The Community Arts Council (CAC) of Williams Lake will host another Come-UNITY event on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.
After hosting their first one in April, CAC is bringing back the event, aimed at building community by centering Indigenous storytellers, artists and facilitators in the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation.
The event is co-presented by Cariboo Chilcotin Collaborative for Anti-Racism and Reconciliation Engagement (CC CARE) and Awakenings Anti-Racism.
“As a settler organization building this event, we want to foster dialogue and change,” said the CAC release announcing the event.
“We hope to amplify and highlight Indigenous rights, history and stories that assist those of us settled here to act and live in right relationship. There is a lot to learn.”
Asking settlers living on traditional, unceded territory of Indigenous Peoples to do their part in reconciliation, the event is a way to “rebuild our village” said the CAC release.
The event will help to create experiences and generating actions aimed at moving society forward in terms of justice and equity on a foundation of compassion and human rights.
The Oct. 20 Come-UNITY event will feature Madeline Terbasket, a Syilx, Ho-Chunk and Anishnaabeg storytelling artist from snpintktn (Penticton). Terbasket will perform their one-person show “Two-Spirit Tease” which the release said brings “a maverick’s energy to traditional storytelling” weaving together stories, poems, and rap.
Local filmmakers who participated in the Empowered Filmmakers intensive workshops at Williams Lake First Nation earlier in the year will also be featured. Their short films will be screened.
Helen Sandy created a short film titled Farwell Canyon, and Julie Doerfling and Aubrey Jackson created the short film Our Anchor. Both films are under 10 minutes in length.
This event is supported by the BC Arts Council and Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Society.
Tickets for Friday evening’s event are $10 and available at The Open Book. To learn more about ComeUNITY or The Community Arts Council of Williams Lake, please contact Venta at williamslakearts@gmail.com.
READ MORE: New Williams Lake city council pressed on reconciliation at first meeting
READ MORE: Williams Lake event to build community while making medicine, sharing stories, music
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