Collision 2023: Animikii Takes Centre Stage in Discussions on Indigenous Digital Sovereignty and Workplace Inclusion
On Tuesday, June 27, Jeff joined a panel of distinguished speakers including Dr. Alika Lafontaine, and former Grand Chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, Sheila North. Hosted by CTV reporter Donna Sound this trio had an engaging discussion on Indigenous digital sovereignty.
The conversation highlighted the vast opportunities the digital era holds for Indigenous communities, particularly those venturing into the tech industry. Dr. Lafontaine, President of the Canadian Medical Association, drew attention to the marked differences between Western and Indigenous philosophies concerning information sharing, emphasizing the importance of protocol and respect in Indigenous culture.
“I think the other part is just recognizing that Indigenous philosophy is very different than Western philosophy when it comes to information. Western philosophy believes that all information should be freely accessible at any time,” said Dr. Lafontaine. “Indigenous philosophy requires you to be in a place at a time with the right person. Sometimes it's sitting there the entire day to hear a creation story over many days. It’s protocol and it’s making sure that you respect the knowledge.”
Watch the full conversation here:
On Thursday, June 29, Jeff’s focus shifted to the future of inclusivity in the workplace. Led by journalist Paul Barker, this session brought Jeff together with industry leaders Mandy Price, Co-founder and CEO of Kanarys inc., and The Phluid Project Founder and CEO, Rob Smith, who shared valuable insights about the tools being used to enable diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace.
Jeff spoke about how at Animikii we see Thunderbirds as the "whole person, not just their resume," when cultivating an inclusive work environment.
Watch the full conversation here:
Indigenous Attendee Program makes the news
This is a great recap article and video from CityTV Toronto on how Collision is working on making meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities and companies.
As a proud community partner we are excited to be part of this drive to amplify Indigenous voices in the tech space and our team was excited to meet up with so many other folks from Indigenous technology companies.
Read the full story and watch the video.
Supporting Indigenous business on stage
Adding a dash of style to substance, our CEO sported two unique t-shirts during his appearances.
On the first day, he wore a piece from Ginew Inc., another Raven Capital investee company. It’s the very shirt that gained popularity when Mark Ruffalo donned it in She-Hulk.
On day two, Jeff showcased a t-shirt from the Nishnawbe Aski Nation Pride collection, as a nod to his allyship and support for Two Spirit and the LGBTQ+ community!
We’ve provided links to both shirts if you’d like to get one!
For more updates from us and about the tech industry, follow our News River newsletter where we recap what's making news in the Indigenous technology and innovation community each week!
Special thanks to Collision Conference for the videos.
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