Written by: Jennifer McPherson

National Indigenous Peoples Day is celebrated on June 21st. It serves as a reminder of the rich cultures, traditions, and contributions of Indigenous peoples in Canada. However, beyond the annual celebrations, it's essential to address the ongoing visibility and representation challenges faced by Indigenous communities. 

🔎 Visibility! 

Despite the growing awareness of Indigenous issues, Indigenous peoples often remain invisible in many spheres of society, including the workplace, media, and public policy. This invisibility perpetuates a lack of understanding and appreciation of Indigenous contributions and challenges. It's important for businesses and organizations to actively seek out and amplify Indigenous voices.

🫂Representation! 

Representation is not just about numbers; it’s about creating environments where Indigenous peoples feel seen, heard, and valued. This means moving beyond superficial diversity metrics to genuinely inclusive practices.

🏗️ Build Community! 

Being Indigenous-friendly goes beyond hiring practices. It involves creating a supportive and respectful workplace culture that acknowledges and celebrates Indigenous identities.

🪶 Respect! 

Inclusive communication involves more than just using the right terminology or performing land acknowledgements. It's about embedding respect and understanding into every interaction and piece of communication.

🫶 Give Back! 

To truly honour Indigenous peoples, organizations must commit to giving back and educating themselves continuously. This requires a proactive approach to learning and supporting Indigenous communities.

Let’s go beyond awareness! 

Here are some impactful ways to increase visibility, representation, community, and communication, and continually educate yourself and your organization. 

• Audit Your Spaces: Assess the representation of Indigenous peoples in your workforce, leadership, and decision-making processes. Aim for meaningful inclusion rather than tokenism.

• Partner with Indigenous Organizations: Collaborate with Indigenous-led groups to ensure authentic representation and involvement in projects and initiatives.

• Cultural Competency Training: Implement ongoing training for all employees on Indigenous cultures, histories, and contemporary issues.

• Inclusive Hiring Practices: Develop hiring policies that prioritize Indigenous candidates and create pathways for their professional development.

• Physical and Cultural Spaces: Design office spaces that reflect the Indigenous land you do business on. Example: Hire a local Indigenous artist to create a mural wall.   

• Support Networks: Establish mentorship and support networks for Indigenous employees to foster community and professional growth.

• Educate on Protocols: Ensure that all employees understand the significance of land acknowledgements and other Indigenous protocols, practicing them with sincerity. Go beyond the scripted language of land acknowledgements and talk about what your organization does in an effort to de-colonize the workplace. 

• Use Indigenous Languages: Where possible, incorporate Indigenous languages in your communications and signage, respecting linguistic diversity without tokenism. 

• Continuous Learning: Encourage employees to engage in self-directed learning about Indigenous histories and contemporary issues through books, documentaries, and workshops.

• Community Engagement: Support Indigenous communities through volunteering, donations, and partnerships with Indigenous-led initiatives and businesses.