Adapting the Scientific Method to Traditional Knowledge
What could be possible if the scientific method was adapted, or even left behind, to make room for traditional Indigenous knowledge?
Restoring Abalone as an Act of Decolonization
How the restoration of abalone in Haida Gwaii is an act of decolonization and an undoing of the harms of capitalism and colonial practices.
What will you be most proud of in your last moments?
I relay a memory of my father’s last days with hopes that it helps someone remember where LIFE truly is. And it's not in your bank account or on your business card.
Embracing “Island Time” on Canada’s West Coast
What is “Island Time” and what can it teach us about finding balance between life and work?
Stones: “Keep One With You and Think of Me”
“Keep one with you and think of me” - I was lucky to have my Dad’s spirit reach out to me 15 years after his death. This is a powerful moment of healing and memories for the man who raised me, as well as personal growth.
Identifying Your Positionality in Community Based Work
When doing community based work, have you identified, and do you reveal your Positionality? What is Positionality, and why is it important… and what is yours?
Egg Corns and Mondegreens, for all intensive purposes
Here we reflect on why the English language is so difficult to grasp, when we can’t even grasp those words and phrases we think we know. A short exploration of egg corns and mondegreens, for all intensive purposes.
Your Indigenous Relations Strategy Needs to be More Than “Sounds Good”
Everything you do within your business, corporation, or organization must consider the impacts on Indigenous communities. If you cannot understand that statement, that is a strong indicator you are living with a strong knowledge gap. Why "sounds good" is not enough for your Indigenous Relations Strategy.
How Losing My Memory Helped Me Find Myself Again
10 months ago I lost my short-term memory after a seizure. It made me really angry at the time, but in my recovery, I began recognizing it as somewhat of a blessing. Here is my story.
Are Historians “Failed Scientists?”
In 1970, historical analyst David Hackett Fischer argued that History is a “problem solving discipline”, going so far as to call the discipline "antiethical". Has historiography, or writing about history evolved since then?
Thoughts to Actions to Outcomes: Anne-Marie’s Planning Tool is Now Available for Purchase
Thoughts to Actions to Outcomes: A Tool for Capturing & Acting Upon Your Intentions, Habits, Joys, and Challenges, conceptualized by Anne-Marie E. Fischer, M.Ed. of Words for Impact tool is intended to be a weekly planning resource, journal, habit tracker, and capturer of all those important moments in life that you’ll want to refer to every day, multiple times a day. It will also act as a record of the progress, learning, and achievements you have made within a year as you fill the pages.
The “Uncanny Valley” of AI-Generated Content on LinkedIn
Do you get an unsettling, eerie feeling when you read AI-Generated content? There is a legitimate reason why you may feel that way…
Can You Be a Proud Canadian While Knowing Canada’s True History? A Canada Day Reflection
Is it possible to still be a proud Canadian once you learn more about Canada’s genocidal history? My personal reflections on being Catholic, miseducated, and Canadian, and my journey to re-define my Canadian identity through Indigenous Relations.
The 4 “Ds” of Honouring the Protected Rights of Indigenous Peoples
In what ways can non-Indigenous people contribute to decolonizing, dismantling, deconstructing, and democratizing systems? A reflection from a settler for National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada.
Honouring the Validity of Oral Histories in Canada
What is oral history, and how has it become a part of Canada’s way of ensuring that the Constitutional rights of Indigenous peoples are protected?
Review of “Working Effectively with Indigenous Peoples®” Self-Guided Training
A review of “Working Effectively with Indigenous Peoples(R)” course by Indigenous Relations Academy, with a recommendation that non-Indigenous organizations consider taking this learning opportunity to underscore every Canadian’s duty to work towards Truth & Reconciliation.
Understanding the First Nations Principles of OCAP®
Why is it important for settlers to recognize and understand Indigenous Data Sovereignty?
Reflecting on Your “Life Rhythm”
Chris Bailey attributes his choice to living in Stanley Park for 34 years to his “life rhythm”. Photo from Global News.
An Ode to My Favourite Mentor: The Late Bill Slapin
Sometimes you just meet someone whose impact on you lasts a lifetime. This is a story about the late Bill Slapin, and how he continues to fuel the “gumption” behind Words for Impact’s work.
"No research on us, without us."
How can taking a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach to research on societies enrich data and conclusions?