This toolkit was created by the Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy NETWORK.

HERE’S HOW THE AUTHORS DESCRIBE THIS TOOLKIT:

When it comes to creating a positive & sustainable impact on the lives of Indigenous Peoples living in Montreal, it is important to understand the role that an individual occupies and plays within the collective experience.

The term ally has been around for some time, and recently many critics say that it has lost its original meaning. Instead of being used to identify one’s role within a collective struggle, it has come to symbolize a token identity – a kind of “badge” that people wear to show they are one of the “good guys”.

There are multiple terms a person can use when identifying the role that they actively play within anti-oppressive work. Neither is better than the other and regardless of what you call yourself, each role plays an important part in this kind of work. Many want to be an ally, which is why this pamphlet focuses on that term. However, being an ally is not a self-appointed identity and requires you to show your understanding through actions, relations, and recognition by the community.

Visit the NETWORK’s website for links to other useful resources; this toolkit and associated resources can be applied by youth workers in communities across Ontario.