Film: Spirit Bear and Children Make History, 2020.
A new instalment of our 5 questions with series is here! This time, we’re featuring First Nations Child & Family Caring Society and Spirit Bear Books, a nonprofit organization with the mission to “[p]rovide reconciliation-based public education, research and support to promote the safety and wellbeing of First Nations children, young people, families and Nations.”
Madelaine McCracken, Education and Public Engagement Coordinator and Jennifer King, Reconciliation and Policy Coordinator of First Nations Child & Family Caring Society and Spirit Bear Books answered our questionnaire.
1. Tell us about the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society and Spirit Bear Books. Where are you located and what kinds of books do you publish?
We, at the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (Caring Society) work to ensure the safety and well-being of First Nations children, youth, and families through education initiatives, public policy campaigns and providing quality resources to support communities. Spirit Bear is a Bearrister, which means that when he sees something wrong, he needs to learn about it and help make things right. Spirit Bear takes lots of trips to visit and learn from kids across the country about things like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the case for First Nations kids at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, and child-led campaigns like Shannen’s Dream. Through his adventures, Spirit Bear learns that children have power and that everyone can make a difference. In addition to his books, Spirit Bear has written a Guide to the TRC Calls to Action that teaches children and youth, through accessible language, how they can take up the Calls to Action in their own way. Adults tell us that Spirit Bear’s Guide helps them get started too!
We’re located on unsurrendered Algonquin territory, Ottawa, Canada. We help Spirit Bear publish picture books so that children and youth can learn and understand that they have the power to help make Canada a country that treats First Nations children and youth fairly. All First Nations children have the right to safe and comfy schools, to grow safely at home with families, and have proper services like clean drinking water. Spirit Bear and friends write letters and “bears witness” to the Government of Canada’s failure to provide equitable services to First Nations kids and families.
2. What’s the single best thing you’ve done to promote your books to readers?
Spirit Bear’s books address reconciliation education for children in elementary school. There are few Canadian books for younger children that link reconciliation with social justice. Spirit Bear’s books are both educational and uplifting. We share the message that children have the power to make a difference and it resonates with readers. Given the lack of books linking reconciliation to contemporary social justice issues for this age group, we have made the Spirit Bear Book Series as accessible as possible. We have online, downloadable, free versions. We also have learning guides that can be taught alongside the books to help educators use the books in the classroom. Spirit Bear’s first book, Spirit Bear and Children Make History, has also been made into a stop motion film for children and youth! We also host the Reconciliation Ambearristers program, which invites groups to host their own Reconciliation Ambearrister to take up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action and build relationships with local First Nations, Métis, and Inuit community members. Please visit our website if you’d like more information on how to get involved!
3. Describe the culture you’d like to foster among your colleagues, and your readers?
Just because we’re small doesn’t mean we can’t stand tall! Our readers are primarily children and youth, and although they’re young, it doesn't mean that they cannot use their voices to make a difference. It’s important for Canadians to understand that there are solutions to the inequities in public services for First Nations children, youth, and families. The Spirit Bear Plan, supported by First Nations across Canada, sets out clear steps that Canada can take to end the government’s ongoing discrimination against First Nations kids and families. Governments do not make change; they respond to it. If we work together, we know we can create a Canada that treats First Nations kids fairly. Reconciliation is all of us!
4. What topics would you like to see more often in the books you publish and what’s next for the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society and Spirit Bear Books?
We discuss concepts like equity, fairness, justice, policies, legislation, and truth and reconciliation, and we also share education surrounding the Indian Residential Schooling System. For our future works, we will look for community guidance on topics of importance and work with the Caring Society’s initiatives to learn what Spirit Bear will experience next!
5. What do you wish you had known about publishing when you were starting out?
We’re still learners in this world of publishing and just recently found out about an amazing community of publishing colleagues. We’re a new member of the Association of Canadian Publishers, and they provide us with professional learning opportunities for publishing that are important to our justice and equity work for First Nations, and for Métis and Inuit community members too. So, we’re thankful to join this association, alongside other publishers, and build a community of learning and understanding together.
Thank you Madelaine and Jennifer for taking the time to answer our questionnaire.
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