OCC2024_Issac_Petonoquot_HS

Two White Feather

Finding Common Ground | Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Two White Feather is Anishinaabe from Saugeen First Nation who is currently residing in Waterloo Region. After surviving disconnection from family, displacement from community, forced assimilation into child welfare and youth justice systems, suicide attempts and overdoses while transient, tasering and arrest during a crisis intervention, early loss of his parents, he has found his way on the Red Road while demonstrating that mino-bimaadiziwin (living the good life) is possible - even if navigating with a vulnerable brain and mental health challenges. What aided him in his own healing has given birth to a grassroots, peer-led, culturally relevant crisis response alternative.

About the Project

"Finding Common Ground" will mobilize encampment residents, community members and allies of ALL 4 Nations / Abilities to build a healing lodge and raise a respite tipi to alleviate mental health and emotional safety issues, improve physical living conditions, break the cycle of traumatic displacement of marginalized folks. Wellness Warriors offering mutual aid to those transitioning from treatment, hospital, custody will be a visible reminder that we must walk the talk of our 7 Grandfathers, with all our relatives, so the real ills plaguing society are addressed. Changemakers building a refuge that nurtures transformative justice, as an act of solidarity, IMBY!