September 22 – 26

Mark your calendars for Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement Week, taking place September 22 – 26 across the Polytech.

This week will be an opportunity for learning, reflection, and connection through Indigenous teachings, storytelling, and shared experiences. Events will include in-person sessions led by Knowledge Keepers, staff, and special guests, as well as self-guided learning opportunities curated by Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement across the Polytech.

Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement Week invites us to deepen our understanding of Canada’s true history and the ongoing impacts of colonization on Indigenous Peoples. It’s a time to listen, learn, and take meaningful steps together toward reconciliation, healing, and stronger relationships built on respect and truth.

Save the date and keep an eye on Staff News for full details on educational sessions you can bring back to your classrooms and colleagues.

Are you ready to bring your entrepreneurial vision to life in a way that’s rooted in culture, community, and innovation?

RRC Polytech proudly invites you to explore Mittohnee Pogo’ohtah, Manitoba’s first Indigenous entrepreneur incubator program. This program is more than business training — it’s a community-driven space designed to empower Indigenous entrepreneurs and foster economic self-determination.

Mittohnee Pogo’ohtah offers a holistic support system tailored specifically to the needs of Indigenous entrepreneurs. Here’s what to expect:

• Opportunities for mentorship with experienced Indigenous business leaders
• Access to capital, professional services, and culturally grounded business coaching
• Guidance rooted in traditional knowledge and community-building

Whether you’re just getting started or ready to take your business to the next level, this program meets you where you’re at.

Who Should Attend?

• Indigenous entrepreneurs at any stage of their journey
• Innovators with ideas ready to be developed
• Community members seeking culturally grounded business support and mentorship

This initiative is about more than just launching businesses—it’s about building futures, reclaiming space in the economy, and honouring Indigenous ways of knowing.

Upcoming Info Sessions

Learn more about the program and how to apply by joining one of our free Teams webinars hosted by Amy Jackson, Director, Mittohnee Pogo’ohtah:

July 16 – Lunch Session (12:30 PM – 1:30 PM)

July 23 – Evening Session (6:00 PM – 7:00 PM)

July 30 – Lunch Session (12:30 PM – 1:30 PM)

August 6 – Evening Session (6:00 PM – 7:00 PM)

Each 60-minute session includes a 30–45-minute presentation followed by a Q&A so you can get all your questions answered.

• Duration: 60 minutes (30 – 45-minute presentation + 15 minutes Q&A) 
• Platform: Teams webinar
• Registration: Via LinkedIn and Instagram with clickable form link

Spots are limited, and the application process is competitive—don’t wait!

Be part of a movement that honours tradition, fuels innovation, and supports Indigenous entrepreneurs every step of the way.

About Amy Jackson

Amy Jackson, from Opaskwayak Cree Nation, is the Director of Mittohnee Pogotah at RRC Polytech, where she leads Manitoba’s Indigenous entrepreneurship incubator program. A Winnipeg-based entrepreneur and artist, she is the founder of Native Love Notes, a brand creating stickers and products featuring culturally relevant designs and positive messages. Jackson holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Aboriginal & Northern Studies from University College of the North.

In her role at Mittohnee, she oversees strategic partnerships, funding relationships, and the overall direction of programs designed to advance the knowledge, skills, and expertise of Indigenous entrepreneurs and creatives across Manitoba, working to build sustainable pathways for Indigenous economic development and community empowerment.

Learn how to uncover insights, co-create solutions, and navigate complex systems with confidence.

Join Indigenous Strategy, Research and Business Development and Mittohnee Pogo’ohtah for an immersive, hands-on training experience led by WorkPlayExperience, a global leader in human-centered design and innovation.

Workshops will take place the week of August 11 – 15, 2025 each day. Tuition is $3,196.00 per seat.

You’ll gain:

• A solid foundation in service design & innovation methods
• Real-world application of design tools
• Confidence in systems thinking & co-creation
• Practical frameworks to take back to your team or community

For more information about WorkPlayExperience, visit their website.

Learn more about Service Design Training here.

RRC Polytech’s School of Indigenous Education is hiring a Navigation Coach to help guide and support Indigenous learners through their academic journeys.

This full-time term position runs from August 14, 2025 to April 30, 2030, and is based at the Notre Dame Campus in Winnipeg.

Navigation Coaches are first points of contact for new and returning students and they play a vital role in helping learners transition into college life, which includes:

• Supporting students through recruitment, application, and orientation
• Connecting learners to resources, services, and cultural supports
• Collaborating with Elders, faculty, and Indigenous communities
• Coordinating events and maintaining student records

To support reconciliation and equity in hiring, this position is designated for Indigenous candidates only. If you self-identify as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit, we encourage you to apply.

Indigenous applicants are welcome to reach out to our Indigenous Recruitment Consultant at Indigenoustalent@rrc.ca for assistance with the application process.

Application deadline: July 16, 2025
Requisition number: 00513

This role requires strong communication, organizational, and cultural knowledge, as well as experience supporting Indigenous students.

Internal applicants can visit the HRIS portal to apply. External applicants can visit our Recruitment Site for more information.

MITAH-koo-ya OYA-shin OAK-ah-pee

Mitakuye Oyasin Okciyape is the name for the large open space you walk into in Manitou a bi Bii daziigae. In Dakota, the name means All My Relations Helping Each Other.

On Friday, June 20, RRC Polytech marked an important moment in its journey of reconciliation and relationship-building. We gathered to honour the first anniversary of Mitakuye Oyasin Okciyape being gifted to the large open space at 319 Elgin Ave. in Manitou a bi Bii daziigae.

This ceremony was more than a celebration – it was a transfer of sacred responsibility. Kunshi Ivy, who had been holding and caring for the name, entrusted it to RRC Polytech by passing it into the care of four selected leaders. Each of them now carries the responsibility to honour the spirit of the name, uphold Dakota Ceremonial Protocols, and ensure the space continues to reflect the values of connection, respect, and shared responsibility.

This is the first time RRC Polytech has received a Dakota name, and it represents an act of trust from the Dakota Nation. Mitakuye Oyasin Okciyape is more than just a name on a door; it’s a prayer. It’s a reminder that we are all connected – to each other, to the land, to the past, and to the future. And now, it’s also a living commitment we carry forward together.

To read more about Mitakuye Oyasin Okciyape, check out the MarComm blog.

Join the Moose Hide Campaign Winnipeg Walk to End Violence.

Terri-Lynn will be at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) by 11:30 AM, and staff, faculty, and students are welcome to meet there before the walk begins.

If you have any questions or would like to meet at the CMHR, feel free to reach out to Terri-Lynn at tlanderson@rrc.ca.

Event Details:

• Date: Thursday, May 15, 2025
• Time: 12:00 PM – 3:30 PM (Meet-up at 11:30 AM)
• Start Location: Canadian Museum for Human Rights
• End Point: Manitoba Legislative Building
• Rain or Shine

Please wear your Moose Hide pin if you have one. Terri-Lynn will have extras available  or you can arrange to pick one up before the walk. 

Let’s walk together in solidarity to stand up against violence and help create a safer, more respectful world.

Click here for full event details and registration

Over the past several weeks, we’ve listened, learned, and reflected.

From January 30th to March 12th, through eight engagement sessions and a survey reaching more than 350 participants, we heard powerful stories, teachings, and visions for what our Indigenous Visual Identity should embody. 

Sacredness. Seasonality. Directions. Interconnectedness. The importance of language, fire, water, and the land – its plants, its spirit, its stories. These themes emerged again and again, underscoring a deep connection to identity, history, and place. Participants also highlighted the importance of distinguishing Métis, Inuit, and First Nations cultures in a meaningful and authentic way.

Visually, this identity must be more than just a design – it must feel lived, woven into the fabric of who we are. Earth tones reflect our connection to the land, while vibrant colours draw inspiration from beadwork, regalia, and the many cultures they represent. Celestial and seasonal influences remind us of the ever-changing yet cyclical nature of life. The textures of natural materials – organic, tactile, grounded – carry stories of resilience, tradition, and knowledge passed through generations.

We were reminded that no story or teaching stands alone – each is inseparable from its meaning and the voice that carries it. This is essential. It is through story that teachings live and breathe, and it is through meaning that they guide us.

Now, with these insights in hand, our design team is working with RRC Polytech’s Knowledge Keepers Council to finalize a conceptual direction that will bring these ideas to life. As the work progresses, we remain grateful for the voices that have guided this journey so far. Your wisdom and stories are the foundation of this visual identity, ensuring it is a reflection of both tradition and future generations.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue this important work.

About Narratives Inc.

Narratives emerged to create space for early, respectful dialogue that supports informed, values-based decision-making. It aims to deepen understanding of how projects and policies affect the social, cultural, biophysical, and spiritual fabric of our world. By challenging the boundaries of research, planning, and practice, Narratives contributes to reconciliation — one story at a time. Rooted where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet, within the traditional territories of the Anishinaabeg, the Ininiwak, the Anisininewak, the Dakota Oyate, and the Denésuline, in Treaty 1 territory, and the homeland of the Métis.

Join us for noon-hour sessions to learn about Ininew culture with Ivana Yellowback.

We are honored to welcome back Ivana Yellowback to RRC Polytech for two special sessions of cultural sharing and learning.

• Wednesday, April 23 • Exchange District Campus, Room P107 • 12:00 – 1:00 PM
• Thursday, April 24 • Notre Dame Campus, Room F205 • 12:00 – 1:00 PM

Ivana’s teachings offer a unique opportunity to deepen our understanding of Indigenous culture, traditions, and ways of knowing. Everyone is welcome to join, listen, and engage in this enriching experience.

Accessibility Note: If you have any accessibility requirements, please email Terri-Lynn Anderson, Truth and Reconciliation Coordinator, at tlanderson@rrc.ca.

Don’t miss this chance to learn, reflect, and connect! See you there!

About Ivana Yellowback

Ivana Yellowback is a member of Manto Sipi Cree Nation (Treaty 5) with ties to Mathias Colomb Cree Nation (Treaty 6) and was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba (Treaty 1). She is an Associate Producer, Writer, and Co-Host of 7th GEN and has acted in DJ Burnt Bannock and Little Bird – all available on APTN Lumi. Ivana is also the co-creator, host, writer, and executive producer of the Indigenous supernatural podcast Creepee Tepee.

Beyond film and media, she is an Executive Training Facilitator with the Indigenous Leadership Development Institute, an Executive Board Member of Sākihiwē Festival, and a Registered Social Worker. She is also a co-creator of miteh atôskê, which offers Indigenous-based healing programs, and she is a traditional singer with Kind Hart Women Singers.

In February, RRC Polytech held the first Witness Blanket Tour at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR).

This new interactive offering builds on the previously offered KAIROS Blanket Exercise and provides further ways to engage our community in reconciliation efforts.

Twenty-three staff, guided by Ininew Knowledge Keeper and Community Services instructor Marilyn Dykstra, explored several exhibits that shed light on the traumatic histories and ongoing injustices experienced by Indigenous communities that culminated in a tour of the Witness Blanket.

Exhibits highlighted the atrocities of the Residential School system, the forced displacements of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, the enduring impacts of the Sixties Scoop, and the continued overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system. Participants explored narratives surrounding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People, as well as the histories of Two-Spirit identities and their reclamation within Indigenous communities.

The Witness Blanket is a permanent installation at the CMHR in its own gallery with open space for observers to reflect and consider the stories of each object woven into the Witness Blanket. The installation is composed of reclaimed objects from Residential Schools, churches, government buildings, and cultural sites across Canada and organized into the pattern of a blanket. Each object in the Blanket carries a story – memories of suffering, survival, and resilience.

“The work I do isn’t just about teaching our true histories to those who don’t know – it’s also been part of my own learning and healing journey. Even when people continue to deny, dismiss, and diminish what those kids went though, the Witness Blanket is a testament to the truth,” said Dykstra.

“When I saw the Witness Blanket ten years ago for the first time, I stood there. And I cried. It means something to everyone. Just like how the school bell means one thing to someone that went to a public school, that sound meant something very different for someone that went to Residential School.”

One of the most haunting pieces is framed in the centre of the Blanket – the door from the boys’ infirmary at St. Michael’s Residential School in Alert Bay, British Columbia. This door, once closed to conceal abuse and neglect, now remains permanently open to honour Survivors and to invite the truth. Carey Newman, the creator of the Witness Blanket, stated: “I didn’t ever want the door on the Blanket to be closed… I make sure the door is always open, so there is nowhere for any secrets to hide.”

After the tour, participants returned to RRC Polytech to feast the experience. The afternoon continued with a Sharing Circle, led by Joanna White, Indigenous Educational Curriculum Developer, where each participant voiced their thoughts, emotions, and reflections in a safe and supportive environment.

“The experience wasn’t walking around and listening to a tour guide – it engaged all of the senses. Moving between the different spaces; seeing and watching and reading; listening to Marilyn relate her own experiences, her family’s, her community’s, her nation’s, the museum’s; the scent of smudge; the feast we shared together. The immersion was an incredible way to actively participate and learn before we gathered to reflect and debrief in the afternoon,” said Giselle Martel, Vice President, Finance & Administration.

This tour is a demonstration of RRC Polytech’s ongoing commitment to Truth and Reconciliation in education as a continuous and evolving journey. By creating opportunities for faculty and staff to engage with Indigenous histories, perspectives, and knowledge, we are taking responsibility for the tangible steps we can make toward fostering an environment that acknowledges the past and actively works toward a more just and equitable future.

“Many Indigenous students face struggles that faculty may not be aware of – these struggles aren’t just in the past, they continue today. Challenges borne from intergenerational trauma can impact students’ education in profound ways, and understanding the things that precipitate their experiences is key to better supporting them,” said Nelson Oliviera, Acting Chair, Transportation.

A significant aspect of this work is recognizing that many individuals currently in the workforce were not provided with standardized Truth and Reconciliation education during their schooling. The education available today offers a much deeper understanding of the historical and ongoing injustices faced by Indigenous Peoples. By fostering a culture of collaboration and social justice, we ensure that all staff and faculty are equipped with the awareness and tools necessary to contribute meaningfully to reconciliation.

“Learning about Indigenous history has really helped me to reconsider some biases I learned, and it has helped me recognize those biases in others. When I did the Blanket Exercise Training years ago, it was very difficult to understand how this could happen. Knowing this history is an important reminder that we always need to treat others with dignity and respect, because these histories are their histories – people go through things that we don’t always know, and it has real impacts for people today,” said Sukhjot Singh, security guard.

The strides made by the Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement Department in partnership with other areas like Organizational Development and the School of Health Sciences and Community Services demonstrate how we’re embedding reconciliation into ongoing education and professional development. This commitment is more than policy – it is an active process of learning and unlearning, a reshaping of our understanding of a colonial history so Indigenous histories, perspectives, and knowledge are recognized and woven into the fabric of our institution in a more holistic, truthful understanding of how we came to be.

The Witness Blanket and Canadian Museum for Human Rights Tours will be held monthly, except for July and August, for staff and faculty to attend. If you would like to register for upcoming iterations of the Witness Blanket and CMHR Tour, staff can go to HRIS > My Portal > My Learning > Learning Library > More > search “Witness Blanket”.

Truth and Reconciliation is always evolving and expanding, so we’ve updated our website to reflect that.

At RRC Polytech, we have intentionally created a separate section for Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement distinct from the School of Indigenous Education to recognize their unique roles within the institution. These two areas are often grouped together, but they are administered differently, have separate staff, and serve different functions within the College.

While both areas collaborate frequently at a strategic level, the work they do on the ground often differs. Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement is primarily focused on the institution’s growth – how we, as a College, affirm truth and advance reconciliation through our policies, staff development, and institutional commitments. This, in turn, shapes the way we deliver programming and engage with students.

In contrast, the School of Indigenous Education provides direct, wraparound supports to Indigenous students, such as navigation coaches, academic advising, and cultural supports. These services are student-centered, ensuring learners have the resources they need to succeed. Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement, however, does not offer these same supports, as its focus is broader to influence systemic change at the College.

By maintaining this distinction, we ensure the College community understands both areas’ respective mandates and are able to access the resources each area provides more efficiently.

What can I find in the new Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement section?

You can find dedicated pages for the Knowledge Keepers Council, Initiatives, and Resources related to the department.

The Knowledge Keepers Council section includes information on what the Council does at the College, biographies for each Council Member, and how to bring initiatives to the Council for consideration.

The Initiatives section catalogues a number of remarkable initiatives that have had profound influences around the College and the work each area does to affirm truth and advance reconciliation, including:

• The RRC Polytech Land Acknowledgement
• The RRC Polytech Inclusive Pride Flag and Raising the Flags of Treaty One and the Red River Métis
• Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement Week
• The Mínwastánikéwin Award
• The RRC Polytech Original Orange Shirt
• The RRC Polytech Original Red Shirt
• 4 Seasons of Reconciliation
• The Truth and Reconciliation Immersive Experience
• Truth and Reconciliation Community of Practice
• The Witness Blanket and Canadian Museum for Human Rights Tours
• Manitoba Collaborative Indigenous Education Blueprint
• Winnipeg Indigenous Accord
• CICan Indigenous Education Protocol
• SDG Accord
• Manitou a bi Bii daziigae
• Mitakuye Oyasin Okciyape
• The City View Classroom (E473)
• The Roundhouse Auditorium (E240)
• The Multipurpose Room (E155)
• The Indigenous Murals Project

The Resources page is home to Frequently Asked Question about topics concerning Truth and Reconciliation, videos about Indigenous culture, and links to resources within and outside of RRC Polytech.

The Contact page is an easy way to connect with the Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement team

What kind of news can I expect from Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement?

The Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement blog will keep up with institutional strides in the College’s strategy to affirm truth and advance reconciliation through professional development opportunities for staff and faculty, new policy development, and projects that are aligned with our strategy. Some upcoming stories to look out for include:

• The Witness Blanket and Canadian Museum for Human Rights Tour recap story, featuring Marilyn Dykstra and several staff members that had gone on the first tour in February
• The Mínwastánikéwin Award winners’ profile story
• Stay the Course Speaker Series re-run (2020-22)

And much more! Subscribe now and get updates directly to your inbox.