Celebrating Our Diversity, Telling Our Stories

Description

Join us to listen to stories from our diverse community. This free family event promotes intercultural understanding and creates meaningful connections by sharing our stories, traditions & food.

Additional Information

This is an in-person program.  Please, do not attend if you are not feeling well.

Families are welcome.

Additional Information

The afternoon of storytelling aims to connect families and community through cultural exchange, oral traditions, and food. You’ll listen to stories from Regina’s Indigenous and Newcomers community where 5 speakers will share their culture and traditions to promote intercultural understanding, create meaningful connections, and embrace our differences and shared values.

 · Dickie Yuzicapi, First Nation community

· Ziyang Zeo Li, Chinese community

· Jane Christopher Akpam, Nigeria community

· Shine Pillai, Indian community

· Alina Shylan, Ukrainian community

We are honoured to have the following speakers share their culture and stories with us:

As many Indigenous people are today, Dickie Yuzicapi comes from a culturally diverse heritage. His heritage represents the majority of the Plains cultures found in Saskatchewan to this day: Ojibway, Cree, Métis, and Dakota. Dickie is unique in that he was raised by his great grandparents who never went to residential school. They raised him pre-reservation style until it was his turn to go to residential school.

Dickie is a residential school survivor, and a multi-generational trauma survivor. He is a master storyteller and experienced speaker who can provide his own ancestral context and historical connections in ways that bring the Truth and Reconciliation recommendations to practical reality. His workshops are led with great care to his family’s stories and to where workshop participants are at in the T & R process. It is about creating understanding with care to lay the groundwork for what needs to be done to heal.

Dickie is experienced in leading workshops, speaking to groups of all sizes, and keynote addresses. Dickie is also a traditional Pow wow dancer and singer, an artist, a storyteller, a Red Seal Chef, and the owner of Sioux Chef Catering.

Ziyang Zeo Li

Since arriving in Canada in 2015, Ziyang Li has turned newcomer challenges into opportunities for positive change. Starting with the Regina Open Door Society, he advanced from a client to Community Connection Worker, fostering diverse cultural relationships. He co-founded the Saskatchewan Chinese Youth Association to empower Chinese youth and promote cultural awareness. As former VP of Student Affairs at the University of Regina Students’ Union, he tackled food insecurity and unaffordable education, establishing community fridges and advocating for student needs. His commitment extends to roles with Regina Food for Learning, RPIRG, and the United Nations Association in Canada-Regina Branch, promoting social justice, and sustainable development.

Jane Christopher Akpan is an energy economist and policy analyst. She holds a BSc. honors degree in Economics, a Master of Science in Finance and a Master of Public Policy focused on Energy Economics. She has been actively involved in evaluating projects and program effectiveness for over 15 years in the public sector, including higher education institutions and government agencies.

Jane is currently running a PhD program at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS), University of Regina. Her voluntary contribution to the community includes (1) board membership at a Cooperative (Wascana) Early Learning Centre; (2) training kids at the Sunday Children Liturgical sessions at Christ the King Catholic Church Regina; and (3) Project Lead for Data Analytics Peer Learning Projects at Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Regina.

Her hubbies include travelling and studying historical events that have led to nation building in Nigeria and Africa.

Alina Shylan was born in Lviv, Western Ukraine and arrived in Regina on July 4, 2022. Alina holds a Master of Business Administration Degree from Lviv Institute of Management
 and is a business professional with over 10 years of experience in customer service, marketing and business development. Alina has working experience in several industries including Banking, IT, and Media Business. Now Alina works at the City of Regina.

Emcee

Victoria Flores is a dedicated and accomplished Human Services professional with a passion for building stronger communities. Growing up in Bolivia, Victoria experienced a rich and diverse upbringing before moving to Canada at the age of 16. She has called Regina her home ever since. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a certificate in Public Relations from the University of Regina. Victoria has been working in the non-profit sector for over a decade, starting at the Regina Food Bank and progressing to her current role as Communications and Marketing Manager at Regina Open Door Society (RODS). At RODS, she drives the organization's mission of creating a welcoming and inclusive community through strategic communication and marketing initiatives.

Victoria is also an active volunteer, chairing the Heritage Community Association Board, an after hours advocate with the Regina Sexual Assault Hotline, serving on the Regina Ski Club board, and participating in community consultations with the City of Regina and other organizations. In her free time, Victoria likes to stay active and learn new things. She enjoys biking, partner acrobatics, gardening, and spending time with her furry best friend, Monty.