MAKING CULTURE MATTER
Patsea Griffin says a $255,000 grant over three years will allow Thunderbird Sisters Collective's Youth Artists Council to properly fund a mentorship program. The province announced $13.6 million in similar grants Tuesday.
The province on Tuesday announced $13.6 million in funding for three dozen youth- and community-led projects across Ontario, including more than $2 million earmarked for seven Ottawa-area organizations.
Patsea Griffin, whose Thunderbird Sisters Collective's Youth Artists Council will receive $255,000 over three years, says the grant will finally allow her organization to properly fund its mentorship program, aimed at helping Indigenous youths in Ottawa, ages 12 to 29, build connections and learn about or reclaim their cultures through art-based workshops and elders' guidance.
“We already had our first workshop, led by (Ottawa's English poet laureate) Albert Dumont, with future Indigenous writers. People came in from as far away as Sioux Lookout, which was exciting.”
Other workshops will include visual arts, language, music and other Indigenous activities, including one on canoe-making.
Griffin, a Métis artist, co-founded the collective in 2017 as a way to promote Indigenous culture among youth.
“It's partly about bringing it to youth who have not grown up in their culture and show them that they could make a living as an Indigenous artist.
We've been doing a lot of things with no money and all volunteers ... it's great now to be able to offer them something.
“We've been doing a lot of things with no money and all volunteers — the elders, the creators, the creative,” Griffin added. “But it's great now to be able to offer them something.”
The funding, provided through the Youth Opportunities Fund, is intended to support grassroots initiatives that help children, youths and families develop new skills, overcome obstacles and strengthen community relationships.
The six other area groups that will receive funding are:
Aunties on the Road: Indigenous Full Spectrum Doula Collective. A four-year, $488,800 grant to provide doula services for Indigenous youths between 12 and 25 years old.
BLKGURL__: A three-year, $247,900 grant to help create a safe, engaging space that offers initiatives, including recording monthly podcasts and hosting creative camps, activities and workshops, for Black gender-marginalized and queer youth.
Canadian Somali Mothers Association: A three-year, $253,100 grant to provide monthly workshops, sharing circles, coaching, networking opportunities and referrals to navigate needed services for Somali mothers.
Couples Sans Violence: A threeyear, $255,000 grant to address gender-based violence through awareness workshops and counselling and to provide services to reduce socio-cultural barriers to access to existing community care programs for Black, African, newcomer, francophone parents, guardians and caregivers. Ionkwahronkha'onhátie': Ionkwahronkha'onhátie', which translates to “We are becoming fluent,” is receiving a four-year, $500,000 grant to provide workshops and gatherings, and develop a linguistic talk show on local radio to initiate more language learning and sharing for Indigenous parents, guardians, and caregivers in Kanien'kehá:ka, or Mohawk, communities.
Parents for Diversity: A three-year, $249,600 grant to provide workshops and support networks, both in-person and virtual, to help Black parents, guardians and caregivers navigate situations of anti-Black racism.
“Our government knows that local, grassroots organizations are in the best position to address the unique needs of their communities and make a direct impact on young people's lives,” Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, said in a statement Tuesday.
The Youth Opportunities Fund is a grant program administered by the Ontario Trillium Foundation.