can make a person feel alienated and isolated. In the long term, food sovereignty work suffers and participation can be affected. Following are a few ways to help create a safe learning space:
Traditional knowledge comes in many forms. Share with participants that there is no one way of knowing and that what they learn from programming is from one perspective. Encourage participants to keep an open mind, to engage with all types of learning, and to know that Indigenous food sovereignty lessons can take a lifetime to learn. Create sharing time. Build time into programming and outreach for participants to reflect with others on what they learned. Also, build in time for participants to share with the full group if they like. Often, this is where some of the best learning and engagement takes place as content shared can spark memories and storytelling. Acknowledge what everyone shares. Acknowledge individuals whenever they share a story, a piece of information, or even gratitude for learning. This builds confidence and each participant knows they are valued. In work on the Menominee Indian reservation, Indigenous food sovereignty work has seen program participants move from learners to educators because of this approach. Invite multiple speakers to co-teach. By inviting community speakers to co-teach, you give participants a chance to build relationships with individuals they may not otherwise have had a chance to meet. Further, community speakers are content experts as well and are honored to pass on traditional knowledge about food, hunting, harvesting, and cooking.
Do you have an opening speech for your Indigenous foods workshops to help your participants feel welcome and safe?
Develop a list of inclusive language to make your participants feel comfortable. What words would you use?
Who are community teachers you can rely on to help with Indigenous foods and related programming?
What are ways that you can acknowledge sharing and stories from all learners?
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