Diversity Friendly Communities

Some say that the universe has a plan. Well, its been finally realized by us at ACE that ACE Communities has a process. No wait, let me amend that…ACE Communities IS a process – a process for change.

When the ACE Communities initiative first came into being it was slated as a project designed to enhance quality of life in rural Alberta by strengthening community leadership, collaboration, and innovation through recreation, parks, arts, culture. After over three years of ACE in action, the project has evolved into a community development process that can now be applied to other issues and challenges.

This is where things get even more interesting. Are you ready?

Rather recently, ACE received the good news that we are the recipient of a grant from the Province of Alberta’s Human Rights Education and Multiculturalism Fund (HREM Fund). I should officially thank ACE Director Brenda Herchmer here for that bit of grant writing chutzpah.

ACE Communities will be using these monies for or a Diversity Friendly Communities project in rural Alberta.

If you weren’t aware, the goal of the Human Rights Education and Multiculturalism (HREM) Fund is "full participation of all Albertans." In the context of the fund, "full civic participation" means that all Albertans have the opportunity to be involved in and benefit from all aspects of society without encountering discrimination because of their race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, disability, age, ancestry, sexual orientation, or the other characteristics protected in the Alberta Human Rights Act.

Specifically, this means that Albertans have the opportunity to participate in the social, cultural, political, and economic life of the province without discrimination. The goal of the upcoming ACE Communities Diversity Friendly Communities project is to help initiate community change using recreation, parks, arts, culture, and heritage as a vehicle that will increase community capacity to: 1) Foster equality and reduce discrimination and racism and 2) Remove organizational barriers that exclude some Albertans.

Soon ACE Communities will be seeking four rural Alberta communities who are interested in participating in the ACE Diversity Friendly Communities project. And if you are thinking that rural Alberta isn’t ready for such a project, you might be greatly surprised.

On a recent teleconference on the subject, a diverse group of community leaders in rural Alberta came together to discuss their sense of readiness. Leaders in Trochu outlined the many ways they have welcomed Filipino newcomers into their town and expressed their concern that they might lose these new additions to their community to the pull of large cities like Calgary.

Leaders from Chestermere and Killam expressed their commitment to long-term plans to make their communities more ready for diverse populations. One leader in Drayton Valley explained how the town’s MSP already does have a diversity lens but they are still struggling to engage with the shadow population (as in transient workers drawn to their community by the oil patch).

And yet another leader is hoping to apply for the project to help mend relations with a neighbouring First Nations community.

So the process and the opportunity is out there. Do you think you are ready to become an ACE Diversity Friendly community? Keep your eyes on the ACE Communities site for more on this great project!

The Big C - Creativity

I think it might be official. I’m one-of-a-kind. Well, I’m most definitely unique. Those who know me personally, of course, might not refute this point – for good or for evil! Technically, though, when I refer to this uniqueness, I actually mean it on a professional level.

Admit it… how many Creative Cultural Liaisons do you know?

When I was first interviewed for my current role at ACE Communities, I was informed by the interview panel that much consideration – and debate! – had gone into the particular wording of this position’s title.

For those who don’t know, A.C.E. actually stands for Active, Creative, and Engaged communities. In essence, the strategic creation of the Creative Cultural Liaison position within the ACE Communities portfolio meant not only the creation of an ambassador for the big ‘C’ – Creativity of A.C.E, but also acknowledged ACE Communities’ belief in the importance of arts, culture, and heritage in the sustainability of Alberta’s rural communities.

The role of creativity in community building is a hot topic as of late. Many of you are familiar with Richard Florida’s theories in The Rise of the Creative Class arguing that it’s the creative economy (powered by the likes of artists, musicians, architects, designers, and entrepreneurs) that will eventually make or break many communities.

According to Florida: Arts, culture and heritage = energized spaces and more inclusive philosophies.

In 2006, the organization, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCRI), put out a report entitled: The Art of Community. This report illustrated how weaving art and culture into program initiatives can lay the foundation for newcomers and the receiving society to find common ground and work together to build vibrant communities in which everyone has a stake (a shout out to Susan Coombes in Alberta’s Human Rights and Citizenship Department for sending me that resource).

Princeton University furthered this investigation by completing a literature review on the impact of arts and culture. Their study focused on three types of claims: "1. first, claims that the arts build social capital; 2. second, claims that the arts improve the economy; 3. third, claims that the arts are good for individuals. "

Need I say more? And this is not even touching on how the big C also refers to resilience and the ability to creatively roll with the punches when it comes to challenges in our communities. Creativity goes beyond the ‘arts’ per se, to also represent innovative problem solving, visionary mapping of community assets, and thinking outside of the proverbial box.

So, I can happily say that I’m proud to be unique. I am willing, however, to share my creative title with anyone who wants it. Let’s start a movement… come forth Creative Cultural Liaisons (and equivalents) and let’s all unite under the big C flag! Your communities will be better for it.

A safe place to be...

Have you seen it yet? You know, the video of that crazy dancing guy at a music festival who eventually inspires a whole group of people to join him (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1_-P016Ns).

I was sent this video recently as an example of the mechanics of leadership. Someone had added a voiceover to this video of the dancing man illustrating how equally important both followers and leaders are to any viable movement. As you will see when you watch the video, the speaker points out that while a leader takes a risk when they throw themselves into the fray, the same can be often said for the first follower.

This made me think about the idea of risk when it comes to community building. Many people who have ever attempted to build community know that risk is part of the equation… the risk of failure, the risk of re-opening old community wounds, the risk of causing conflict, and the risk of alienating the people you are trying to serve.

During my time at ACE Communities, however, I’ve seen the risk of what happens to communities if they don’t attempt to change and to engage with others. We know that communities who don’t attempt to move past the barriers that have constricted them, whether it be societal, political, or economic, are the least likely to make it through the long haul.

Risk… well, it’s a darn risky thing. One bright spot I have noticed lately is how the arts, culture, and heritage can be used as a non-threatening, universal way to start the community engagement process. People seem more open when you speak to them in terms of how they spend their leisure time, how they celebrate their culture, or how they remember their past.

Ask them about health care, infrastructure, or the economy, on the other hand, and watch them get their dukes up.

In 2002, the Canada West Foundation created a report entitled: “Culture and Economic Competitiveness: An Emerging Role for the Arts in Canada.” This report reviewed and considered studies from around the world to identify the following benefits from arts and culture:

1) Improves mental and psychological health including enhanced personal motivation, feelings of connectedness to others, a more positive outlook on life, reduced sense of fear or isolation and increased confidence, sociability and self-esteem.

2) Arts promote intercultural understanding and validates diversity through cultural festivals, historical presentations, exhibits.

In other words, it makes us feel better about ourselves, our neighbours, and just plain helps us get along. And isn’t that where the community building really needs to start.

After all, I might dance in a way that is different from you, with different steps and different rhythms, but we can all agree that the act of dancing together can do something amazingly positive for the spirit. Just look at our famous dancer from the above video and tell me that it doesn’t make you smile… if just a little.

How did I measure up?

Where Christmas ‘tis the season for plum pudding, the New Year is the season for accountability. So I’m slurping back the yearly cleanse, hitting the gym with a brand new level of enthusiasm, and have sadly shoved all remaining shortbread cookies into the darkest, deepest recesses of my freezer (that cleanse does have to end sometime!).

One thing I have learnt during my time with ACE Communities is the importance of self-reflection. We all need to take time to think about the ways in which we are approaching our lives, our work, and our communities.

I thought that it might be fun… well, at least interesting, anyway, to take a look at my new year’s resolutions from 2010 and see how I actually did.

Here are my resolutions as posted in my last year’s blog. So… deep breath – here we go:

1) I will stop and make a meaningful connection with at least one person every week in my neighbourhood.

Yes – off to a good start already! I have, in fact, stepped it up and can say that I know my neighbours even better and am glad for it. Not only did I hold an open house for all of the proverbial block this Christmas (and LOVED it!), I’ve finally made it over to dinner with another newer neighbour that I really liked and wanted to connect with. So ah ha! Not looking too shabby so far.

2) I will listen earnestly to someone else’s opinion everyday without judgment.

Eeeekk! Well, I am trying but I find that I often still have to use all of my free will not to jump into a conversation and give my two cents before giving any real thought to what someone might be telling me. I was in a meeting today, however, and made a conscious effort to be an active, non-judgmental listener and it was worth it. But lets just keep this on the list for 2011.

3) I will spend extra time every day scratching the bellies of my basset hounds – even when I feel like I don’t have the time or the patience.

Check and check! And I actually think back to this resolution occasionally when my basset is squeaking (yes, they do actually squeak – very enthusiastically, as a matter of fact) and the LAST thing I really want to do is scratch her belly. Makes me feel better every time I do, though, so thank you resolution number three!

4) I will make every effort to improve my mind with new ideas and rise to all challenges.

It’s my new mantra. BRING IT ON… I say.

5) When I workout, I will give it my all no matter how much I think I might upchuck.

You know, I’m actually on board with this one and have even added some new crazy additions to my routine. Pilates, anyone? Hey… they are harder than they look. Ask my butt muscles. They’ll tell you.

6) I will always stop to help those in need – the lady who looks lost on the street, the mini-van stuck in the snow bank, the gentleman looking for the last dollar for his bus ticket.

Sadly, I’m bereft to say that I can’t think of one example of how I really rose to this challenge in 2010. I’m just too darn busy running off to my next appointment or meeting to even stop and really look around. So move this resolution to the top of the list as a goal for this year – its time to pay more attention to the situation of my fellow human.

7) I will eat fewer pastries because I know they are bad for my cholesterol.

Gah. Now why do you think I’m doing that cleanse. I just can’t resist… I don’t eat meat or fast food or drink excessively. I try to only eat organic and shop locally. Can’t a girl get a break… a pastry or a cookie? Is it ok if its peanut butter and I desperately need the protein? La sigh.

8) I will spend more quality-time with my parents. Because, you know, I really like them.

I love ‘em when I see them! They’re busier than me but we did manage to bond over the holidays and it was the best Christmas yet.

9) I will make an effort to speak to my very dear ‘out-of-town’ friends at least once a month.

You know, I don’t know why this is so hard because I do LOVE speaking to my friends. Yet, months can go by without me picking up that phone. So as soon as I’m done this blog, its time to get the finger dialing. In fact, I resolve to speak to one ‘out-of-town’ friend every month no matter what.

10) I will increase my volunteer-work because it really does feel good to help others.

I’m so committed to this one that I now even have my basset hound Cleo (the squeaky one) volunteering. We go to senior care centers and let them scratch her belly. So its win win for everyone. I have an appointment lined up already.

How did you all do last year with your resolutions?

Lighting up Longview

I love Christmas! Yes I do and I admit it. It’s a funny thing that I have to admit to my love of Christmas as if it was a confessional. There are many out there who are a bit resentful of what Christmas stands for now with its brash, overt commercialism and everyone looking to make an extra buck.

Like with many people, my love of Christmas has had its ups and downs. For a big chunk of my adult life I got caught up in the frenzy to buy things, be at the right parties, and place nice with my fellow man (no matter how miserable I or they were being!).

Then I moved to Ireland. It was here that my love of Christmas was rekindled. In Ireland, I discovered a Christmas that was about family, friends, and community. Oh – and a lot of tea and chocolate. And beer.

But it was chocolate, tea, and beer shared with people that you really cared about. Stores actually closed down for days – DAYS! – at end, forcing everyone to stay at home and socialize. Or go to your neighbour’s and socialize. Meals were cooked and consumed at great leisure. Neighbours brought you wild holly as gifts. People went to holiday services or helped out the needy. Not too many people are left alone in Ireland at Christmas.

Upon returning home to Canada after three festive Irish Chirstmases abroad, this spark of community returned with me. My husband and I don’t buy gifts for each anymore, instead, we spurge on an annual evening drinking crazy expensive cocktails with friends in the posh bar of a local hotel. We have holiday shindigs and open houses for our neighbours, secret Santa dinners with old friends, and make Christmas day with my folks into a lazy Christmas extended long weekend.

So when I was invited to Longview to help out with their ‘Light Up Longview’ Holiday event, I was there before you could say snowball.

For those who aren’t familiar with the community, Longview is a small town south of Calgary with a population of about 350. They are home to one Mr. Ian Tyson, the famous Longview beef jerky, and is one of our star ACE Communities.

‘Light Up Longview’ is one of the town’s ACE projects aimed at raising awareness and funds for their ACE efforts. It was inspired by the town’s purchase of new lampposts as part of their plan to beautify their main street. With the holidays soon approaching, the ACE Communities committee decided to start a campaign to raise funds to purchase holiday lights/decorations for the lampposts as well as create a memorial tree.

This was seen as a way to have a quick win for the town, raise awareness of ACE, and bring people together.

So this past Sunday, Longview held their annual Christmas party in conjunction with the debut of their new outdoor lights. Made up almost entirely by volunteers, the Longview crew organized a visit by Santa (and made sure every child in town had a gift), hosted a horse-drawn sled ride, cooked a homemade turkey dinner for the whole town, and raised nearly $6000 for their lights fund. $900 of that came from a youth group who held a bottle drive earlier as their way of helping to buy decorations for the town.

In a town of 350, 225 people came out that night to celebrate the holidays with their community.

Do you think that the Grinch’s heart grew 10 times larger that day? Because, in the end, it is the people in your life that will make or break your Christmas. Let’s use this day as it was meant and celebrate our communities.

To see more pictures from the ‘Light up Longview’ event: http://acecommunities.ca/gallery/

Culture... the new microorganism?

Did you know that China had National Cultural Ecosystem Conservation Area (NCECA) aimed at holistically protecting cultural patterns that are historically and culturally rich? I didn’t! In fact, it wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I was even aware that we now discussing things like cultural ecosystems. Where have I been… under a rock?

It was in Ottawa at the Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) annual conference, held earlier this month, that I first heard the term ‘cultural ecosystem’ bandied about. I actually had to make a note on my iPhone so that I would remember it.

From what I could gather, the term seemed to be tied to ideas of art incubation, cultural percolation, and arts in the community.

I knew I liked the sound of it but was left wondering a little bit about these new buzz words. What does it all really MEAN!!! I asks yah…

So a quick flit about the Internet, a prolonged visit to dictionary.com, and voila! Here are the root definitions to these new interesting word combinations:

Culture: a) the quality in a person or society that arises from a concern for what is regarded as excellent in arts, letters, manners, scholarly pursuits, etc.

or (I like this one…)

b) the cultivation of microorganisms, as bacteria, or of tissues, for scientific study, medicinal use, etc.

Ecosystems: a system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment.

Community: a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.

Percolate: to show activity, movement, or life; grow or spread gradually; germinate

Art: the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.

Incubation: to maintain at a favorable temperature and in other conditions promoting development, as cultures of bacteria or prematurely born infants.

It is interesting to me how many of these terms we can theoretically (and …well… creatively) apply to both the arts and the right-brained sciences. It is as if we are mad scientists, in some giant laboratory, experimenting with how to combine the arts and culture with our communities.

Honestly, I see no reason why the arts and the sciences… or social enterprises… or the corporate sector can not only exist next to each but also have a positive impact on how they deal with their own issues. I mean – can’t we all just get along? Or, should I say, move beyond just getting along to actually forming environments where we all grow and thrive together.

Ultimately, it seems to me, that the term ‘cultural ecosystems’ is a fancy way to say ‘arts in the community’. I’m encouraged to see that we are now discussing the ways in which the arts can be moved outside of its silo and used for the betterment of the bigger societal picture.

As we say at ACE, the greater the mix, the better the fix. Our communities and our art sector can only get stronger if we mingle together, cross-pollinate… and percolate.

And you thought I’d be talking about mold, didn’t you?

I am a good public speaker because...

I’ve been doing a lot of public speaking lately. I just returned from the ARPA annual conference in Jasper where I facilitated an all day aboriginal recreation practitioner pre-conference session (mainly because the scheduled facilitator lost her voice!), facilitated our ACE story-telling session, and presented on ACE’s cultural activities. Throw participating in a flash mob organized by the ACE Dance team and I can easily say that it was an eventful 3 days!

Now I’m all ok with generally making a public spectacle of myself. Just ask anyone who knows me. Recently however, I have realized that when it does come down to the spectacle in question, I’m only really good with it on my own terms.

This realization has come to me twofold over the past week. My first hint at this came as we were preparing for the ACE flash mob at the ARPA conference. As we were rehearsing the group choreography, I felt a wee bit of anxiety creeping up. It wasn’t the dancing per say that I dreaded; it was dancing following prescribed steps. Then it hit me…hey – I don’t really like following the rules when it comes to public engagements.

I suppose that this isn’t the biggest surprise if I stop to think about it. I hated my high school graduation (it was a disaster best left out of print); I avoided both my undergraduate and graduate ceremonies in university, and happily eloped. Five people, including my husband, the justice of the peace, and myself attended our wedding.

This hatred of public speaking and rules is rearing its ugly head again as I prepare for yet another conference next week. I have been chosen as one of four young arts professionals who will speak as part of the ‘Emerging Speakers Series’ at the Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) annual conference in Ottawa. I will be presenting on the ACE ARTS Tour that just concluded in the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation last week.

And here is the catch… the speed series is a petcha kutcha style presentation where the slides advance every 15s no matter what and you only have 5 minutes to make your point.

So how am I going to charm my way through this one? Where are the breaks for my oh so witty jokes? Thoughtful pauses… relaxed but confident air? Gah.

When it came down to actually doing the flash mob at the ARPA conference, I grinded my way through the choreographed section but oh did I rock the free-style bit. I can cut the rug like any pre-teen.

Noting my anxiety before the flash mob, one of the dancers named Michelle Greenwell taught me an affirmative saying: “I will be a good dancer because…” The ‘because’ is key in this statement as it allows the brain an opening to search for the answer, giving you confidence as reasons pop into your head.

So, even though the thought of a choreographed speed talk sends shivers down my spine: “I will give a decent speed talk because….”.

And to stack my ‘becauses’ I’m going to take some affirmative action. I will write a script, practice, practice, practice, and torture my husband with as many renditions as he can take. Because, whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and nothing but good comes from stretching that safe, little comfort zone.

Wish me luck!