sʔi:ɬqəy̓ qeqən (double-headed serpent post), Brent Sparrow, Musqueam. Photo by Paul H. Joseph / UBC Brand & Marketing.
Situated on unceded and ancestral Musqueam land, UBC School of Information is committed to being a good institutional guest. We aim to do this by providing an education and community that centers Indigenous reciprocity, so that our students can step into their careers as information professionals with the context and knowledge necessary to work in collaboration with Indigenous communities.
You may have graduated from or know of our First Nations Curriculum Concentration (FNCC), one of the only specializations in North American information schools that addresses Indigenous information practices and community building. Our unit is in the process of strengthening our commitments to the Indigenous Strategic Plan, and plan to continue the work in the coming year. Some of our faculty, students, and alumni are also involved in the Musqueam Resource Curation Project, which brings together folks from Indigenous Initiatives, CTLT, Campus & Community Planning, School of Information, and X̱wi7x̱wa Library to create a repository of Musqueam information found in UBC records.
But that’s not all – we have many dreams for the future that we want to make a reality. UBC School of Information has identified the following three priority areas for our unit:
- Fostering a positive environment for Indigenous students in our programs through dedicated events and services.
- Building stronger connections with Musqueam Indian Band through collaboration and dialogue.
- Indigenizing our learning and social spaces in the school.
When asked about her hopes and dreams for the FNCC program, FNCC Manager Amy Perreault said:
My hope for the FNCC is that it continues to be a space that is guided by Indigenous priorities, specifically those of local Nations such as Musqueam. Over the years I have also seen the FNCC serve as a space of connection, community and peer to peer support for students in the specialization. We have tea, we gather in solidarity and share with one another what we are learning, what we are passionate about and what we can do to shift policies and priorities in our field to better align with Indigenous communities and Indigenous-led organizations. There are important and lasting relationships that are formed here, and I am continuously so appreciative of the alumni of the FNCC and their commitment to stay connected as they move into new areas of their careers and interests.
It is the spirit of reciprocity that is threaded through the FNCC, in coursework, in the valuable learning experiences with community partners and projects that keeps us connected and doing our work in a good way. My hope is that we can sustain and support these important and relational aspects of the FNCC for years to come.
These initiatives are important, but they require sustainable funding. Your support will help to ensure that these opportunities and relationships can be maintained, and that our priority areas can be developed. By donating to the iSchool Indigenous Reciprocity Fund, your gift invests in a future for Indigenous information practices, for generations to come.
