The Chinese Benevolent Association Youth Council and Enoch Cree Nation Youth Advisory Council would like to invite you to our second Indigenous & Chinese youth anti-racism conference. This one-day conference on Sunday May 22, 2022 will build off of the conversations that we started at our conference in February. This edition will focus on more specific topics, with the goal of opening up communication and cooperation between Chinese and Indigenous youth in our community.
The event is 100% FREE and even comes with FREE lunch and snacks for all attendees (which will be sourced from local Chinese and Indigenous businesses). The conference will take place in person at the Chinatown Multicultural Centre from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. There will be conversations about building understanding between Edmonton’s Chinese and Indigenous communities, panels with experienced community leaders, and even a small tour of the cultural landmarks of the Okîsikow Way/Chinatown South neighbourhood.
After Sunday’s conference, on Monday, May 23 we will be facilitating an Action Planning workshop to share ideas on how the relationship between our communities can grow in the future. Conference attendees are encouraged to participate in this optional workshop (included in the same registration form below).
The Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA) Youth Council and the Enoch Cree Nation Youth Council are proud to jointly host an Indigenous and Chinese Youth Festival and Anti-Racism Conference on Saturday, May 21, 11am-3pm and Sunday, May 22, 2022, 9am – 4 pm.
The Festival features a variety of cultural performances from both communities at Kinistinaw Park. It is a coming together of youth to showcase their proud culture and traditions.
The conference will be an opportunity for youth of all backgrounds to get together and explore topics around anti-racism and how it relates to the two different communities. The day will include activities and panel discussions around important issues such as intergenerational trauma, Chinatowns, and reserves. The purpose is to create spaces for dialogue, relationships, and intercultural understanding between Indigenous and Chinese communities. This work is important as racism is pervasive, and impacts all racialized people in Canada. Specifically, Indigenous people have experienced historical and on-going colonialism which has displaced many from their land, resources, and traditional ways of life. It is vital to recognize that we all have a role in addressing racism, and working towards reconciliation and decolonization. We are excited to host this conference dedicated to building connections between the two distinct communities. This conference is open to youth from all backgrounds and communities.
You can find the registration form for the event at https://forms.gle/BLRLNeUtasdFobjx8, or through the CBA Youth Council on Instagram @cbayouthcouncil, and the Enoch Youth Advisory Council @maskekosihk_youth.
Highlights for photo ops:
- Mayor Sohi & Chief William Morin welcome remarks, Sunday May 22, 2022 – 9:00am.
- Festival performances on Saturday, May 21, 2022 – Chinese Lion Dance & Indigenous Powwow & Dance performing on Indigenous land.
Media Contact:
Eric Au, CBA Youth Council Chairperson, 780-952-0794, cbayouthcouncil@gmail.com
Seth Cardinal, Enoch Youth Advisory Council Advisor, seth.cardinal@enochnation.ca
