June is National Indigenous History Month.
In Canada, Indigenous populations experience disproportionate levels of both severe and chronic food insecurity¹. This month, we are reflecting on the intertwining of Indigenous people’s past, present and future while building awareness, cultural understanding, and learning.
The Ottawa Food Bank operates on the traditional, unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation, whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial. We acknowledge our position here as guests and support movements toward reconciliation. To inform our engagement in reconciliation efforts, we are committed to sitting with the truth of colonial institutionalism. Our learning as an organization is ongoing in addressing oppression, exclusion and anti-Indigenous racism.
We are honoured to work in partnership with Indigenous-led agencies to support food security initiatives that respect and uphold the cultural sovereignty of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.
This month, the Ottawa Food Bank will be focused on sharing learnings from Indigenous knowledge holders and community organizations on Indigenous food sovereignty to continue challenging colonial ideas and practices. We encourage everyone to engage in ways to confront your own biases.