Recently, a colleague shared an analogy that resonated with me this time of year. When balancing life, it can feel like you’re juggling a set of rubber and glass balls.
There are things in life that, when we drop them or forget them, bounce back. However, there are things in our lives like relationships and community that, if we don’t nurture them, could fall and break like a glass ball.
So, when we juggle life, it’s important to remember those relationships and communities around us. Like any good personal relationship, nurturing them starts with listening, learning and respect. This month reminds me there are many communities that we can listen to and learn from.
June is National Indigenous History Month across Canada. It’s a month to take time to recognize the rich history, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis across Canada and here in Greater Victoria. This past Wednesday also marked National Indigenous Peoples Day, with a variety of events across the region.
It’s a month full of stories to listen to. At the Victoria Foundation, we’re fortunate to have many chances to listen and learn from Indigenous communities. Take the work of the PEPÁḴEṈ HÁUTW̱ Foundation. In 2022, they received funding through the Foundation’s Community Grants Program. They are a charitable non-profit organization that provides participatory education opportunities about traditional and healthy food systems, working towards the restoration and revitalization of native ecosystems in the W̱SÁNEĆ homelands. They inspire young land stewards and help develop a strong model for ecosystem restoration employment opportunities, among much else. Listening and learning from organizations like the PEPÁḴEṈ HÁUTW̱ Foundation can help us learn how to nurture the natural environment, listen to our youth, and more.
Next week, Pride Week also begins in Greater Victoria with activities from June 29 to July 9. This is a time to listen and learn from the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and their stories. There’s the popular Memorial Drag Ball Game on July 1. The game has roots going back to 1993 when a group of friends were grieving the loss of community members from HIV/AIDS.
There are many organizations we can celebrate during Pride Week, and year-round. The Gender Generations Project, a recipient of the Foundation’s Community Grants Program, works to empower trans, two-spirit, non-binary, and other gender-diverse youth so that they can recognize their potential to be leaders in their own communities.
These are just two organizations supporting diverse communities across our regions, communities we can listen to and learn from year-round. And yet, this month I make it a point to remember the work and achievements of the countless individuals, organizations and communities across our region working to create a vibrant, caring community for all.
It’s also a reminder that nurturing these relationships starts with respect, listening and learning. Only then can we balance the delicate act of juggling throughout our lives.
Sandra Richardson is CEO of the Victoria Foundation.
