Each year on June 21, the country mark’s National Indigenous Peoples Day. An opportunity to honour and celebrate the history, heritage, resilience, and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis.  

“What really stands out, is that we’re being recognized,” says 1 JustCity Indigenous Cultural Program Lead John McKay.  

“It’s a really good day to be Indigenous,” adds Desiree McIvor, who also works with the program.  

 

1 JustCity is an organization that supports three drop-in community centres in Winnipeg’s core neighbourhoods: West Broadway, the West End and Osborne Village.  They provide food and help with basic services while also striving to build community by providing cultural supports through meaningful programming and accessibility. 

“We do beading, drum making... and sharing circles,” explains McKay. “We want our community to stay close to each other." 

For McIvor, it comes down to being a part of a larger group, spending time with individuals and listening to what their needs may be.  

“I’m not going to walk for them but I’m going to walk beside them, through their healing journey to finding their identity through the Indigenous culture,” explains McIvor.   

A group of roughly 70 people, including individuals from all three 1 JustCity sites will visit the Forks on National Indigenous Peoples Day.  

“We see relatives, we see our brothers and sisters,” says McKay. “We’re celebrating something so good, so sacred and we’re together.”  
 
“We want all Canadians – not just Indigenous people – we want everyone to be a part of this. This is a true way to recognize reconciliation,” says McKay. “Reconciliation is working together.”