Learning from Sharing: A Series of Voices on Diversity Two Rivers Gallery

Levi Foy (pronouns: he/him/she/her/they/them), also known - after dark - as drag star Prairie Sky from treaty 3 territory, now residing on Treaty 1 territory (also known as Winnipeg Manitoba), is our next guest. Levi speaks to their experiences as a Two-Spirit person in an urban disconnected space while holding Queer and Indigenous community building and support as central to resilience.

David Clement Charles, from Ginoogaming located in Northern Ontario under the James Bay Treaty, and his granddaughter, Amanda Kupp, offer us a glimpse into David's life story through dialogue between the two of them.

It is a privilege for Two Rivers Gallery to be working on this project as David entered the spirit world in the winter of 2020. We send our condolences, love, and support onto David’s family and once again thank them for the opportunity to share David’s story through our Learning from Sharing podcast series.

Jenny McCormick (she/her), a transgender woman living in Northern B.C., shares personal experiences and reflections that accompany coming out at the age of 47. She explores her journey of fear, acceptance, seeking transgender care in the North, family bonds, and working within the forestry industry. As a central component, Jenny emphasizes the importance of community building in transgender health.

Lynette La Fontaine (she/her/hers), a two-spirit Otipemisiwak artist, shares personal reflections on what getting her Fire Back means. She explores her personal journey of reclaiming, resurging, and Michif traditional values in the current context of healing, lateral violence, and a contemporary, mixed media art practice formally and informally trained with mentors.

Lynette would like to acknowledge all her mentors past, present and future starting with her lifelong mentor and mama LeEtta La Fontaine (colour theory, painting and so much more), Kim Gullion-Stewart (hide tanning, caribou hair tufting and more), Maryann Whitefish (drumming and singing, beading and ceremony knowledge), Brenda Crabtree (drum making, birch bark basketry, beading, tufting), Lisa Shepherd (embroidery beading, moccasin making, Metis specific beading knowledge), Marlene Erickson (beading), Chris and Joyce Roberts (beading and cultural knowledge), Leona Neilson (Michif language and plant knowledge), Sue Perron (fibre and plant knowledge), Jaime Morse (whitefish scale art), Erin Konsmo (whitefish scale art), Amy Malbeuf (caribou hair tufting, moose hair embroidery and caribou hair sculpting), Greggory Scofield (historical Metis beadwork knowledge), Jennine Krauchi (Metis specific beading), as well as a multitude of beautiful two-spirit kin and people who are picking up these teachings together in community.