R. D. Parker Collegiate's Youth Aboriginal Council (YAC) has been hard at work preparing for this year's 10th Annual Aboriginal Youth Conference, which is happening on Feb. 5, 6 and 7 at the school in Thompson. YAC is a group of students who look to help other youth plan for their future and celebrate their culture.
One of the highlights of this year's conference is the band Flat Silver from Dauphin, Manitoba. The Métis musical group will be playing on Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. Marie Highway, aboriginal student advisor at R. D. Parker, says there will also be a silver collection at the concert and all the money raised will go to the A Port in the Storm initiative.
Priscilla Nordstrom, YAC president, is a 17-year-old Grade 12 student. She says the conference is being held to encourage youth to become role models and meet other role models; to get together to work on opportunities for aboriginal youth to share their gifts and traditional values; and to learn to live healthy and positive lifestyles in schools and communities. The theme of this year's conference is "Success begins with a dream - inspiring and empowering youth with a vision."
Nordstrom says she believes everyone should have a dream - her own is to become a teacher.
"I think that's the start of being successful. Once you have a dream or goal, you can figure out ways to make that happen, and that's what we want to do. That's what we want to say to the other youth that will come to our conference," she explains.
The keynote speaker for this year's conference is Shaneen Robinson, a member of the Cree and Gitxsan nations. Robinson is an active member of the aboriginal youth community and belongs to a Sundance and Sweat Lodge family. She holds a bachelor of arts in communications from the University of Winnipeg and has worked at NCI FM, APTN and CTV News Winnipeg. Robinson has also produced a Cree-language radio documentary called The Earth our Mother, a short film documentary called Rock Bottom and a play entitled Wanting to Know. Along with being keynote speaker, Robinson will also be hosting some workshops about self-esteem and self confidence.
YAC members have been in the planning stages for the event since November. Highway says she believes it is something their hard work will pay off in a big way.
"Aboriginal youth need to be heard, and they need to express their talents. And also, with Thompson being the Hub of the North - why do people need to go to Winnipeg when they can come to Thompson? We have resources here for them, and the youth involved in YAC know the issues that youth face in Northern Manitoba. They want workshops and activities to help the youth. That way the can come here, they can go back home and share what they've learned."
The conference is open to all Northern students. It will feature workshops on self esteem and traditional aboriginal education.
