Relatives in Reconciliation: Kelowna Network Mapping
Relatives in Reconciliation: Kelowna Network Mapping aims to connect reconciliation champions to other resources and people in the community. Reconciliation Champions are defined as leaders in the community with enough influence and passion to pour back into their respective communities. Reconciliation Champions could be city employees, First Nations elders and knowledge keepers, church pastors, congregants leading reconciliation-based activities, organizational leaders and community activists. Since reconciliation work is often done behind the scenes and in isolation, this project aims to begin telling stories of hope, success, and community healing as defined by the community itself.
Reconciliation work will be defined by community partners, but will include the criteria of right-relatedness, bridge-building between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, and education of Canada’s past and current relationship with Indigenous peoples. As reconciliation initiatives rise and fall as funding or public engagement varies, the goal of this project will be to identify current and ongoing work in the community and not highlight past events. RIRnetwork should be generative in nature, meaning that when one community partner pulls funding or resources, the network still holds together because it is supported by multiple partnerships.
Mackenzie Griffin is a Cree and Saulteaux woman from Sunchild First Nations, growing up in Alberta and moving to Kelowna in 2018. She is a 3rd year Masters student with NAIITS – An Indigenous Learning working on her thesis on Indigenous Asset-based theology. Mackenzie is a theologian, poet and fantasy writer with published works in Love Is Moving, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Faith Today and the book Oral Discipleship and Leadership Training. She works part-time for the Peace and Reconciliation network which is a network of evangelical alliances, churches and individuals across the globe as Global Social Media Storyteller.
Congregational and Community grants provide support for urban pastors, churches, faith-based community organizations, and theological institutions to share resources, ideas, and practices for life-giving ministry in cities across North America. Typically, we invite those who have not previously had access to resources or grant funding. This inaugural cohort of grantees included organizations working with children and youth, capacity building for a community. ministry, support for community healthcare, and research on congregational responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
