Gathering: The Upwelling + Truth Telling Learning Agenda (Vancouver)

We are really excited to share with you a ‘learning agenda’ called Upwelling + Truth Telling. This research and knowledge mobilization initiative has been led by The Circle on Philanthropy (The Circle), in partnership with EFC. Thirteen Indigenous leaders from across these lands were engaged in a truth-telling process designed to elevate their voices and experiences and uncover assumptions about the quality of partnership between settler-led ENGOs and Indigenous peoples. This work began two years ago and was initiated through support and encouragement from EFC’s Oceans Collaborative, which enabled Kris Archie and me to develop the concept, and for our two teams to come together in partnership.

This learning agenda is an outcome of that process, and we are grateful to the Indigenous leaders and our partners at the Circle for producing it. Our hope is that funders and ENGOs in the settler world will use it to aid in the continuous journey of working in better ways with Indigenous partners and allies, grounded in respect, reciprocity, and unwavering support for Indigenous sovereignty.

We are holding a related event on November 18 & 19 in North Vancouver at the Polygon Gallery involving six or seven of the Indigenous leaders, and senior staff from most of the major conservation focused ENGOs in Canada, along with several funders who are members of EFC’s Oceans Collaborative.