“Rooted in Jesus…. walking together with hearts to love and hands to serve.”

E D M O N T O N C A T H O L I C S C H O O L D I S T R I C T D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 | I S S U E N O . 1 7

INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES

Be a Catalyst for Change!

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Hold My Hand

Finding Common Ground

Sometimes the world can seem heavy. Life can seem heavy. It seems every day when we turn on the news we hear and see images of fighting, conflict, and harm to humanity. In recent months we have bared witness to violence due to guns and hatred, due to gender-based violence, due to racial discrimination. Tensions are high in the political world, both locally and internationally, with name-calling against those with opposing political views. Social Media offers not only a platform to educate and to connect people, but also a platform to spew hurtful or hateful comments when someone disagrees with what is being said. Or worse, when someone wants to use the public platform to embarrass and ridicule another. The world ‘out there’ seems polarized and politicized and divisive. What effect does this ‘strife’ have on our youth and staff who work together daily to cultivate spaces of joy, love, and community? How can we overcome divisiveness and strengthen our communities in unity? Here are a number of ways:

• Turn to love and hope. When we are weary and feeling overwhelmed or overloaded, it is the time to step back and do the things you love – spend time with family, socialize together as a school staff, reach out to friends, turn to self-care to strengthen your mind, body, and spirit; pray. Spend time with others so you are not alone. When you give and give, take the time to replenish and receive. Not taking the time to replenish can turn a mindset from a Christmas elf to a Christmas bah-humbug! Being more patient with each other is another intentional act of peace that we can take during the busy season.

• Take a break from social media. Recently, Fr. Ron Rolheiser spoke to ECSD educators on the ‘Contemporary Struggle Navigating Church and Faith Today’. In his presentation he spoke of taking a ‘Cyber Sabbath’, such as one evening a week. This means shutting down use of technology to give yourself a spiritual break and turn towards family. Technology does unite us but it also isolates us more.

• Provide a platform for conversation. The best way that you can help youth deal with conflict or divisiveness is to provide a platform to talk. Provide a space where students can voice their concerns or wishes or, most importantly, a space to reconcile hurt feelings and make relations right with one another. Whether those in the circle are the parties that have hurt each other, or those in the circle just wish to process and talk about local and global issues facing humanity, providing a space to talk and learn from each other is one of the greatest healing powers that you can give. Helping youth process strife and turning those feelings into positive action (advocacy, intentional actions of change, mindset, and growth) is critical. In the pages ahead you will learn how one school is offering such space for conversation.

• Finding Common Ground. We have the ability to plant the seeds of knowledge, and to nurture the growth of these seeds into new growth and understanding. Part of this includes a responsibility to find and cultivate common ground, to come together by understanding a bit more about each other. We live in diverse communities across the city, the province, the country, and the globe. Get to know your neighbor by learning more about each other. You might learn more about how similar your wishes and needs are…and how you can build bridges on common ground. In the pages ahead, professional reading materials are offered to open the door to learn more from each other.

• Model the behavior you wish to see. How are you navigating difficult conversations? Are you aware of your tone, your volume, your body language, and your words? If we wish to help our youth navigate difficult conversations with healthy tools, we need to model this behavior too. We are human in our reactions and responses, and so are our youth. Yet, if we expect growth in the social skills our youth use, it is our job to practice and model this too. Are you walking with kindness when you interact with colleagues in a moment of conflict or disagreement? If the only impression you are leaving on another is one of conflict and dissent, you have some work to do! Model what you wish to see.

• Be a messenger of hope. When a gunman killed 59 people attending a country music concert in Las Vegas, the community was in pain and could not process the hurt. Just as others before and since have experienced inexplicable pain and loss of life. The country music community gathered together during the CMAs and held a tribute to the victims. Click here to view the tribute, which included an opening hymn of ‘Amazing Grace’ followed by singing of the song ‘Hold My Hand’ by Darius Rucker and friends. Surround our youth with love and hope…and they will give it back in return! Take note of those who are quiet and sitting on the margins of the circle—welcome them in! Sometimes people do like to sit on their own…but sometimes they don’t feel part of the group too. Offering an invitation to join is a message of hope!

By Darius Rucker With a little love, and some tenderness, we will walk upon the water. We will rise above this mess.

With a little peace, and some harmony, we will take the world together. We will take them by the hand. I've got a hand for you. I want to run with you.

Yesterday, I saw you standing there. Your head was down. Your eyes were red.

No comb had touched your hair. I said, “Get up, and let me see you smile!” We'll take a walk together. Walk the road awhile.

I've got a hand for you. I want to run with you.

Hold my hand. I want you to hold my hand. Hold my hand. I'll take you to a place where you can be. Hold my hand.

Anything you want to be because I want to love you the best that I can.

See I was wasted, and I was wasting time. 'Till I thought about your problems. I thought about your crimes.

Then I stood up, and then I screamed aloud. I don't want to be part of your problems. Don't want to be part of your crowd. No, I've got a hand for you. I've got a hand for you. I want to run with you. Won’t

you let me run with you?

Hold my hand. I want you to hold my hand. Hold my hand. I'll take you to the Promised Land. Hold my hand. Maybe we can't change the world but I want to love you the best that I can.

Hold my hand. I want you to hold my hand. Hold my hand. I'll take you to a place where you can hold my hand. I’ll take you to a place where you can be.

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Exploring and expressing who we are is powerful. It enables us to process the work that we are doing as we are growing. The reflection below affirms growth…from where and who I was before to where and who I am now...from adversity to a new path of healing…from pain to love. Consider this writing prompt in your classroom.

I AM

“You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life,

work on your mind. That’s the only thing you should be trying to control.” - Elizabeth Gilbert

Explore the topic of Reconciliation. What does it mean? What does it mean to reconcile things with another when hurtful actions have occurred? What impact does reconciliation have on cultivating healthy communities? Once you have come to an understanding as a learning community, reflect on ways that you can reconcile with someone when you have hurt them, and to do what it takes to make a ‘right relation’ with them.

Explore and learn more about these steps of Reconciliation. The Government of Canada is taking steps of Reconciliation with Indigenous Canadians and very recently with the LGBTQ+ community. Learn more here. Because words have power, the statements of apology are included here:

Government of Canada apologizes to the Survivors of the Indian Residential School System - June 11, 2008 (video) Statement of Apology for Former Students of Indian Residential Schools – June 11, 2008 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada - Calls to Action National Apology to the LGBTQ Community – November 28, 2017 Read Trudeau’s Full Apology to Members of the LGBTQ Community – November 28, 2017 Columnist Paula Simons discusses Justin Trudeau’s apology on behalf of government for decades of discrimination against LGBTQ community – November 29. 2017

What role does reconciliation play

on the path to healing? How can you practice reconciliation when repairing mistakes and hurt

feelings?

Classroom Circle Discussion Topics

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Love What Matters. Real People. Real Stories. Real Heart. Author: LoveWhatMatters (Inside book cover) Where do you go when you want to feel inspired? When you want to forget about the anger, animosity, and divisiveness that have become all too common? For more than 6 million people, that place is Love What Matters, a digital platform dedicating to finding and celebrating the daily moments of kindness, compassion, and love that so often go overlooked. (Preface) “We get stuck in the routine of life. Your day starts when the alarm goes off, then you take a shower, drink coffee, take the kids to school, commute to work, eat lunch, work some more, commute home, have dinner, watch television, go to bed…rinse and repeat. “The specifics may be different for each of us, but the result is usually the same: a tendency to prioritize short-term checklist items over things that really matter. We all intuitively know that an

unexpected bill or a long wait at the grocery store is not something we’re likely to remember on our deathbeds, yet it’s hard to think beyond the daily frustrations and errands. It’s hard to get perspective. “Occasionally, something happens that snaps us out of the routine. Something that reminds us of the people we aspire to be. Sometimes it’s as simple as an inspirational quote shared on social media, but then the moment passes and it’s on to the next post, television show, or to-do item on an endless list. What’s most frustrating is that the things represented by these quotes or on those ubiquitous ‘rules for life’ posters are the very things we want most in life. For example, the author and speaker Robin Sharma once wrote ‘The Rules for Being Amazing”, which include: Be strong. Show courage. Be kinder than expected. Shatter your limits. Transcend your fears. Inspire others by your bigness. “Yes! Who doesn’t want to live like that? But how many of us can honestly say that we prioritize those kinds of things? Who’s thinking about shattering limits or transcending fears when you’ve got a flat tire, your house is a mess, or your kids are home sick from school? “The Love What Matters platform grew out of this recurring internal conflict that most of us face: How do we reconcile the person we want to be with the reality and challenges of everyday life? These moments of ordinary people doing extraordinary things are the ones that can truly change us. They are raw, emotional, authentic, and personal – but most of all, they are relatable. We see them and it dawns on us that these aren’t superheroes; these are people just like us. “Love What Matter exists to spread these stories far and wide, to celebrate the love and kindness and compassion they represent – while reminding us that these things do not happen by default, they’re a daily choice. The moments we amplify are also meant to serve as a balance to the kinds of things we hear about in the news every day. We all hear stories of bullying incidents in school, but how often do we hear stories of children who put peer pressure aside and show true kindness to each other? “We celebrate kindness, compassion, hope, forgiveness, and love. But most of all, we celebrate YOU.”

How could this platform transform into action in your school? How can you capture the stories of kindness, love, compassion, hope, and forgiveness in your school community?

Book of the Month

As we learn more about each other, the students we teach, and the families we serve, we know that with diversity comes the capacity to learn about each other, learn from each other, and to grow together. Sometimes, the more we talk to someone, we learn that we have more in common than we realize. Have you ever shared a personal experience with someone, only to learn that your confidante has experienced it too? That’s the gift of sharing, reaching out, talking, reading, learning, exploring, and BUILDING BRIDGES TO UNDERSTANDING. Here are a few pieces of literature that may encourage new conversations of understanding:

Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity. Rev. James Martin, SJ. Rev. James Martin shares insightful ways towards strengthening the relationship between two communities that have sometimes struggled with unity, acceptance, and belonging. His pathway is building a bridge where two communities meet and enter a relationship of respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Rev. Martin speaks of the great work that is already happening in many communities, while identifying areas of growth between all towards a united, strengthened community of faith. “The work of the Gospel cannot be accomplished if one part of the church is essentially separated from any other part. Between the two groups, the LGBT community and the institutional church, a chasm has formed, a separation for which a bridge needs to be built.” (P. 2) Rev. Martin shares many stories in talking with members of the LGBT community who have felt excluded or rejected and shares that the first step is listening to each other, to invite each other to talk more and to share. Lessons on respect, compassion, and sensitivity include listening and understanding. “Sensitivity is based

on encounter, accompaniment, and friendship.” (p. 46). “You cannot experience feelings at a distance. You cannot understand the feelings of a community if you don’t know the community.” (p. 41) “We are accompanied by God, the reconciler of all men and women as well as the architect, the builder, and the foundation of that bridge.” (p. 76). The text also includes Biblical Passages for Reflection and Meditation.

Living Mission Interculturally: Faith, Culture, and the Renewal of Praxis. Anthony J. Gittins. (Liturgical Press) “Our globalized world increasingly brings together people of many different cultures, though not always harmoniously. In recent decades, multinational companies have sought more efficient strategies for authentic intercultural collaboration. In today’s multicultural world-church, faith communities are also faced with the challenge of intercultural living. Living Mission Interculturally integrates sociology/anthropology with practical theology, reminds us that good will alone is not enough to effect change, and points to a way of intercultural living underpinned by faith, virtue, and a range of new skills.” Chapter include: • The Changing Face of International Religious Communities

• Culture: The Human-Made Part of Environment

• Culture: Life, Meaning, Skin, Reality

• Culture, Faith, and Intercultural Living

• Social Profiles and Social Interaction

• Developing Intercultural Competence

• Mission, Margins, and Intercultural Living

• Community, Communitas, and Living Fully

• From Invitation to Radical Welcome

Finding Common Ground

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My Neighbor’s Faith: Stories of Interreligious Encounter, Growth, and Transformation. Jennifer Howe Peace, Or Rose, and Gregory Mobley. “We are not meant to go to God alone, no matter who we are. We are meant to go together, enriched by one another’s faith and wisdom and insights into the ways of God.” (Introduction) “Every day, across the country, people of different religious beliefs and practices encounter one another in supermarkets, hospitals, schools, chat rooms, and family gatherings. How has this diversity affected the way we understand the religious ‘other’, ourselves, or ultimate reality? Will it lead us to overcome the long history of religious intolerance, bigotry, and violence that has plagued humanity for centuries? Can we learn to live together with mutual respect, acknowledging commonalities and differences, working together to create a more just and compassionate world? My Neighbor’s Faith: Stories of Interreligious Encounter, Growth, and Transformation is a collection of personal narratives about the impact of interfaith dialogue, study, and action on the lives of religious educators, community leaders, and activists. “In this book all of the languages of God are spoken – Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim – so that we can learn from one another. In this book seekers from every dimension meet together and begin to talk things out. They form friendships and form faith partners beyond any obstacles meant to separate them.” (Foreward)

From The Hijabi Monologues— “As someone who has worked in the field of interfaith cooperation for the last five years, I believe that sharing our stories is the most important thing we can do to get to know one another. I can spend hours explain the ‘Five Pillars of Islam’ but until someone knows and trusts me, they cannot understand how and why I live my Islam. It is a powerful practice to tell our stories and to hear the stories of others. It helps us see our common humanity, to notice differences in our life journeys, and it invites conversation.

The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World. Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Douglas Carlton Abrams. (From Amazon.Com) Nobel Peace Prize Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have survived more than fifty years of exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. Despite their hardships—or, as they would say, because of them—they are two of the most joyful people on the planet. In April 2015, Archbishop Tutu traveled to the Dalai Lama's home in Dharamsala, India, to celebrate His Holiness's eightieth birthday and to create what they hoped would be a gift for others. They looked back on their long lives to answer a single burning question: How do we find joy in the face of life's inevitable suffering?

They traded intimate stories, teased each other continually, and shared their spiritual practices. By the end of a week filled with laughter and punctuated with tears, these two global heroes had stared into the abyss and despair of our time and revealed how to live a life brimming with joy. We get to listen as they explore the Nature of True Joy and confront each of the Obstacles of Joy—from fear, stress, and anger to grief, illness, and death. They then offer us the Eight Pillars of Joy, which provide the foundation for lasting happiness. Throughout, they include

stories, wisdom, and science. Finally, they share their daily Joy Practices that anchor their own emotional and spiritual lives.

We Are Loved by an Unending Love

We are loved by an unending love. We are embraced by arms that find us even when we are hidden from ourselves. We are touched by fingers that soothe us even when we are too proud for soothing. We are counseled by voices that guide us even when we are too embittered to hear. We are loved by an everlasting love. We are embraced by hands that uplift us even in the midst of a fall. We are urged on by eyes that meet us even when we are too weak for meeting. We are loved by an unending love. Embraced, touched, soothed, and counseled, Ours are the arms, the fingers, the voices; Ours are the hands, the eyes, the smiles; We are loved by an unending love.

- Rabbi Rami Shapiro

Muslim Daily Prayer

O God, you are peace.

From you comes peace, to you returns peace. Revive us with a salutation of peace And lead us to your abode of peace.

A Buddhist Litany of Peace

As we are together, praying for peace, let us be truly with each other. Let us be at peace within ourselves, our bodies and our minds, our emotions, and our spirit.

Let us return to ourselves and become wholly ourselves. Let us be aware of the source of being common to us all and to all living things.

Evoking the presence of the Great Compassion, let us open our hearts to receive compassion— for ourselves, and for all living beings.

Let us pray that all living beings may realize that they are all brothers and sisters, all nourished from the same source of life.

Let us pray that we ourselves may cease to be the cause of suffering to each other. Let us pledge ourselves to live in a way, which will not deprive other beings of

Air, water, food, shelter, or the chance to live With humility, with awareness of the uniqueness of life,

and with compassion for the suffering around us, Let us pray for the establishment of peace in our hearts and peace on earth.

Prayer/Reflections

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Many Peoples, Many Cultures

Love is something you and I must have. We must have it because our spirit feeds upon it. We must have it because without it we become weak and faint. Without love, our self-esteem weakens. Without it, our courage fails. Without love, we can no longer look confidently at the world. We turn inward and begin to feed upon our own personalities, and little by little, we destroy ourselves. With it, we are creative. With it, we march tirelessly. With it, and with it alone, we are able to sacrifice for others.

-Chief Dan George For All Affected by Injustice

O God, we pray for all those in our world who are suffering from injustice; For those who are discriminated against because of their race, color, or religion; For those imprisoned for working for the relief of oppression; For those who are hounded for speaking the inconvenient truth; For those tempted to violence as a cry against overwhelming hardship; For those deprived of reasonable health and education; For those suffering from hunger and famine For those too weak to help themselves and who have no one else to help them; For the unemployed who cry out for work but do not find it. We pray for anyone of our acquaintance who is personally affected by injustice. Forgive us, Lord, if we unwittingly share in the conditions or in a system that perpetuates injustice. Show us how we can serve our children and make our love practical by washing their feet.

- Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Students in Grade 9 at Christ the King School have the opportunity to talk about inclusivity, diversity, and belonging through a weekly class called LIFE LESSONS. Led by Principal Phebe Switzer, students and teacher have cultivated a safe space for authentic sharing and learning about big life lessons. Mrs. Switzer had a wish –to provide a platform for the Grade 9 students, as leaders of the schools, to strengthen their voice, to learn together about belonging and inclusion, and to share in the learning with her students. Students meet weekly to talk about a variety of topics and have opened up their hearts to real conversations about learning and living together in community. Recently, students were asked to offer a reflection on the learning so far this term, reflecting on: What do you know? What do you feel? What have you learned?

Here are a few reflections:

“People can be mean, harsh, or rude. Others can be kind, nice, and respectful. All of them have faced struggles in life. Sometimes we just want a little bit of love in our lives. We just want to know that we are loved. All you have to do is say 3 words and they can make or break somebody’s day. We just have to understand and know that sometimes we are stuck in a dark deep hole. But we are not alone. There will always be other people who have or are going through the same things as you. If you realize that someone else is struggling, help them see the light in the dark. Go out there and tell them that it’s okay and you care. Comfort them and make them understand, and that you are listening. You might not understand what they’re going through sometimes, but it’s okay. Inside our minds it is trying to do a dance, but we are stuck in a box as big as us. You might need a little assistance to get out of the box. The feeling of knowing somebody is always there for us is one of the best feelings in the world. When you know someone is there, and they care, you feel on top of the world. If you see someone is getting mistreated, stand up. If you sit still that box that you were trapped in gets smaller and smaller. The things you do and say can affect someone. Be careful. So far this year I’ve learned that you can change someone’s life with a simple gesture.”

“I’ve learned that the struggles you have been through make you a stronger person at the end of the day. I have depression and I have learned so much from it. My family was so supportive through this hard time. I realized the value of life and that it is important, not just to me, but for others too. God can’t always give me miracles but I can be a miracle for someone else. Ever since I came to this school, my life is more joyful and I feel very happy. I stopped going to a therapist. That was a BIG accomplishment for me. I feel like this class helps me emotionally and physically. Volleyball really helps me and distracts me from all the problems in my life. Words have power and that we have the power to change the world. Have hope, love and know that there is a tomorrow and that today is a new day. Be the voice.”

Life Lessons – Navigating the Paths of Life

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“I have learned a lot of things from life skills so far. Some important things I have learned is about being grateful, kind, and understanding. Gratitude is something really important in someone’s life. When you love what you have, you have everything you need. Knowing what is precious to you and being grateful for it will make you a better person. Gratitude helps us to see what is there instead of what isn’t. Nowadays, people get more of what they want, than what they need, and they don’t even realize that they could have a worse life, but they don’t. You will be a happier person when you stop complaining about the troubles you have and offer thanks for all the troubles you don’t have. Having a positive mind is the key to having a good relationship with yourself and others. The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts. Be kind to one another and care for each other, and it doesn’t matter if they are white, black, or brown, a female/male, old or young. Spread your love to everyone, even if you dislike them. Whenever I make someone happy, or do something really good, I feel VERY proud and happy about myself. I want this feeling to happen more often. I really like life skills, and can’t wait to learn more.”

“Give your hands to serve and your hearts to love.” -Mother Teresa

“I’ve learned so many things in life skills that I haven’t thought about before. I’ve learned that words matter when before I never actually realized their effect. I was taught sticks and stones break bones but words will never hurt. But that’s not true, words do hurt and words hurt more than physical pain because words hurt you mentally, I don’t have good mental health but I never ever show that I don’t, because it doesn’t seem right to. I’ve been through a lot but I ignore it but it is festering inside of me and it needs to stop. Thank you Mrs. Switzer for letting me know I’m not alone and I can get through this because the mistakes I make are making me learn more and more. You have taught me so much about the world and things that I think aren’t serious, but they are. You’ve taught me that I’m not black. Being black is just a label and I am not a label. I am what I want to be and it doesn’t matter what people tell me because you can scream at me “YOU’RE BLACk, YOU’RE BLACK, YOU’RE BLACK!” and I will say I am what I want to be, you cannot define me because you are not me. I am what I say I am. I’ve learned that racism doesn’t affect just black people. It affects everyone. You’ve told us your problems and how you get through them. I always admire your strength because I wouldn’t be able to do it. I will try harder to be a better person because I know I can but it won’t be easy. Thank you for teaching me to be me.”

“In Life Skills I feel that we should feel very comfortable and just be ourselves, take down the wall we put up so others can know who we truly are. Getting to have that one class a week where we can all just be in a positive environment as a class can really brighten someone’s day. By Mrs. Switzer adding this class it brings the grade nine students closer together which is wonderful. I believe that this class will inspire us to become leaders and to set good examples for the younger students. Life Skills is where we learn about what is going on around us and getting to learn new things each class. I’ve learned that every day it’s a fresh start and whatever happened in the past is in the past. Just focus on the future and what you have to look forward to. To keep a journal to put your thoughts in when you’re not feeling that you can talk to someone. In life I’ve also learned to achieve the goals I want to succeed in. In society words have a huge impact. They mean more than we think. At times we can just be foolish with the words we choose to use. Society likes to classify us into groups just by us being who we are. By the way we dress and our ethnicities. We are responsible for our actions towards each other. We are responsible for learning from those mistakes we have done in the past.” “I would like to speak to what this class helped me realize. In class I have learned of the value of life. I have further understood that no matter who a person is, they must be accepted. This class not only helped me get to know my classmates but it also helped me get to know the principal! This is something I am not used to. Many of my old principals were hardly involved with the students at all. I feel closer to my classmates and I also feel like I am starting to get attached to this incredible school. After coming to classes like this I wish I was back in elementary so I can spend many more years in this incredible school. I was afraid of being an outsider or neglected at this school. Since I came to a new country I started over entirely. This class taught me that I could feel safe and happy in this school. This was definitely an amazing opportunity to be a different person or change for the better. I am the kind of person who knows who another person is by only an hour of talking to them. I have been in a few classes with my principal and I know she is an amazing principal and a great person. I have definitely learned how important the little things in life are and how it’s not always about material things. I actually told my old friends about the class named Life Lessons. They were astonished. They were never introduced to something like it. They told me “You have an incredible opportunity, take advantage of it. Don’t think about us too much. We will miss you but we know you will be great even without us. We will be ok. Don’t worry about us.” That kept repeating in my head but I was leaving something irreplaceable and it truly hurt. We were like family. This school has really been helping me feel better about the unfortunate event of my departure from that beautiful place. I am grateful to have ended up in a place like this. I thank God every day for what he has given me. I am more happy to meet new people but it isn’t easy to leave the memories and friends behind.”

WHAT CONVERSATIONS ARE YOU HAVING IN YOUR COMMUNITIES ON INCLUSION AND BELONGING? WHAT LIFE LESSONS ARE YOU CULTIVATING IN YOUR SCHOOL SPACES? CONSIDER CAPTURING YOUR STUDENT VOICES AND SHARING THEM

WITH THE GREATER COMMUNITY. WORDS HAVE POWER. THANK YOU FOR SHARING

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Find Your Voice – Speak Up!

Click on hyperlinked images to access video.

“The aim of life is self-development, to realize one’s nature perfectly. That is what we are all here for.”

- The Picture of Dorian Gray

“Draw your own box and always be true to yourself.”

This segment offers a connective platform to song lyrics that may provide opportunity for readers to:

Provoke new insight on a topic Make personal connections to the words or story told

Gain inspiration through storytelling Practice your own storytelling skills through songwriting!

Let It Be The Beatles

When I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom, Let it be.

And in my hour of darkness She is standing right in front of me

Speaking words of wisdom, Let it be.

Let it be, let it be Let it be, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom, Let it be.

And when the broken-hearted people Living in the world agree

There will be an answer, let it be. For though they may be parted

There is still a chance that they will see There will be an answer, let it be.

Music and Lyrics

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The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence begin on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25 and end on International Human Rights Day on December 10.

They also include the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on December 6. The 16 Days of Activism is a time to both reflect on violence against women and to take action to end it.

This year’s theme, #MYActionsMatter, is a call to action that asks everyone to take concrete steps to question, call out, and speak up against acts of gender-based violence (GBV). Recently, public attention has shone a light on what statistics have long confirmed: women in Canada and around the world continue to face disproportionate levels of violence each and every day. In response to this all-too-familiar reality #MYActionsMatter asks the question: what will you do?

GBV involves the use and abuse of power and control over another person and is perpetrated against someone based on their gender identity, gender expression or perceived gender. Violence against women and girls is one form of GBV. It also has a disproportionate impact on LGBTQ2 and gender non-binary people.

Look closely and you will see the roots of GBV all around you — in sexist jokes that demean women, in the language that we use, in media messages that objectify women and glorify toxic masculinity, and in the rigid gender norms we impose on young children. With the release of It’s Time: Canada’s Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence, the Government of Canada is committed to taking immediate action to end this form of violence.

We are using #MYActionsMatter to ask Canadians what they can do to prevent GBV, and invite you to use one of the five ways in which you can become an ally in our efforts to end GBV:

• Listen – be open to learning from the experiences of others. • Believe – support survivors and those affected by violence. • Speak out – add your voice to call out violence. • Intervene – find a safe way to help when you see acts of GBV. • Act – give your time to organizations working to end violence, and be the change you want

to see.

Take the pledge to end gender-based violence! #MYActionsMatter

The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women in Canada. Established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada, this day marks the anniversary of the murders in 1989 of 14 young women at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal. They died because they were women.

What will you do? The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women is about remembering victims; it is also a time to take action.

Why a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women? As well as commemorating the 14 young women whose lives ended in an act of gender-based violence that shocked the nation, December 6 represents an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the phenomenon of violence against women in our society. It is also an opportunity to consider the women and girls for whom violence is a daily reality, and to remember those who have died as a result of gender-based violence. And finally, it is a day on which communities can consider concrete actions to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.

November and December are important months for raising awareness of gender-based violence in Canada and around the world. In addition to the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on December 6, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women takes place on November 25 and marks the first day of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, which ends on December 10, with International Human Rights Day.

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Educator's Toolkit

Start a conversation on gender-based violence in your classroom or community organization using Status of Women Canada’s educator’s kit.

• Why a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women? • What is the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence? • Why is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against

Women important for students and their teachers? • About Violence against women and girls • Get the facts • Learning Activities • Commemorate • Additional Resources • Discussion Topics

How can you bring articles, videos, topics into your classroom discussions on Diversity and Inclusion? Brainstorm with colleagues on ways to use Current Events to cultivate discussions on Inclusive Communities. Help youth navigate real life events that impact their lives and their well being by providing a platform to talk and learn together.

News Articles Health Clinic Brings Hope to Homeless in West Edmonton | CBC News | 11|29|17 Mikayla Holmgren Becomes First Person with Down’s Syndrome to Compete in a Beauty Pageant | Global Edmonton | 11|28|17 Toronto Police Recorded Mocking Woman with Down Syndrome | CBC News | 11|28|17 Good Samaritan Pays Strangers’ Toys R Us Bills to the Tune of $10K | Global Edmonton | 11|25|17 Delayed Flight to St. John’s Turns into Impromptu Kitchen Party at Toronto Airport | Global Edmonton | 11|21|17 Alberta Youth Advocate’s Special Report Recommends LGBTQ-Specific Training, Living Spaces | Edmonton Journal | 11|20|17 ‘Roasting’ is the New Cyber Bullying Trend and It Has Experts Worried | Global Edmonton | 08|30|17 ‘Talking Will Help’: Edmonton Man Speaks Out About Recovery From Childhood Sexual Abuse | CBC News | 11|19|17 Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper - Focus: Inclusion at the Table | 11|19|17 How to Stop Automatic Negative Thoughts | Huffington Post | 11|18|17 California’s New Birth Certificate Heralds Third-Gender Intersex Rights | San Francisco Chronicle | 11|08|17 ‘We’re Writing History’: Canada’s First Trans Mayer Elected in Village West of Montreal | CBC News | 11|10|17 Wondering How to Get Involved in Reconciliation? Start By Asking Yourself These 5 Questions | CBC Radio Unreserved | 10|11|17 For Any Canadian Who Feels Lonely, This Project Proves You’re Not Truly Alone | Global Edmonton | 10|15|17 Denmark Has Figured Out How To Teacher Kids Empathy and Make Them Happier Adults | Quartz Media | 08|22|16 Videos Ta-Nehisi Coates on Word That Don’t Belong to Everyone – the power of words Meghan Markle - UN Ambassador for Women – a speech on gender equality WONDER Trailer – a young boy struggles to fit in at school as he is judged because of facial deformities. The gifts of friendship are powerful in this story. Six Graders Share Positivity Raps

Current Events Discussion Topics

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Education Articles 4 Proven Strategies for Teaching Empathy | Edutopia | 01|04|17 Social Media

Click on image below to initiate hyperlink to Twitter and to hear the story.

Click on hyperlinked image above to view the performance

Lead, Kindly Light -John H. Newman

Lead, kindly light, amid th’ encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on; The night is dark, and I am far from home, Lead Thou me on; Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene; one step enough for me. I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou Shouldst lead me on; I loved to choose and see my path, but now Lead Thou me on; I loved the garish day, and spite of fears, Pride ruled my will; remember not past years. So long Thy pow’r has blest me, sure it still Wilt lead me on, O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till The night is gone, And with the morn those angel faces smile, Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.

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“Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a might effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top if it.”

- Elizabeth Gilbert