook Mi’kmaw Community in Nova Scotia. John’s primary focus is to advocate and build support for Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ in the Atlantic region and nationally. He is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Wabanaki Two-Spirit Alliance.
Taiaiake Alfred is a Kahnawà:ke Mohawk philosopher, writer, and political strategist with over three decades of experience in First Nations governance, politics and cultural restoration, and environmental impact assessment.
Visit the program’s webpage for additional details