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SWAC Baseball Tournament will be held in Atlanta
The 2023 tournament will be held at Mac Nease Baseball Park.
By HBCU Gameday Newswire
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Southwestern Athletic Conference has announced that the upcoming 2023 SWAC Baseball Tournament slated for May 24-28 will be hosted in downtown Atlanta at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium.
"We're extremely excited to host our upcoming baseball tournament in the City of Atlanta," said SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland. "Aside from what we envision being an extremely exciting and competitive baseball tournament, the City of Atlanta undoubtedly will offer our fans and supporters a wide variety of leisure and recreational activities, restaurants, and hotel accommodations."
"Atlanta is a unique city that has established a world-wide reputation as one of the top tourist destinations in the country, while also featuring a large demographic of alumnus from SWAC member institutions making this agreement truly a win-win for our league. We would like to extend sincere thanks to the City of Atlanta Mayor's Office along with the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority (AFCRA) for their unwavering support of this historic partnership."
Scenically nestled in downtown Atlanta, Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium provides a brilliant backdrop for college baseball and offers one of the best atmospheres for the game in the country.
The home of Georgia Tech baseball for nearly 90 years, Mac Nease Baseball Park has a long and storied history, from its original construction in 1930 with funds from Georgia Tech's 1929 appearance in the Rose Bowl game to its use as a training facility for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.
With incredible views of the Atlanta skyline, the facility underwent a series of multi-million dollar renovations and expansion to make Russ Chandler Stadium into a state-of-the-art, all-around facility.
Additional information regarding tickets for the event will be released at a later date.
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Don't laugh at or ignore Amazon's new home virtual assistant appliance. Devices like this will soon be as common as toasters.
Echo is closer to how we'll use computers in the future because it's optimized for hands-free, ambient use.
It's optimized in the sense that Echo has a purpose-built microphone designed to understand human speech anywhere in a room and a speaker system that enables human ears to hear the response -- as well as music and other audio -- from anywhere in a room. (In fact, the device is almost entirely made up of speaker components.) A ring around the top lets you adjust the volume of the speaker. And a light lets you know when it's working.
Unlike smartphones, Echo is not designed to just make it possible for a specific person to instantly access a virtual assistant; it's designed for use by anyone in a room.
Star Trek nailed it. In that series (in addition to an absurd array of dials, buttons and screens), the main interface to the Enterprise's supercomputer was voice. A crew member would say: "Computer" followed by some command or question. The computer would talk back.
It's inevitable that this interface will be extremely effective, appealing and ubiquitous in the future. We'll talk, and the virtual assistant of our choice will answer, act and respond accordingly.
As artificial intelligence, voice recognition, speech recognition and other technologies related to virtual assistants improve, these interfaces will do amazing things for us. They'll understand, interpret and make decisions based on past behavior. We'll blurt out "Alexa" or "Hey Siri" or "OK, Google Now" or "Yo, Cortana" followed by something cryptic and colloquial: "We need paper towels!" The assistant will know your preferences and will have access to your credit card, so it will go ahead and order the paper towels and have them shipped. It's not hard to see why this is important to Amazon.
It appears from our limited perspective that Siri, Google Now and Cortana operate on general-purpose devices, while Echo is a limited-purpose device. But conceptually, the opposite is true.
The future of virtual assistants isn't mobile devices and PCs, but microphone-speaker-Internet-connection devices that are custom- or purpose-built for exactly whatever space you're in.
I think it's a near certainty that there will be Echo-like devices for living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and garages. Plus smaller and quieter ones for the bathroom (Oh, shut up: You already bring your smartphone into the bathroom -- what's the difference?), hallway, car, boat, office and anywhere else you spend time.
Of course, if you're jogging or shopping or having a picnic, you'll have to resort to accessing your personal assistant the old-fashioned way: Through your smartphone.
But the ultimate result will be that you'll forget about Echo-like products, and you'll simply speak up, address your virtual assistant, and stuff will happen.
I believe ubiquity is the core attribute of the voice interface of tomorrow. If multiple devices pick up your voice, which they will, the software will figure out which device to interact with you on.
Echo's technology is not more advanced than the hardware facilitating interaction with Siri, Google Now and Cortana. But the use case, the approach, the scenario is more advanced.
In the future, virtual assistant hardware will be optimized for the space or location.
I also believe hundreds or thousands of companies will make that hardware. Sonos should and probably will start soon building microphones into its speakers. Refrigerators, lamps, tables and other ordinary household objects will get speakers and microphones and Internet connections for this purpose. Cars already have the microphones and speakers and will soon universally support the option for Internet connectivity.
That's why Echo, while itself a single-purpose device, represents a use case that will be handled in the future by any device. Anything with a microphone, speaker and Internet connection will function like Echo.
The criticism of Echo is a knee-jerk reaction that's perfectly futile. This world is absolutely going to happen. And we're going to love our virtual assistants, because they'll protect us, help us and make our lives much easier.
Yes, of course we don't want to be tracked -- or be trackable. The idea of computers listening to us in our homes is creepy. It's all in the service of exploitive commercialism. It feels dystopian.
But it's also true that it's going to happen. We're going to love it. And people born from today onward won't know any other way.


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Juris Tjerk Emiles Ivars Vičs, "DR. RAT"  (21 May 1960 — 29 June 1981) was a graffiti artist from Amsterdam, Netherlands. Since his early years as a graffiti writer in the 1970s Ivar was tagging the name "DR. RAT" pioneering the movement in the Netherlands. He was a well known supporter of the association football club AFC Ajax, and would commonly tag "AJAKS" next to his name, misspelling it on purpose. He is largely considered the pioneer of the graffiti movement in the country, emerging out of the punk rock scene of the late 1970s.

Biography
Born in Amsterdam 21 May 1960 to a Latvian father and a Dutch mother who were both studying at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, he was the first known graffiti artist in the Netherlands, and played a major role in the punk rock scene in Amsterdam in the late 1970s. He made his first graffiti in Hondecoeterstraat as a child. It was near Nicolaas Maesstraat, where he then lived with his parents. Together with Diana Ozon he founded the famed punk club DDT666 (Dirty Dutch Trix 666), and was also a contributor the fanzine de Koekrant dedicated to punk rock and street culture, while working on other art related projects as well. The graffiti culture was born in the Netherlands at the same time it was born in the US, but is connected with the punk subculture rather than with hip-hop as it is in New York.

He had a short lasting relationship with German singer and actress Nina Hagen, who had advised him to change his name to "DR. ART". Aside from the pseudonyms Dr. Rat and Dr. Art, Vičs other known aliases include Fritz Zanzibar, Stanley Sneeuwschoen de Verschrikkelijke, and Dr. Death, with which he would commonly sign his paintings. A majority of DR. RAT's work in Amsterdam is no longer visible.

His contemporaries largely consider him as a cult figure and an enfant terrible. Ivar Vičs was always seeking out the extremities in life, frequently abusing drugs and alcohol which eventually led to his untimely death. After his passing Diana Ozon dedicated a poem to him, punk rock band "The Helmettes" wrote a song dedicated to Dr. Rat, and Nina Hagen released the song "Dr. Art" dedicated to Ivar as well. Rare footage of Dr. Rat was featured in the 2006 documentary film Kroonjuwelen, and in 2011, journalist Martijn Haas published a biography of Ivar Vičs under the title Dr. Rat, godfather of Dutch graffiti.

Biopic
Independent film director Fedor Sendak, was reportedly working on a biographical film about Dr. Rat. The film was scheduled to be released in 2013.

Bibliography
 :nl: Martijn Haas, Dr. Rat, Godfather van de Nederlandse graffiti, Lebowski, Amsterdam, 2011,

References

1960 births
1981 deaths
Artists from Amsterdam
Dutch graffiti artists
Dutch people of Latvian descent

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Athlete. 1964 graduate. Kurt Lauer enjoyed the best basketball season in Nebraska history, leading the Gibbon Buffaloes to their second straight state runner-up finish in the 1963-64 season. A 6-foot-8 post player and an outstanding shooter, he set the state record with 956 points (38.2 points per game). He scored 59 points in a single game, netted more than 50 points in five games that year and had six more games of 40 or more points. He established a career state tournament scoring record with 205 points (34.2 points per game). He finished his high school career with 2,247 points. He played collegiately for Nebraska and Hastings College.
Dave Lebsack earned the Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald's Athlete of the Year awards in 1962 after earning nine letters at Lincoln Northeast in football, basketball and baseball. An all-state quarterback, he led the Rockets to a 9-0 record and the state ratings championship in 1961. He started from the first game his sophomore year and had a reputation for being a ball-handling wizard. He also earned all-state honors in basketball where the Rockets won the Class A state title in 1962. Lincoln Northeast was 19-2 that year, losing two games Lebsack missed with a strained knee. He averaged 22.4 points per game in that state tournament. In baseball, Lebsack was known as an outstanding catcher.
There were no clever nicknames for Dave Lebsack.
And there were certainly plenty of opportunities. Lebsack quarterbacked Lincoln Northeast to the 1961 Class A state football ratings championship (there were no playoffs until 1975), then helped the Rockets to the 1962 Class A state basketball title. He was all-state in both sports and earned Journal Star athlete of the year honors in 1962.
Lebsack, one of Lincoln's most decorated athletes, died Tuesday at the age of 67. Memorial services will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at St. David's Episcopal Church.
Lebsack was a charter member of the Lincoln Northeast Athletic Hall of Fame, inducted in 1991, and he was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.
Lebsack guided Northeast to a 9-0 record in football his senior year and was a three-year starter at quarterback. He missed the first four games of the basketball season (the Rockets went 2-2 without him) after an injury during football required surgery. The Rockets won 17 straight games after he came back to earn the title, with Lebsack averaging 22.4 points a game in the state tournament. He was also a standout catcher and earned all-city honors in baseball.
"I can see a gifted athlete who made sports look ever so easy, especially handling the football in a now-you-see-it, now-you-don't fashion," said Conde Sargent, who covered Lebsack's career for the Journal Star and named him athlete of the year.
Lebsack accepted a scholarship to play both football and basketball at Nebraska, but transferred to Nebraska Wesleyan during his sophomore year and graduated from there in 1969.
"He was a class act. He never left northeast Lincoln," Motz said. "He's an icon out here. He's one of the people who laid the groundwork for all the rich tradition we had.
Lebsack is survived by his wife of 47 years, Sharon, daughter Lindy and her husband Doug Bonnett, son Scott and his wife Christie, granddaughter Haley, and sister Donna Spence, all of Lincoln, and sister Judy and her husband Harlan Hoy of Waverly.
"He was very humble and shy. The only thing he cared about when he stepped on the field of endeavor was to win," Motz said. "I've seen a lot of high school quarterbacks in this town, and there's no one who was better.
Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 402-473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
Athlete. A 1981 graduate of Albion High School in Boone County, she was the first athlete in Nebraska high school girls' track and field to win a gold medal in the same event each year of her high school career, 1978-1979-1989- 1981. She bettered her own initial mark in the high jump from 5'8" her freshman year to a record 5'10" her senior year. She was also a double gold medal winner on occasion in the long jump. She held the all class state record in the girls high jump up to 1987. The Class B marks of Sue (Lind) Nelson at the state track & field meet and through the season are still high on the all time list.
Coach. Ted Larson's teams were always on the run. As a head coach at Lincoln Southeast, Larson's teams won 24 state championships from 1983 to 2001 – 13 in girls cross country, 10 in boys cross country and one in boys track. The girls cross country team put together a streak of nine straight state championships from 1989 to 1997. In 1992, the Knights boys and girls set scoring records at the state cross country meet, one of five years his teams won both state titles. The national Coach of the Year in 1995, he also coached two years at Lincoln East and two years at Waverly before moving to Southeast. After 2001, he became the first cross country coach at Lincoln Southwest, adding another conference championship (his 28th) and an individual state champion (his sixth) before retiring in 2008.
Contributor. The contribution sportswriters make to the understanding and enjoyment of high school athletics is immeasurable. One of the best was Don Lee, who spent 44 years covering sports as a reliable scribe for the Omaha World-Herald newspaper. He was present for 35 consecutive state basketball tournaments and 35 state track meets. Though his talents extended to the occasional coverage of college sports as well as golf, boxing, horse racing, figure skating and hockey, his close ties with Nebraska high school sports remained paramount. He was very familiar with the vanishing numbers of high schools and the consolidation movement and he made sure that the small town teams as well as the metropolitan giants received proper and frequent coverage.
Kelly Lindsey enjoyed a golden high school career in cross country and soccer. A Parade All-American, she led the Mustangs to the state soccer championship during her freshman and senior senior seasons, scoring 99 goals in her career. In cross country, she won the Class A gold medal three times – her bid to be a four-time state champion ended when with a rib injury halfway through the state meet race. She also lettered in basketball all four years for the Mustangs. A member of the under-20 national soccer team, she was a four-year starter at Notre Dame and went on to play professional soccer for three years. She has coached professional and college soccer teams.
Athlete. One of the best girl basketball players in high school history, this 1979 graduate of Platteview High School in Springfield, Sarpy County, was a favorite with fans from the time she first stepped on to any athletic arena for her varsity team. She was named all-state in both volleyball and basketball, and she won the Class B high jump in 1977. Despite all this versatility, she was a basketball player, a real star in this sport. Her statistics: 1,492 career points, a single season record of 533, and a point average of more than 22 a game in her last two years of high school. Basketball was her sport, for sure. She played four years at the University of Nebraska.
An all-around athlete, he was a four-year starter in football and basketball. On the basketball court, he led Clearwater in scoring all four years, finishing with 1,673 points, including 55 against Chambers during his senior season. He was also credited with 32 rebounds in a single game and averaged 21.9 rebounds per game during his career. In track, he went to state every year and as a senior, helped the Cardinals to a share of the Class D team title by winning the shot and discus and taking second in the high jump. On the baseball diamond, he pitched at Pershing College and played in the minor leagues. He has enjoyed a successful coaching career in American Legion baseball.
Before graduating from Ainsworth High School in 1939, Ralph had an outstanding career in all three sports offered at that time. His honors included being selected twice to the All State Teams in basketball and once football. His track events were the pole vault and high jump. In order to gain more practice time Ralph built a pole vault pit in his back yard and even taught his sister how to do the vault. Going on to Creighton U. he quickly established himself as a real "Blue Chipper". Referred to by some sports writers as the "Blonde Bombshell" he led Creighton's high point chart all four years he played. Ralph was selected to the All American first team in 1942 and 1943. After college Uncle Sam picked up his option and he was assigned to the famed 10th Mountain Infantry Division. He got one more crack at basketball before going overseas by playing for the Army in an AAU tourney in Colorado Springs. The hastily put together team almost won it all playing against top rated AAU teams of the time. Ralph missed the final game when he was called back to his outfit for maneuvers. He saw duty overseas in the battle for Sicily where he was wounded, received the purple heart and went to Fitzsimmons hospital in Denver for recovery. With his recovery complete he signed on with the Denver Nuggets in 1946. Creighton University Hall of Fame in 2000. Died October 1998.


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Corina Bomann (* 7. März 1974 in Parchim) ist eine deutsche Schriftstellerin.

Leben
Corina Bomann wurde 1974 geboren und wuchs in einem Dorf in Mecklenburg auf. Sie veröffentlichte 1999 ihre erste Kurzgeschichte und arbeitete bis 2002 als Zahnarzthelferin. Zuvor veröffentlichte sie mit Der Schattengeist und Der Traum des Satyrs ihre beiden ersten Fantasy-Romane. Seit 2008 konzentriert sie sich auf fiktiv-historistische Frauenromane, die hauptsächlich zwischen dem 16. und 17. Jahrhundert angesiedelt sind. Ihr 2012 im Ullstein Verlag erschienener Roman Die Schmetterlingsinsel hat sich über 120.000 Mal verkauft und war wochenlang auf der Spiegel-Bestseller-Liste.
Von 2003 bis 2009 war Bomann Stammautorin der unter Jack Slade publizierten Erotik-Reihe der Lassiter-Western bei Bastei-Lübbe, sie verfasste in dieser Zeit fast 100 Folgen der Heftroman-Serie.
Auch im Ausland sind ihre Bücher sehr erfolgreich. Viele Bücher sind mittlerweile in fast 20 verschiedenen Sprachen übersetzt und führten auch im Ausland die Bestsellerlisten an.  Ihr Roman Der Mondscheingarten war wochenlang die Nr. 1 der amerikanischen Kindle-Charts!

Corina Bomann lebt derzeit in Berlin.

Werke
 Der Schattengeist. mgVerlag 2001, ISBN 3-931164-20-9.
 Der Traum des Satyrs. Zaubermond-Verlag, 2001, ISBN 3-931407-66-7.
 Die Spionin. Droemer Knaur, 2008, ISBN 978-3-426-66314-1.
 Verrückt nach Mark. cbj, 2008, ISBN 978-3-570-13542-6.
 Der Pfad der roten Träume. Carl Ueberreuter, 2009, ISBN 978-3-8000-5498-5.
 Sturmsegel. Carl Ueberreuter, 2010, ISBN 978-3-8000-5532-6.
 Das Krähenweib. Droemer Knaur, 2010, ISBN 978-3-426-66315-8.
 Der Lilienpakt. Carl Ueberreuter, 2011, ISBN 978-3-8000-5601-9.
 Die Schmetterlingsinsel. Ullstein Verlag, 2012, ISBN 978-3-548-28438-5.
 Der Mondscheingarten. Ullstein Verlag, 2013, ISBN 978-3-548-28526-9.
 Eine wundersame Weihnachtsreise. Ullstein Verlag, 2013, ISBN 978-3-547-71191-2.
 Die Jasminschwestern. Ullstein Verlag, 2014, ISBN 978-3-548-28527-6.
 Und morgen am Meer. Aufbau Verlag, 2014, ISBN 978-3-7466-2985-8.
 Die Sturmrose. Ullstein Verlag, 2015, ISBN 978-3-548-28668-6.
 Ein zauberhafter Sommer. Ullstein Verlag, 2015, ISBN 978-3-548-28813-0.
 Das Mohnblütenjahr. Ullstein Verlag, 2016, ISBN 978-3-548-28667-9.
 Winterblüte. Roman. List, Berlin 2016, ISBN 978-3-471-35142-0.
 Winterengel. Roman. List, Berlin 2017, ISBN 978-3-471-35161-1.
 Sturmherz. Roman. Ullstein Verlag, 2017, ISBN 978-3-548-28839-0.
 Die Frauen vom Löwenhof - Agnetas Erbe. Roman. Ullstein Verlag, 2018, ISBN 978-3-548-28996-0.
 Die Frauen vom Löwenhof - Mathildas Geheimnis. Roman. Ullstein Verlag, 2018, ISBN 978-3-548-28998-4.
 Die Frauen vom Löwenhof - Solveigs Versprechen. Roman. Ullstein Verlag, 2018, ISBN 978-3-548-28999-1.
 Die Farben der Schönheit - Sophias Hoffnung. Roman. Ullstein Verlag, 2020, ISBN 978-3-86493-116-1.
 Die Farben der Schönheit - Sophias Träume. Roman. Ullstein Verlag, 2020, ISBN 978-3-86493-117-8.

Hörbücher
 2012: Die Schmetterlingsinsel. Gelesen von Elena Wilms. 6 CDs, Hörbuch Hamburg, ISBN 978-3-86909-124-2.
 2013: Der Mondscheingarten. Gelesen von Elena Wilms. 6 CDs, Hörbuch Hamburg, ISBN 978-3-86909-125-9.
 2013: Eine wundersame Winterreise. Gelesen von Elena Wilms. 4 CDs, Hörbuch Hamburg, ISBN 978-3-89903-874-3.
 2014: Die Jasminschwestern. Gelesen von Elena Wilms. 6 CDs, Hörbuch Hamburg, ISBN 978-3-86909-063-4.
 2015: Die Sturmrose. Gelesen von Elena Wilms. 6 CDs, Hörbuch Hamburg, ISBN 978-3-86909-150-1.
 2015: Ein zauberhafter Sommer. Gelesen von Elena Wilms. 6 CDs, Hörbuch Hamburg, ISBN 978-3-89903-923-8.
 2016: Winterblüte. Gelesen von Elena Wilms. 6 CDs, Hörbuch Hamburg, ISBN 978-3-95713-044-0.
 2016: Sturmherz. Gelesen von Elena Wilms. 6 CDs, Hörbuch Hamburg, ISBN 978-3-95713-054-9.

Weblinks

 Website von Corina Bomann
 Blog von Corina Bomann

Einzelnachweise

Autor
Literatur (21. Jahrhundert)
Literatur (Deutsch)
Deutscher
DDR-Bürger
Geboren 1974
Frau


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Home » Category: Indigenous Health
Category: Indigenous Health
Cultural Connections for Indigenous students
January 10, 2022 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment
By: RJ Roggeveen, Program Assistant for the Indigenous Health in Medicine Program and Therapeutic Recreation student at Dalhousie
On December 5th, 2021 the Indigenous Health in Medicine (IHIM) Program hosted its first Indigenous Beading Workshop. This workshop was available to Indigenous students at Dalhousie and served as the cultural workshop for the Indigenous Health Mentorship students. As the IHIM program assistant and an Indigenous artist I, RJ Roggeveen, led the workshop with 12 students attending in-person and virtually. The students' beadwork projects were amazing to see, many used the techniques being taught to create their own designs. It was inspiring to see the students get invested in their projects and engage in a traditional Indigenous art form. Several students expressed that they have wanted to learn how to do beadwork for a while but did not know where to start their learning process.
I was fortunate to learn how to bead while attending high school in BC where I grew up. I fell in love with the art form and found it was a great way to engage in my culture and meet others with the same interest. I have met many people over the years interested in learning how to bead and being able to teach them has taught me the value of passing on knowledge within our communities. I think it is also important to note that beadwork can be done in a variety of forms, the form I taught to the group was a traditional medallion type beading. I originally learned beading on a loom as it is easier to learn some general needle techniques and produce a final project often in less time. Learning loom beading is a great starting point for youth learning as it can help with developing techniques for threading a needle, picking up beads, and following a pattern. Once I got comfortable with loom beading, I wanted to make beadwork for my regalia, as I also used to be a fancy shawl powwow dancer. Many dance regalia's have beadwork elements as a traditional style but also to further express themselves.
Indigenous workshop participant beading piece
To make regalia beadwork which consists of earrings, medallions, moccasin covers, and leggings I needed to learn how to do a sewing style of beadwork which, for me, started with medallion type beading. This is the style I taught in the workshop, and its main components involve beading in a circle formation onto a piece of pellon (thick felt material). To keep the workshop covid friendly each participant got a bag of supplies that included some extras to be able to continue their work at home.
My favorite part of this workshop was seeing all the students take the techniques and make their designs their own. That is what this art form is intended to do, connect with your culture, and learn how to express yourself through it. I hope we get the opportunity to do this event again, in the future I would love to teach some other beading styles and if interested some advanced beadwork techniques. Going into the winter semester we are looking to hold another beading workshop virtually along with some other cultural workshops. If you are interested in learning how to do beadwork, our workshops, or want more information on Health programs at Dal as an Indigenous student, reach out to us at IHIM@dal.ca. Thank you to all the students who participated in the workshop, this was a great experience to lead.
Categories: Indigenous Health
Indigenous Health in Medicine: The best is yet to come
October 25, 2021 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment
By: Christina Torrealba (she/her), Graduate Student in Community Health and Epidemiology
Featuring: Hannah Asprey, Mercedes Stemm and RJ Roggeveen
The Indigenous Health in Medicine (IHIM) program at Dalhousie supports Indigenous students across Wabanaki and beyond, who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine, through recruitment, community collaboration and partnerships. With programs and supports for youth in elementary, junior high and high school, mentorships for undergraduate students, sharing circles for medical students, and resource sharing for residents, IHIM strives to support Indigenous students every step of the way. For my first blogpost with the Global Health Office, I checked in with Hannah Asprey (she/her), Mercedes Stemm (she/her), and RJ Roggeveen (he/they) to learn about their roles and what's happening at IHIM.
Hannah Asprey, Indigenous Health in Medicine program manager
Hannah Asprey began her role as Program Manager of the IHIM program in August 2021. Upon graduating from Saint Mary's University in 2017 with a Bachelor in Commerce, she worked in various leadership roles at CIBC, and then as the Director of Education for Millbrook First Nation. Now, as the Program Manager for IHIM, Hannah is continuing to work with and advocate for Indigenous students as they further their education, while fostering relationships with Indigenous communities across the Maritimes. Of course, starting a new job in an online format during a global pandemic comes with a unique set of challenges, but Hannah says that the virtual connections she has been able to make with people across the country have added to the strength of this program.
Hannah says that her biggest success in this role so far has been in reaching out to students across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. With the input and perspectives of students and external stakeholders, she has been able to shape the program to better support and meet the needs of Indigenous students.
The biggest challenge that the IHIM program is facing right now is the small number of Indigenous physicians who can take on mentorship roles in the program. "The best is yet to come", says Hannah, as the group of Indigenous residents and medical students involved with IHIM grows, with over 20 Indigenous students who self-identify as Mi'kmaq, Métis, Inuit and other First Nation students involved across all four years of undergraduate medical education. One thing that Hannah wants readers to know is that this program supports everyone! "From the time you may be interested in medicine, to when you are a practicing physician, we want to ensure we can support our Indigenous communities all along the way", she says.
Mercedes Stemm
Working closely with Hannah is Mercedes Stemm, the Program Coordinator at IHIM. Mercedes started working with IHIM as a student assistant in October 2019, while she was working on her Bachelor of Science degree at Dalhousie. She graduated this year with a major in neuroscience and a minor in Indigenous studies, and then began her new role as the Program Coordinator.
Mercedes says that one of her biggest successes while working with IHIM has been creating a Johnson Scholarship Foundation (JSF) Pre-Medicine Mentorship Program for Indigenous students. Working in collaboration with PLANS, this program provides supports and mentor/mentee opportunities for Indigenous and African Nova Scotian students interested in medicine. "The main purpose of this program is to reduce and eliminate barriers to underrepresented students exploring their full potential as learners", says Mercedes.
Community outreach during COVID has been challenging of course, but the team has been doing their best to promote the program virtually to support Indigenous students. Mercedes says that despite the challenges, remote work has given her the opportunity to make connections with people across Canada and internationally whom she otherwise would not have been able to work with.
RJ Roggeveen
The new Program Assistant at IHIM is RJ Roggeveen, a Therapeutic Recreation student at Dalhousie in their final year of undergraduate studies. RJ says that they wish they had found this program sooner: "as an Indigenous student I have been looking for ways to incorporate my culture into my future professions and current studies." RJ is thrilled to be working with the IHIM team. He is excited to be able to promote the program to fellow students who also need the support but may not know that IHIM exists.
Since taking on this role, RJ says that their biggest success has been meeting and developing relationships with the team at the Global Health Office and members of the community. "I did not know many Indigenous community members at Dal and since being in my role, I have met many amazing students who I can relate to," they say. Having joined the team with many COVID restrictions still in place and during Dalhousie's reopening, RJ has found working both online and in-person to be challenging but they are adjusting to working in a hybrid setting.
RJ is currently working to organize an MCAT study group for Indigenous students who are interested in medicine. He wants to make sure that all Indigenous students applying to medicine know that this group exists and that "they are welcome to join at any point".
"We're here to help you throughout your journey into medicine"
Hannah, Mercedes and RJ encourage Indigenous students interested in medicine to reach out to them at IHIM@dal.ca. As Mercedes says, "we're here to help you throughout your journey into medicine. We help students from elementary school all the way to medical school and beyond." Be sure to follow IHIM on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and keep an eye on the IHIM webpage to stay up to date with this program!
Acadia WISE: WISE in a BOX
August 9, 2021 Michelle George Leave a Comment
By: Hannah Asprey, Program Manager for Indigenous Health
Dalhousie Indigenous Health in Medicine (IHIM) Program along with PLANS (Promoting Leadership in health for African Nova Scotians) partnered with the group at Acadia University leading a WISE in a box activity on July 22nd 2021. Hannah Asprey Program Manager IHIM, Sarah Upshaw Program Manager PLANS, Mercedes Stemm IHIM Student Assistant, Yolanda Watungwa PLANS Student Assistant, and Tiffany Brooks Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick (DMNB) Third Year Clinical Clerk leads the group through various activities.
The activities were those developed by Luke Burke & Adrianna Broussard through Dalhousie's IMHOTEP Legacy Academy during their service-learning program in 2020/2021. Thank you for sharing your ideas and love of science with our students Luke and Adrianna!
One of the activities focused on the nervous system. The nervous system refers to the brain and the collection of nerves that connect the brain to the rest of the body. These connections are extremely important for every single bodily function – allowing us to think, behave, move, and understand the way we do. The brain even allows you to interpret these very words on the page and understand their meaning. The first purpose of these exercises was to develop an understanding of the structure and function of the neuron, a small unit of the nervous system that sends electrochemical signals throughout the body. Next, the group examined how neurons interconnect within the brain and body to allow us to move and feel in the form of circuitry. Finally, to examine the importance of nerves and the circuits of the body, they created reflex hammers to help visualize these circuits in the real world on both ourselves and our friends/family!
In the first activity, students created a model of the neuron to better understand the structure/function. They created this neuron using pipe cleaners and following the lead of Mercedes Stemm (IHIM Program Assistant)
In the second activity, students learned about the circuits of the nervous system and got to build their own electrical circuit using small light bulbs, alligator clips, and a battery. This activity was lead by Sarah Ann Upshaw (PLANS Program Manager) and Hannah Asprey (IHIM Program Manager).
In the third activity, Yolanda Watungwa (PLANS Program Assistant) leads the group through fabricating their own reflex hammer using pencils, erasers, and elastic bands. The group then got to test out their reflexes (or their siblings) and learn how reflex arcs are short circuits within the body.
To wrap up our day, Tiffany Brooks (third-year DMNB Student) lead the group through some breathing exercises and explained how oxygen is produced in the body. During this exercise, Tiffany tied in everything we learned about the nervous system, including neurons, circuits of the nervous system, and reflex arcs. This activity allowed the students to reflect on the entirety of the new information they learned. This relaxing exercise also allowed the students to wind down after a very exciting day. Both the students and coordinators were very thankful for this!
Learn more about our Diversity Programs
Categories: Indigenous Health, PLANS
Indigenous Health in Medicine seeks input on new name: Part 1
June 14, 2021 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment
By: Mercedes Stemm, Program Assistant, Indigenous Health in Medicine, Dalhousie BSc in Neuroscience/Indigenous Studies Student
The Indigenous Health in Medicine Program seeks to increase representation of Indigenous students in medicine through recruitment, community collaboration and partnerships. It also advises the dean of medicine, to fulfill the social accountability mandate to the maritime Indigenous community. This program was established in October 2016 by the Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine within the Global Health Office to provide support to the Faculty, students, and broader Indigenous community. We aim to improve recruitment and retention of Indigenous students into medicine, although we've recently started to branch out to other health programs for our Indigenous students interested in health.
Below I will speak about some of the many aspects and initiatives of our program, although we are currently re-branding our program. Our program shifts with community and is always looking for more ways to engage with communities. We're currently looking to re-name our program and will be accepting submissions. Get involved with our program and help us re-name it! Follow the link below to our re-branding form.
https://medicine.dal.ca/departments/core-units/global-health/diversity/indigenous-health/IHIMReBrandingForm.html
Developing specific admissions pathways to ensure equity for all students of Indigenous – descent
Creating mentorship and outreach opportunities
Pursuing opportunities for curriculum development
Strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities
Leading the Indigenous health advisory committee
Indigenous Health Advisory Committee:
The role of the Advisory Committee is to work in collaboration with the Indigenous communities of the Atlantic and help them fulfil their health needs through the mandates of the faculties of Medicine, Health, and Dentistry. We seek to increase the representation of Indigenous students (Inuit, Innu, Mi'kmaq, Maliseet, and other Indigenous groups) in the Atlantic by addressing the Truth and Reconciliation Recommendations and engaging with Indigenous community representatives about health-related initiatives at Dalhousie. The Advisory Committee consists of four representatives from the Faculty of Medicine with one of these being from New Brunswick (DMNB), one representative from the Faculty of Dentistry, three representatives from the Faculty of Health, the Indigenous Student Advisor at Dalhousie University, a student representative from the Indigenous Health Interest Group (IHIG), the program manager (and assistant) of Indigenous Health in Medicine, the Faculty of Medicine Admissions, and Associate Dean Research (Health, Dentistry, Medicine).
Financial Support – Johnson Scholarship Foundation (JSF):
JSF Scholarship: As a part of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation (2016‐2021) funding, Dalhousie designed a scholarship to increase the enrollment of Indigenous Atlantic Canadians and African Nova Scotian students who are engaged in the study of Health, Dentistry and Medicine. Applicants may apply more than once for this program; funding will be subject to availability and application review. The total amount for the Scholarships will be a minimum value of $5,000 per student per year.
https://medicine.dal.ca/departments/core-units/global-health/diversity/JohnsonPathwayScholarshipForm.html
JSF Entrance Bursary: As a part of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation (2016‐2021) funding, Dalhousie designed a bursary to support Indigenous students (First Nation, Inuit, and Métis) and African Nova Scotians applying to health programs requiring entrance exams (i.e., medicine and dentistry). The goal of the program is to reduce or eliminate the financial burden associated with application requirements. Bursaries will be awarded as a reimbursement of cost. Applicants may apply more than once for this program; funding will be subject to availability and application review.
https://medicine.dal.ca/departments/core-units/global-health/diversity/entrance-requirements-diversity-bursary-form.html
JSF Conference Bursary: As a part of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation (2016-2021) funding the Dalhousie's Indigenous and African Nova Scotia Conference bursary program is designed as an initiative for Indigenous students (First Nation, Inuit, and Métis) and African Nova Scotians at Dalhousie University. The goal of the program is to enable students to attend extracurricular programing such as conferences as part of their professional development (does not include courses).
* It's important to note that this bursary will also be awarded for online conferences due to COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines.
https://medicine.dal.ca/departments/core-units/global-health/diversity/conference-diversity-bursary-form.html
Below I will speak about some of the many aspects and initiatives of the IHIM program, although we are currently re-branding our program. Our program shifts with community and is always looking for more ways to engage with communities. We're currently looking to re-name our program and will be accepting submissions. Get involved with our program and help us re-name it! Follow the link below to our re-branding form.
Current Student Successes:
Summer programming: Due to COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines, we are unable to put on our regular summer and march break camps, therefore we have compensated with new summer programs. These events will consist of Med Admissions webinars, MCAT preparation, student opportunities such as work and volunteering, and much more. Stand by for more information on our summer programming.
Virtual Sharing Circle: This year, Hannah Asprey (Program Manager) and Dr. Andrew Lynk (Chair, Department of Pediatrics) co-chair a virtual sharing circle for Indigenous medical students at Dalhousie University. These sessions give the students space to discuss and meet with their fellow Indigenous students. In addition, it allows us to gather information on current students and to address barriers that these students face. We give students the opportunity to talk about medicine and receive mentorship from physicians.
Undergraduate Mentorship: We piloted an undergraduate mentorship program this year for Indigenous medical science students interested in medicine. In collaboration with PLANS, I (Program Assistant, Mercedes Stemm) created this program in hopes to connect Indigenous medical and health professional students with Indigenous undergraduate students aspiring to become health professionals. After a year of planning, we were able to pilot this program in September 2020. The creation of this Pilot Mentorship Program is to establish and enhance connections for Indigenous students with other Indigenous students, faculty and/or professionals by providing guidance through academic and professional development. Increased supports have shown to improve completion rates of programs, decrease student stress levels, and increase self-efficacy. The main purpose of this program is to reduce and eliminate barriers to underrepresented students exploring their full potential as learners.
NEW 2021-2022- Med 1 & Med 2 Mentorship Program: We are currently in the process of creating a new mentorship program that will pilot during the 2021-2022 academic year. In this program, first and second year medical students will be paired with upper year medical students, residents, and physicians to further enhance their medical knowledge. Students will learn more information about the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) process, residency programs, what it means to be a doctor, and much more. Stay tuned for more information on our new program.
Doctor for a Day DMNB: With the help of two dedicated medical student leads, Tiffany Brooks and Jenny Melanson (DMNB Class of 2022), the planning committee developed a week of programming that gave those interested in pursuing a career in medicine a behind-the-scenes look at the admissions process, the medical student experience, and the importance of integrating Indigenous voices into the study of medicine. The Indigenous Health in Medicine Program, under Hannah Asprey's direction, kicked off the week of workshops with Med School 101, a presentation that took the students through the opportunities and supports the program has to offer. During the Mock MMI day, volunteer medical students and community members were paired up with the workshop participants to ask them questions and simulate the Multiple Mini Interview experience in their own virtual breakout rooms.
The March 2021 Doctor for a Day at DMNB virtual March break workshops group.
Curriculum Refresh:
Part of ensuring a world-class education is ongoing review, evaluation and as-needed modification of the curriculum based on emerging trends in medicine and medical education, as well as our annual evaluations.
To this end, a Curriculum Refresh Committee (CRC) has been formed to assess the strengths and gaps/areas of improvement in our undergraduate medical education program. The CRC will make recommendations to the Undergraduate Medical Education Curriculum Committee (UMECC) to ensure students receive the most effective and relevant curriculum for the practice of medicine. This refresh is slated to be implemented by August 2022.
One of the key themes was Priority Communities, and Indigenous Health became a sub working group from this theme. While working with leaders from Indigenous Communities, Faculty and Staff, several recommendations have been made for the UGME curriculum. Our Indigenous Health in Medicine Program Manager, worked closely with the sub working group to ensure community engagement was authentic and ongoing during the process, and that key focuses were around cultural competencies, Indigenous Health Histories, Treaty Education and Residential School impacts.
To learn more about the curriculum refresh you can visit https://medicine.dal.ca/for-faculty-staff/ugme-curriculum-refresh-.html
Town Hall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vViAJTEdsmE
Community Engagement: Throughout the years, our Indigenous Health in Medicine Program Manager has stayed connected with communities, including Indigenous communities across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island (PEI). In addition, we stay connected with local high schools and junior high students. We previously did this by visiting and connecting with students in these schools, and we will continue to do this when it is safe to do so. Currently, we hold virtual information sessions and events for these students to replace the summer camps we previously held. These sessions include but are not limited to: admission into Dalhousie University, information on being a doctor, what it takes to be a physician, information on other health programs such as dentistry, pharmacy, and nursing, and plenty more.
Celebrating Indigenous Nurses
May 14, 2021 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment
Kwe'! National Nursing Week 2021 began on Monday, May 10th/2021 and ends on Sunday, May 16th/2021. Today, we're celebrating our Indigenous Nurses, and showcasing a handful of extremely talented and accomplished nurses. This week, I had the wonderful opportunity to interview some of our Indigenous nurses and ask them what being an Indigenous nurse means to them.
Allyssa LeRoy is a proud Mi'kmaq woman from We'koqma'q First Nation. She graduated from Dalhousie University, and is currently working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the IWK Health Centre.
"To me being an indigenous nurse means that I can not only give back to my own community by gaining all of this newfound knowledge and experience, I am also able to utilize a two-eyed seeing approach to bring an indigenous lens to a westernized healthcare system"
Allyssa LeRoy
Courtney Pennell is a Mi'kmaq woman from Gold River, Acadia First Nation. She graduated from StFx in 2014 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is currently a Master of Science in Nursing (MScN) student with an expected graduation date in Spring of 2023. In addition, she is presently working as the IWK Indigenous Health Consultant, and prior to that she spent the last 6 years specializing in Paediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Nephrology at the IWK on the inpatient unit.
"Being an Indigenous nurse is one of my biggest and proudest achievements. Because Canada's history and thus society, is built on a systemically racist foundation, due to colonialist perspectives, systemic violence, cultural assimilation, and essentially genocide, my people weren't supposed to excel, let alone obtain post-secondary achievements or work their way up to leadership positions.
However, the seeds of my ancestors are strong and resilient, and I am paving the way for future generations of Lnu's to become whatever they want to become- because we too, are just as intelligent if not more intelligent than the average person as we are genetically equipped with Indigenous world views, and thus possess an entirely different lens when it comes to healthcare in a way that is more wholisitc and sound. The time has come where Indigenous populations need to take a stance and join the movement of closing the gaps of the long-standing health inequities that our people are faced with. Not only are we capable, but we are also deserving, alive and well! I can't wait for the day when we have an Indigenous wellness clinic that is fully led and staffed by Indigenous folks right in the heart of K'jipuktuk (Halifax)."
Courtney Pennell
Lucinda Gould is a Mi'kmaq woman from We'koqma'q First Nation. She graduated from Dalhousie University with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
"To me, being an Indigenous nurse means acknowledging the unique and different lived experiences of our fellow indigenous peoples. By this, we are working towards meeting the needs of our people and helping to improve their health and wellness."
Lucinda Gould
Dawn Googoo is a Mi'kmaq woman from Waycobah (We'koqma'q) First Nation. She graduated from StFx with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and is currently a part-time Master of Nursing student at Dalhousie University. She recently started a newly formed casual position as the Interim indigenous Advisor for undergraduate students in the School of Nursing.
"Being an Indigenous Nurse to means I have a unique skill that is important to recognize in this profession. I am able to give care and pride to my First Nation community and I am also able to break barriers in structures where Indigenous awareness is needed. I love this profession and I want to see more Indigenous nurses in the structures where changes need to be made.
As an undergraduate student, I had many struggles in school. It took me 7 years to complete my nursing program. Previously, I served in the Canadian Armed Forces as a medic and suffer from PTSD. Along with that I was struggling with reading and writing, as I did when I was younger. I got support from the Center for Accessible Learning and was tested for a learning (dis)ability. After a psychoeducational assessment, I was found to meet the criteria for a learning disability. On my journey to success, I discovered many ways to learn, where to go for support, how to use resources and much more. I shared my experience and knowledge with new Indigenous students coming to university, hoping to encourage and support other students.
After graduation, I worked at a hospital close to my community. With this experience I realized how crucial it was for there to be more Indigenous health care workers. I got involved with learning more about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, and the Calls to Action for health. I came to realize that I need to continue to support and advocate for Indigenous people to be successful in the health professions. Continued collaboration with communities, students, professionals and universities is vital."
Dawn Googoo
Athanasius Sylliboy (also known as Tana's, which is Mi'kmaw for Athanasius) is a Mi'kmaq man from Eskasoni First Nation, located in Unama'ki (Cape Breton). He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Cape Breton University in 2015, and his Master of Nursing from Dalhousie University in 2020. He is currently working as a Mi'kmaw Nurse Practitioner in Millbrook First Nation.
"Being Indigenous in Nursing is a role that represents many generations of continued resilience, advocacy, leadership, and healing for our communities. We need to continue recognizing the achievements, and contributions of Indigenous people in modern medicine, as we had many centuries of doctors, nurses and researchers, all of which went by different names. The most meaningful part for me is the utilization of my language. There is a layer of connection, understanding, and comfort in speaking, and understanding Mi'kmaw in the provision of care throughout the lifespan. As a Mi'kmaw, and a nurse, I get to interweave Indigenous and Western world views and ways of knowing to improve the lives of others. Each one of us in this unique role represents a small stepping stone in the bridge to reconciliation and transforming the health of our people, communities, and future generations."
Athanasius Sylliboy (also known as Tana's, which is Mi'kmaw for Athanasius)
Julie Francis is a Mi'kmaq woman from Eskasoni First Nation. She graduated from StFx with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is continuing to pursue her Master of Nursing degree at Dalhousie University. She is currently working at as the Community Health Nurse at the Eskasoni Health Centre and is also a Research Nurse at ACHH/IWK.
"Being an Indigenous Nurse means a lot to me, it's an honor to practice nursing in my own community.
It means I'm part of a growing family of Lnu nurses who are breaking barriers for one another, including our future Nurses. We've been through a lot to make it to this point, and we celebrate one another and raise each other up.
It also means we dismantle barriers to health care for our indigenous communities by not only providing culturally safe care to our clients, also by promoting, protecting, and advocating for anti-racism, equity, diversity and inclusion in culturally safe policies, programs, and patient care.
It means decolonization. During my journey as a Nurse and student in the MScN program at Dal I've come to realize that I'm contributing to decolonizing nursing research, how we think about the early years and even decolonizing my own education."
Learn more about Dalhousie Nursing
Categories: Indigenous Health, Johnson Scholarship Foundation
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Awareness
May 6, 2021 Michelle George Leave a Comment
By Jaime Black
Today we honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG), including Trans and Two-spirit individuals, across national levels. Since 2017, May 5th has been considered the National Day of Awareness for MMIWG. This day is also considered Red Dress Day, which was created in response to the REDress Project by Jaime Black. This project was a public art installation that was created in response to the MMIWG epidemic in both Canada and the United States by hanging empty red dresses in a range of different environments. Each one of these dresses symbolizes an Indigenous woman or girl that has been murdered or is missing, although this represents only a small portion of the thousands of sisters. The red dresses and the power behind them are hoped to inspire reconciliation and safety for Indigenous women and girls. While there are many symbols associated with the colour red, one of the most important concepts is the fact that many Indigenous people believe that red is the only colour that spirits can see. Therefore, we use red to call back to the spirits of these Indigenous women and girls to allow them a chance to be among us and also have their voices heard through their family members and community. Additionally, red relates to our lifeblood and the connection between all of us which symbolizes both violence and vitality.
In 2021, you can find a full week of national events, both in Canada and around the world, that honor MMIWG and as well as calls to action for the government to address this extremely horrifying epidemic that has only worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting public health measures have begun. On this sacred and symbolic day, we honour our lost sisters by wearing red. In addition, it's important that we're educating ourselves on both the meaning of the day and also what's happening around us. There are many ways to do so. Below is a list of resources and events including webinars and virtual events that you can get involved in throughout the week.
https://www.niwrc.org/upcoming-events
https://www.niwrc.org/mmiwgnatlweek21
https://indianlaw.org/swsn/2021-national-week-action
https://runsignup.com/Race/MN/Anywhere/2021MMIWVirtualEvent
https://pafnw.wordpress.com/2021/04/23/national-day-of-awareness-for-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-girls/
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/national-day-of-awareness-for-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-mmiwg-tickets-152127352005?aff=erelexpmlt
https://sdcpcm.com/event/2021-national-week-of-action-for-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-and-girls-april-29-may-5/
https://events.elitefeats.com/justice21
Ways to participate and raise awareness courtesy of the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center:
Wear red and post a photo on social media with the hashtag #NationlDayOfAwareness #MMIWG or #MMIW
Host a community event in your community during the week of May 5th
Host a prayer circle or candlelight vigil
Post a list of names of sisters missing or murdered from your community
Create a living memorial
Register to participate in a webinar (links above)
There are many different ways to learn more and educate yourself on MMIWG. Below are some especially interesting books written by Indigenous authors to help enlighten you on the topic:
Missing Nimâmâby Melanie Florence (Cree), illustrated by François Thisdale
"Missing nimama is a story of love, loss, and acceptance, showing the human side of a national tragedy."
If I Go Missing by Brianna Jonnie (Ojibway), Nahanni Shingoose (Ojibway/Saulteaux), and illustrated by Neal Shannacappo (Ojibway/Saulteaux)
"A powerfully illustrated graphic novel for teens about the subject of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Combining graphic fiction and non-fiction, this young adult graphic novel serves as a window into one of the unique dangers of being an Indigenous teen in Canada today. The text of the book is derived from excerpts of a letter written to the Winnipeg Chief of Police by fourteen-year-old Brianna Jonnie — a letter that went viral and in which, Jonnie calls out the authorities for neglecting to immediately investigate and involve the public in the search for missing Indigenous people and urges them to "not treat me as the Indigenous person I am proud to be" if she were to be reported missing. Indigenous artist Neal Shannacappo provides the artwork for the book. Through his illustrations he imagines a situation in which a young Indigenous woman does disappear, portraying the reaction of her community, her friends, the police, and media. An author's note at the end of the book provides context for young readers about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada."
Will I See? By David Alexander Robertson (Cree), Iskwé(Cree/Métis), and Leslie Erin, and illustrated GMB Chomichuk and Erin Leslie.
"May, a young teenage girl, traverses the city streets, finding keepsakes in different places along her journey. When May and her kookum make these keepsakes into a necklace, it opens a world of danger and fantasy. While May fights against a terrible reality, she learns that there is strength in the spirit of those that have passed. But will that strength be able to save her? A story of tragedy and beauty, Will I See illuminates the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women."
Keetsahnak: Our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Sisters edited by Kim Anderson (Cree/Métis), Christi Belcourt (Métis), and Maria Campbell (Métis)
"Through stories of resilience, resistance, and activism, the editors give voice to powerful personal testimony and allow for the creation of knowledge. It's in all of our best interests to take on gender violence as a core resurgence project, a core decolonization project, a core of Indigenous nation-building, and as the backbone of any Indigenous mobilization."
Forever Loved: Exposing the Hidden Crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada contributed by Jennifer Brant (Kanien'kehá:ka) and Dawn Memee Lavell-Harvard (Anishinabe)
"This collection brings together the voices of Indigenous and non-Indigenous academics, frontline workers, and activists who weave together academic and personal narratives, spoken word, and poetry in the spirit of demanding immediate action. Our intent is to honour our missing sisters and their families, to honour their lives and their stories."
Surviving the City, Volume 1 by Tasha Sumner-Spillett (Cree), illustrated by Natasha Donovan (Métis)
"Tasha Spillet's graphic-novel debut, Surviving the City, is a story about womanhood, friendship, resilience, and the anguish of a missing loved one. Miikwan and Dez are best friends. Miikwan's Anishinaabe; Dez is Inninew. Together, the teens navigate the challenges of growing up in an urban landscape – they're so close, they even completed their Berry Fast together. However, when Dez's grandmother becomes too sick, Dez is told she can't stay with her anymore. With the threat of a group home looming, Dez can't bring herself to go home and disappears. Miikwan is devastated, and the wound of her missing mother resurfaces. Will Dez's community find her before it's too late? Will Miikwan be able to cope if they don't? Colonialism and the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People are explored in Natasha Donovan's beautiful illustrations."
Online articles with extremely useful resources:
Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (Canada)
A Legal Analysis of Genocide: Supplementary Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (Canada)
Learn more about REDress Project
Categories: Current Topics, Indigenous Health
Medical Mentorship Part 4: Professional and Cultural Connections
April 19, 2021 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment
Kwe'! This year, the IHIM and PLANS program had the incredible opportunity of creating a mentorship program for our Indigenous and African Nova Scotian/Canadian students interested in Medicine. This semester, I had the opportunity to interview one of the mentees from the program.
Hannah Harquail
"My name is Hannah Harquail, and I am a second year Medical Sciences student here at Dalhousie University. Ever since I was young, I was fascinated in the medical field and dreamed of working in health care. In high school, I decided that I wanted to become a physician, and I am currently working towards that goal. Therefore, I am interested in attending medical school after university. However, if I cannot attend medical school immediately following university, I plan on working in research, as that is another discipline that I am interested in.
Currently, I am living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but I am originally from a small village called Charlo, New Brunswick. Throughout my life, I always lived off-reserve and am not associated with any Indigenous communities; however, my family helped me stay connected with my culture, as well as various activities/events held by nearby Indigenous communities and groups for off-reserve Aboriginal persons like myself. At university, I am supported by the Indigenous Student Centre and Indigenous academic advisors that work to help Indigenous students at Dalhousie University succeed."
Why were you interested in participating in the mentorship program?
"I was interested in participating in the mentorship program to connect with a mature student in my program who understood many of the academic and personal struggles as a pre-med student and could provide me with some tips and advice to both succeed in the program and make the most of my degree."
How has the mentorship program impacted you so far? Do you think it is beneficial and worth your time?
"Although I have only participated in the mentorship program for a few months, I definitely think it is beneficial and worth my time. From just a couple of meetings, I was able to connect with my mentor, and gain valuable advice and information about research, studying, stress, etc. Additionally, I have received an abundance of support and encouragement from my mentor, which motivates me to do well in the course, work hard to achieve my dream career, and makes the program worthwhile."
What are your takeaways from the mentorship program and how will it impact your future studies?
"At this point throughout the mentorship, I have many takeaways that will positively impact my future studies. Firstly, I obtained helpful information that will help me in the medical school application process and different opportunities I have as an Indigenous student at Dalhousie by attending workshops held by the program personnel. Additionally, I gained communication skills, and advice on getting involved in research here at Dalhousie as an Indigenous, undergraduate student. These takeaways will help me reach both my academic and personal goals as a student and will enhance my undergraduate experience substantially."
What are your thoughts on Dal creating this program?
"I am thrilled that Dalhousie decided to create this program. It has the potential to help many students connect with their culture, as well as learn about many opportunities and information relative to Indigenous Medical Sciences students."
Medical Mentorship Part 1: Ottawa Supports Indigenous Student Success
Medical Mentorship Part 2: Student Perspective
Medical Mentorship Part 3: Creating Space at Dalhousie
Learn more about the Indigenous Health in Medicine Program
February 1, 2021 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment
Kwe'! My name is Mercedes Stemm, and I'm a Mi'kmaq woman born and raised in Natoaganeg (Eel Ground) First Nation, New Brunswick. I'm in my last year of my Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Indigenous Studies. Since 2019, I have been the Program Assistant for the Indigenous Health in Medicine (IHIM) Program within the Global Health Office. In my position, I am part of many different projects, events, committees, and initiatives. In addition, I had the wonderful opportunity to create my own program. Upon arriving at the Global Health Office, the Director asked me what I believe Indigenous students interested in medicine need to succeed at Dalhousie. I was tasked to explore ideas about potential new supports and programs. After discussions with colleagues and friends, a proposal was developed to create a mentorship program. The program proposed to connect Indigenous medical and health professional students with Indigenous undergraduate students aspiring to become health professionals. After a year of planning, we were able to pilot this program in September 2020 with the Bachelor of Medical Sciences program and in collaboration with PLANS (Promoting Leadership in health for African Nova Scotians).
This pilot mentorship program is part of a larger collaboration between Dalhousie University and the Johnson Scholarship Foundation (JSF). The Foundation is based in Florida but has many ties to Nova Scotia. Last year it partnered with Dalhousie on a matching gifts program to help Indigenous and Black Nova Scotian students pursue studies in health care through pathways programs. It committed to match up to $1 million in donations to Dalhousie over five years. This collaboration has allowed Dalhousie University to advance our commitment to ensuring Indigenous and African Nova Scotian students participate in education and careers in the health professions.
The creation of this Pilot Mentorship Program is to establish and enhance connections for Black and Indigenous students with other Black and Indigenous students, faculty, and/or professionals by providing guidance through academic and professional development. Increased supports have been shown to improve completion rates of programs, decrease student stress levels, and increase self-efficacy.
The main purpose of this program is to reduce and eliminate barriers to underrepresented students exploring their full potential as learners. The Faculty of Medicine was responsible for organizing the mentorship match between the student/mentee and mentor. Student mentees who were matched with a mentor were then encouraged to take leadership in the relationship to ensure that they were able to get the most value from their experience.
The pilot program consists of five undergraduate Bachelor of Medical Sciences students in their first or second year of study. They were matched with mentors in their last year of their Medical Science degree, medical students, and graduate students. The structure of the program consists of relationship building, skill-building through workshops, and celebration through events. Workshops do not only focus on skills development, but also cultural knowledge and engagement. The program has space for online discussions and reflections, and students have one-on-one time, both with mentors and program coordinators, to discuss topics and ask questions.
The overall goal of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation Mentorship program is to increase representation of Indigenous students in medicine through recruitment, community collaboration, and partnership. This mentorship program will help achieve those goals. Our hope is that students will come out of the program with lifelong connections, knowledge, and supports.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Upward mobility is the mobile learning framework to build the mobile learning application on iOS, MAC, Android, Amazon kindle, Nook, Windows Phone 8, Windows 8, BlackBerry with different test contents. The mobile learning application will help user to learn and take the test from the question bank.
The client was a startup company and wanted to build a platform to support multi platforms learning on both desktop and mobile. The framework will support them to compose the content, build the learning application with different contents. Then, they can distribute the application to appropriate appstore.
Backend application: Using .NET framework to build the desktop application for editor to compose the application content and export to xml file format.
Frontend application: Developing the MAC, iOS, Android, Amazon Kindle, Nook, Windows Phone 7 & 8, Windows 8, Windows 10, BlackBerry native application framework will help the application UI look more professional and easy for user interaction on the application. The framework will read the XML content and image files and store it to the application database when building the learning application.
We supported customer on bug fixing and application enhancement.
We built the application using the XML data files from the source code on each platform, perform testing and upload the application to store.
By outsourcing to IMT, the client had the framework to build application on iOS, MAC OS, Android, Amazon Kindle, Nook, Windows Phone 7 & 8, Windows 8, Windows 10, BlackBerry.
We have built and uploaded hundreds of applications on each store and keep it up to date every 6 months. Our customer got very good feedback for these apps from client.


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Home » Hall of Famers » Wayne Wong
Hometown: Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada
Any discussion about the early years of "Hot Dog" skiing must include the iconic name of Wayne Wong. Handsome and charismatic, Wong was highly marketable, and an engaging character. He personified the look and style of the Hot Dog movement, and helped develop many of the freestyle moves, including the famous "Wong Banger", that propelled him into the limelight. His signature tricks on the snow, great smile and personality made him a cultural icon of the early freestyle era. Both SKI and Powder magazines have named him among the most influential skiers of the 20th century.
After years of competing at a world-class level, Wong remained on the ski scene. He is one of the few who parlayed his fame into becoming a true ambassador for the sport. Being recognized at the international level, he continues to maximize the value of his storied career. Whether it's coaching Olympic hopefuls, or skiing with corporate executives, his purpose remains the same: to share what he loves.
On the snow, Wong is an absolute technician, not only in style and technique, but he understands gear science and design. He is considered one of the best ski testers of his time, and is a true living legend of the sport. For him, it's always about his passion for skiing. The tools of his life are his skis and you can always find him spreading the joy of skiing through the tools of his trade.
1972: Skiing Magazine Freestyle Skier of the Year
1972-1976: Member of the K2 and Salomon Freestyle ski teams
1984-1987: 3x World Powder 8 champion
1999: Recognized by Skiing Magazine as one of the 25 most influential people
2000: Voted by SKI Magazine as one of the top 100 skiers of all time
2006: Named by Powder Magazine as one of the top 48 greatest skiers of our time
2009: Inducted into the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame
2011: Recognized as a pioneer of freestyle skiing by the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame Tribute Video
If you notice any errors or inconsistencies in Wayne Wong's bio, click here to let us know.


Increasing your online conversion rate doesn't always require a massive overhaul of your website or online store. More often, it's a matter of identifying struggle points and fixing areas of your customer experience that might be causing friction, frustration and abandonment.
Customer struggles and friction points can be difficult to uncover, but are worth the time to do so, as they can make or break conversions. Use this step-by-step guide to identify your customer's online struggles.
What is your organization's primary driver? You might find that you don't necessarily need to focus on your conversion rate, but rather, your average order value. Try to settle on a single key performance indicator (KPI). If you truly believe you have more than one KPI vying for the top spot, it's okay to list two or three.
KPIs and customer struggles are connected, because you need to know your goals in order to take the correct steps toward achieving them. Once you've defined your most pressing KPI(s), you can begin to prioritize struggle points, align your engagement goals and, ultimately, implement informed solutions targeting specific customer struggles.
Customer experience tracking – See your website through the lens of a customer.
Heat mapping – Identify where people click, hover and engage.
Real-time analytics – Turn metrics into live data and address an issue the moment it arises.
A/B testing – Experiment with different features, arrangements and content, ultimately picking the combinations that perform best.
Tag management system – manage your third-party analytics integrations.
Not all customers are alike. In fact, no two customers are alike. Segment your customers into clearly defined user groups, and target those who are struggling or abandoning with contextual guidance. For example, a retailer might create a segment for customers who are repeatedly attempting to enter a coupon code that doesn't seem to be working. An insurance company, meanwhile, might focus on customers who almost filled out an application but abandoned at a certain question or field.
Segments can also occur in different sections on your website, similar to departments within a retail store. Across the board, contextual information–such as a personalized, timely message providing a correct coupon code, or a snippet of supporting content guiding users through a confusing part of an online form–provides the type of guidance that drives conversions.
In the same vein as segmenting customers, you should also attribute your data to different stages of the buyer's journey, from awareness and consideration through decision and service. For instance, bounce rates are a common struggle in the awareness phase, while a lack of content can drive customers away in the consideration phase. Technical errors come to the forefront in the conversion and service phases.
Determine what users are trying to accomplish on each page, and where those actions fit within the customer experience. This will allow you to call on different teams in your organization to seek solutions to the challenges that fall in their territory. It will also lead you to the type of engagement solutions needed, such as providing more educational content, answering questions proactively or making price adjustments.
Keep in mind that your analytics should be consolidated with your engagement solutions so you can easily measure the two in unison. Analytics only tell you when and where there is a problem; integration with your engagement tool is the critical next step toward not just creating positive engagements, but mapping and adjusting them continually.
Identifying the impact of each struggle is just as important as identifying the struggle itself. As you optimize struggle points, the impact decreases and improvements can be made, as teams are able to prioritize what struggles to focus on.
During the process we've outlined, you might very well find that many struggle points do not require human engagement or additional manpower to correct. See how Moxie's digital guidance and complete digital engagement suite can help you create a more seamless online experience for your customers, with or without human assistance.