6 August 2-9, 2020 catholicregister.org
canada
BY WENDY-ANN CLARKE The Catholic Register
Sports enthusiast and Indige- nous language educator Dominic Beaudry doesn't pass up an oppor- tunity for a teachable moment on or offthe field of play. A huge Toronto Raptors' fan, the teacher at St. James Catholic Elementary School in Lively, Ont., sparked attention last year when he translated the NBA champions' "We The North" slogan into An- ishinaabemowin or Ojibwe. The translation, Kiinwi Giiwedinong, was posted to his social media during the team's storied 2019 run to the NBA title. "My approach has always been to put Ojibwe language out there in a positive way," said Beaudry, who has been posting his videos for students and parents on the Sudbury Catholic District School Board's Indigenous Education Facebook page. "That's our way of trying to ensure social justice is looked at (and it's recognized that) Indigenous people do belong. Any time you can share your culture and your language in a positive way, that's the best of culture." He and his students have helped share that culture within the Sudbury community. Last year his students performed the national anthem in Ojibwe at homes games of the Ontario Hockey League's Sudbury Wolves and the Sudbury Five of the National Basketball League of Canada. Beaudry has been active in promoting Indigenous culture throughout the pandemic by posting videos where he translates household items into Ojibwe as a way of teaching and encouraging children to practise speaking the language in the home. It carries on a lifelong dedication to Indig- enous education that has seen him recognized for his commitment, including being honoured in 2016 as Laurentian University's Native Education Person of Distinction for his work fostering Indigenous educational aspiration. A former professor of Indig- enous studies at Seneca College in Toronto, Beaudry moved north to Sudbury three years ago to be closer to his home of Wikwemikong, where for 17 years he was a teacher, principal and director of education with the Wikwemikong Board of Education. In addition to teaching, he is also an Anishinaabe language facilitator assisting staffin integrat- ing positive Anishinaabe language and culture into classrooms. Superintendent of Education Rosella Bagnato said Beaudry's work is building bridges in the journey towards truth and recon- ciliation by ensuring other teachers make Indigenous language and culture a priority. "For Dominic it's about speaking the language but also understanding the history in the context of current events," said Bagnato. "There are a lot of things that still need to be done (in the journey towards healing), but there is hope. The only way to have hope is to have students that understand their culture, that can speak their language and that can help us to continue on our path of reconcili- ation." "I work for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board and a lot of the things in the Bible talk about how all men are created equal and
Sudbury teacher mines sport for justice
Dominic Beaudry believes by sharing Ojibwe language and culture in a positive way, including translating the Raptors' "We The North" slogan into the language, advances social justice.
(Photo courtesy of Dominic Beaudry)
we have to treat each other with respect and with dignity," said Beaudry. "You can use religion and also culture to support a lot of the social justice issues that are currently in the media. I think it's a good time for change." Beaudry enjoys the opportuni- ties to bring attention to the beauty of culture in the journey towards social justice and equality. Beaudry looks beyond just In- digenous issues when it comes to the fight against racism. He supports the efforts of the NBA, its players and teams in spreading the message against racism. With the Raptors scheduled to play the Los Angeles Lakers in the restart season opener on Aug. 1 after league play was halted March 12 due to the coronavirus, they'll play on a court with the words "Black Lives Matter" painted inside the sidelines. All three arenas in the Orlando, Fla., NBA bubble will carry the message. The Raptors also opted to paint the message on the team bus. When it comes to anti-Black racism, said Beaudry, it's not about "quick fixes" but the need to truly learn to "treat each other as human beings." With the Black Lives Matter movement bringing all forms of discrimination under the spotlight, Beaudry says the conversation has also helped to move the needle forward on Indigenous issues. There have long been calls for sports teams to do away with their Indigenous names, logos and mascots on the grounds that they are offensive. Mounting pressure and threats from companies to pull their sponsorships saw the Wash- ington Redskins in July announce the intention to change the team name. The Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL followed the NFL team's lead as well, announcing July 21 that it would choose a new name. Beaudry recalls being in the stands at a Toronto Blue Jays game years ago with his children when he overheard Atlanta Braves fans making disparaging comments about "Indians" and says it's just not acceptable. (The Braves have not made the move to change the team name, but will consider elim- inating its infamous "tomahawk chop" at games.) "I've always felt uneasy, attending sports games and seeing (Indigenous people) being portrayed as mascots or the negative imagery," said Beaudry. "It's 2020 and I think it's time to move forward and treat all humans with respect and dignity."
CATHOLIC REGISTER STAFF
Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre donated 100 su- permarket food vouchers and over 200 pre-made meals to help young people in need. The gift was sent through Catholic Charities of the Arch- diocese of Toronto and will assist those in the Independent Living Program coordinated by Catholic Children's Aid Society (CCAS) of Toronto. The program helps bridge the transition to adulthood by providing additional support for former crown wards between the age of 18 and 21. With the situations of many already living in poverty further challenged by the COVID-19 outbreak, Jack Panozzo of Catholic Charities says CCAS moved quickly to accept the donation. The gesture, he says, will go a long way to ensure needs of vulner- able youth within the program are taken care of during this time. "These young people need help," said Panozzo. "It is a very generous and important action to take as many living on their own are facing chronic issues of food security. It's an old story. It should have gone away a long time ago, but it has not." A team from the Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre delivered the $50 food vouchers and meals to the CCAS offices July 21. The Indigenous agency serves the community in Toronto's downtown core and clients include the marginalized, homeless and at risk of homeless- ness. The council provides more than 55,000 meals to persons in need annually and throughout the COVID-19 crisis have been committed to continuing to service vulnerable communities. Panozzo says the gesture is a powerful example of the organi- zation's generosity, particularly in this time of crisis. "They will bend over backwards to help folks, regardless of whether they're Indigenous or not," said Panozzo. "I really think they need to be applauded for that."
Indigenous centre feeds youth in need
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