INSIGHTS ON CULTURAL SAFETY IN PRACTICE

After our longhouse event, someone asked me a question I've been sitting with ever since. They had heard Len compliment me on "not being stingy with your teachings." And they wanted to know: how did I feel confident the blanketing would be received well? Was I nervous that people outside the bighouse might have thoughts that could knock me off centre? It's a beautiful question. And to answer it, I have to start at the beginning. In the weeks leading up to the event, I k

Today is the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2-Spirit People — Red Dress Day. I first shared this piece last year, and I am bringing it back today because the crisis it speaks to has not changed. If anything, the need for awareness and action has only grown. I hope it moves you as it did me when I first wrote it. Trigger Warning: This post discusses Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S),

This past Saturday I was up before my alarm, like a little like a kid on Christmas. A mix of excitement, anticipation, and anxiety had been building for weeks, and the day had finally arrived--our Longhouse Experiential Workshop in Stz'uminus First Nation. I arrived at longhouse shortly after 8:30, push broom in hand. A friend and Stz'uminus member had advised me to come early and sweep the benches, as she told me that they can get dusty. So there I was, alone in the nearly e

"As we prepare for our longhouse event, I have been thinking a great deal about visitors, about what it means to welcome someone into a sacred space, and about the responsibility that comes with receiving that welcome. Over the years, I have had many people come and spend time as guests on and in my territory. Each time, I have been intentional about sharing something important with them: being welcomed once does not mean the door is always open. Access to our lands, our terr

A few weeks ago, George shared his experience with microaggressions , sparking a powerful response from our readers. Since then, I’ve been sitting with what Indigenous Cultural Safety is… and what it isn’t. We always love receiving feedback from our readers, and there was one response in particular that touched us deeply. They have generously given us permission to share their words with you. Your story that you shared about George Harris Jr. and the microaggressions he exper

Today’s Teachings Tuesday comes from someone many of you know and hold deep respect for: our mentor, Jenn Smith of Tlowitsis First Nation. Many in our community are familiar with the story of her late Auntie Maggie, whose life and legacy have been generously shared through Jenn's teachings and storytelling. Recently, Jenn experienced another profound loss: her cousin, Maggie’s son. Jenn reached out in the midst of her grief, wanting to gently unravel some of what was coming u

There are moments when the weight of what is happening around us feels impossible to ignore. This reflection comes from my shuyulh, Wholwolet'za. It speaks to what many are feeling right now as we witness a rise in racism, denialism, and the continued harm of systems that were never designed with Indigenous peoples in mind. I’m sharing his words with care. Uy' Skweyul siiye'yu (Good day, friends) It is sad to say, but racism is on the rise in our world. We are seeing it more

Last week, I ran into my friend Ray Tony Charlie from Penelakut. We were both walking on the ferry that travels from Penelakut to Chemainus, and we used the hour-long journey to catch up. We found ourselves talking about writing, about Teaching's Tuesday, and about his TikTok account. Inevitably the conversation drifted toward something many of us who speak publicly experience. Pushback. One of the teachings I try to embody in this work is the importance of engaging with peop

Last week, after George shared his reflection , a thoughtful question came forward from someone in our community. They wondered if Rebecca might have helpful thoughts about how she supports George when moments of misunderstanding or harm arise. They also asked something equally tender: how Rebecca cares for her own heart when those things happen. They shared that they see both Rebecca and I as bridges for learning, and were hoping there might be something in Rebecca’s experie

Before you read this week's teaching, I invite you to pause and and consider the gift that George Harris Jr. so often shares with us. What follows is not easy to share. It is the kind of writing that comes from real hurt — from moments that linger in the body long after they have passed. George has chosen to let us into that hurt, not for pity, but for understanding. That is an act of generosity. Uy skweyul siiye’yu (Good day friends) , The weekend of February 20th, I had th

Last week I had the pleasure of sharing a long conversation with my friend Andrew Callicum, a Nuu-chah-nulth man from Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation. He and I spoke about In Plain Sight , the report led by Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, and how its findings are not theoretical. They show up in ordinary appointments. In quiet calculations. In the pause before someone decides whether speaking up is worth it. Over the years, patients have trusted me with experiences that left them

There was a time when I thought about my work as something that belonged only to me. My name. My effort. My reputation. My responsibility. Over the years, and especially through the influence from community, that perspective has shifted. I have come to understand that how I show up is never singular. I represent my family. I represent the people who have poured into me. I represent the example I am setting for my children, even on the days they are not watching. When I was g

There is something especially powerful about the first time someone chooses to share their voice in this space. Today’s Teachings Tuesday is written by Rebecca Harris. Rebecca is a member of our Culturally Committed community and our Manager, Operations and Community. She is also a white settler married into a Coast Salish family, and the statlus (spouse) of our mentor, George Harris Jr.. Rebecca is thoughtful, steady, and often quietly observant. Sharing publicly does not co

Last week during our monthly community call, a question was offered to our mentor team: From your vantage points — as Knowledge Keepers, leaders, and people who have watched many settlers come into this work in different ways — what have you observed in settlers that really helps us move in the right direction? And what do you wish settlers would do when we’re in conversation with other settlers? George’s response has stayed with me all week. He spoke about the importance of

Teaching Tuesday this week is offered by our friend, mentor, and teacher, George Harris Jr. George recently watched a film that stirred something deep and familiar. What he shares here is not a movie review, but a reflection on belonging, dignity, quiet strength, and the people who make it possible for others to walk through doors that were never built for them. As you read, notice where you see yourself in this story. Notice where you feel invited in. And notice where you fe

Five years ago, when I started Culturally Committed, for reasons I no longer recall, something compelled me to begin a weekly “newsletter.” I called it Teachings Tuesday. After writing that very first edition, I remember asking my friend Ashley to proofread it. I was terrified to share it — filled with anxiety about sending my words out into the world. I needn’t have been so scared. There were 33 people on our mailing list at the time, and they were all friends or family. I'l

As many of us settle back into our routines after the holidays, there’s often a quietness that lingers—an invitation to slow down and reflect. This week’s Teaching Tuesday comes from George Harris Jr., who shares a thoughtful reflection on looking back not to remain in the past, but to gather the teachings that help guide us forward. His words remind us that reflection, when held with care, can offer clarity, grounding, and direction as we move into a new year. As we settle b

As the holiday break fades from memory, many of us are stepping back into inboxes, meetings, and the familiar pull to “circle back” to the work we intentionally set down at the end of the year. The transition can feel abrupt — even chaotic — as the pace picks up faster than our bodies and spirits are ready for. This week’s teaching from George feels especially timely. It’s a reminder that rest is not something we leave behind when the calendar turns, and that stillness has a

Over the holiday break, I’ve done a lot of reflecting on my journey — my childhood, my career, my family, and Culturally Committed. When I think back to my childhood, I realize how fortunate I was to belong to a family that prioritized sharing in fun activities together. My memories of growing up are peppered with family quad rides, wiener roasts in the bushes alongside the Assiniboine River, getting pulled behind the skidoo on an inflated tractor tube, entire summers spent i

As the year draws to a close, and as we arrive at our final Teachings Tuesday of the year, I find myself moving more slowly. Intentionally. With care. Slowing down feels like a value worth upholding right now. Not as an idea, but as a practice. One that asks us to listen more closely, to resist urgency, and to honour what this season is offering. For the first time in my life, I have been paying close attention to my body in a way that feels a bit unfamiliar. When it asks me