Around 50 per cent of pregnancies in Canada are unintended. This could mean a person might not be looking for any of the signs and could only find out later in the term that they’re expecting. Without knowing, a person will likely continue with their lifestyle — including medical and recreational substances.
More than a decade ago, the Red Shoe Walk kicked off to start discussions about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) – a condition that affects upwards of four per cent (4%) of Albertans. This is a condition where a fetus is exposed to alcohol and delays development physically and mentally — which can affect a person for the rest of their lives. FASD is widely misunderstood as a condition, but it’s not only the people living with it who face misconceptions — the worst treatment is often reserved for their mothers.
Cryptic pregnancies and missing hormones
The real reasons why someone might drink while pregnant are always much more nuanced. While there is a knee jerk reaction to assume malice or gross irresponsibility, there is a very real likelihood that they never knew they were pregnant at all.
Approximately one in 2,500 women experience what’s called a cryptic pregnancy. This means everything typically associated with the experience of being pregnant (morning sickness, weight gain, pains, etc.) are not present at all for the duration of their pregnancy — often only learning that they’re pregnant once they’ve delivered their new child.
This can happen for a myriad of reasons. One common reason occurs in approximately one in 475 pregnancies where the body doesn’t produce the HCG hormone that tells the body it’s pregnant. And while there are biological reasons why someone may not know they’re pregnant and might ingest alcohol while pregnant, the social conditions can play a much larger role.
Misinformation and social pressure
Misinformation concerning alcohol and pregnancy is rampant. From alcohol helping pregnant people to sleep, to red wine being a healthier choice, it can be easy for people to rationalize drinking alcohol while pregnant — after all, western culture does have a strong emphasis on normalizing alcohol.
When bad information reaches vulnerable populations, it can lead to disastrous decisions. Some individuals experiencing poverty (around 10 per cent of women in Canada live on low incomes) are susceptible to misinformation like anyone else. With added stresses like housing insecurity (which affects 28 per cent of women), bad information can begin to pass through one’s better judgement filters. Issues around online media literacy is rampant across our society today and this is only one more area where inaccurate content can do incredible harm.
Adding to the issue is access to sound medical advice from reputable sources. Many vulnerable people might not have access to a medical professional for advice — whether that’s because of location or even trust in medical establishment. Depending if a person carries trauma around medical institutions (as many vulnerable people do), they could distrust medical experts and instead lean on advice from social platforms.
While organizations like us, as well as drink manufacturers and establishments are all working to better inform people on the harms of drinking alcohol while pregnant, the social pressures to drink alcohol and potentially misinformed outside influence could lead a person to thinking they are making a fully-informed decision.
Supporting those affected by FASD
This is where shaming individuals who drank while pregnant can do even more harm. The frequently cited four per cent of the population is likely an underestimate — because people avoid talking about something that leaves them feeling ashamed. This could even prevent people from seeking out any further supports that could help with their and their child’s quality of life.
What’s most important is ensuring anyone affected by FASD has the supports they need. This is why Bissell has its Fetal Alcohol Spectrum of Services (FASS), working with the Edmonton and Area Fetal Alcohol Network (EFAN) program providing supports for individuals and families alike with referrals for FASD diagnoses and system navigation to help people find the best services and supports for their individual needs. We also run Hope Terrace — a first-of-its-kind permanent supportive housing complex specifically designed for people with FASD. With wraparound supports in place, the folks who call Hope Terrace home can learn to lean on their strengths to give back to their larger communities.
While the Red Shoe Walk started to spark conversations about FASD, it’s worth talking about everyone affected by the condition. This includes those who live with FASD and their mothers who may have an experience worth sharing and learning from. Reducing stigma around all dimensions of FASD will help lead us to a better quality of life for those affected by FASD, and better tools to help prevent any future risks of FASD.
June is an important month for Bissell Centre – it’s both Pride Month and National Indigenous History Month. There is a close connection between what Pride Month is all about and Indigenous history in our country.
Countless Indigenous Nations across what’s now called North America saw Two-Spirit Peoples as not only an engrained and normalized part of their culture — Two-Spirit Peoples were often highly regarded and seen as a gift from the Creator.
“They were a very important part of Cree society,” says Elder Ed Lavallee. He is a traditional Plains Nehiyaw (Cree) of the Sturgeon Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan whose career in advocacy for Two-Spirit Peoples has seen him collaborate with groups like Pride Edmonton, the Edmonton Queer History Project, and the Edmonton 2 Spirit Society. Quotes from Elder Ed Lavallee reflect the distinct experience of the Plains Nehiyah Peoples.
“They had many roles in the daily lives of their people and were respected and revered for being Two-Spirited. They were often healers, shamans, mediators in marriage and tribal disputes, keepers of their history and their lore, and taking part and often leading in their social and Spiritual Ceremonies.”
While colonial efforts tried to wipe out any non-conformity from a person’s ascribed gender, the presence of these folks never went away. It wasn’t until 1990 that this way of being was finally given a general English translation to help people across Canada understand that, for countless Indigenous Peoples today, there are far more than only two genders.
The Five Genders
For Indigenous Nations in what’s now called Alberta, there are five genders in the community: male, female, male with female spirit, female with male spirit, and transgender.
“Indigenous people believe that both the female and male spirits reside in the body of a Two-Spirit Individual and the degree of dominance of each spirit ultimately impacts the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual identity of each Two-Spirit person,” says Elder Ed Lavallee.
Rather than trying to change people to better fit with the gender they were born with, Indigenous Nations instead made room for these people and ensured they could contribute to the community with the tasks and skills they identified with most.
Males with female spirits could take on cooking and cleaning duties, were widely seen as gifted artists, and some Nations even saw them adopt orphaned children to take on a caregiver role. Females with male spirits contributed by hunting and being warriors. Some Nations saw females with male spirit folks marrying widowed women.
The Reverence for Two Spirit Peoples
In addition to the everyday contributions Two-Spirit Peoples made to their communities, their gift of having two spirits within them also meant they were good healers, medicine people, and visionaries. This is because the two spirits in them give them what’s called double-vision — the ability to see the world through both the male and female lens.
“The belief that Cree Two-Spirit People are special is epitomized in the existence of a powerful Two-Spirit Deity known as Qweskicanskew,” adds Elder Ed Lavallee. “In their spirituality, they believe this Spirit turns things around for the good and well-being of all things on earth. This important Spirit is called upon in prayers for help, protection and blessings.”
Two-Spirit Peoples were foundational to their communities. During colonization, Two-Spirit Peoples’ place in the world seemed to no longer exist. Through the mid- to late-twentieth century, as more Indigenous Peoples began to reclaim their identities, it was clear the different terms used in different Nations like Nádleehí (nad-lay-hee), Winkté (wink-tay), and Niso-acahk-iynew (nee-soh-achak-ee-noo)needed a translation for the wider public to understand.
Bringing Two Spirit to the Wider Public
In 1990, at the Third Annual Intertribal Native American, First Nations, Gay and Lesbian American Conference, Elder Myra Laramee put forth the term Two-Spirit. The term is a translation from the Anishnaabemowin (Ojibwe language) term Niizh Manidoowag (neez man-ee-doo-wog). It was added to the front of the Pride acronym (2SLGBTQIA+) in recent years and was even a part of the focus for the Federal 2SLGBTQIA+ Action Plan launched in 2022.
Today, knowledge and understanding about Two-Spirit Peoples is spreading, but is still far behind from where it was before colonization. People like Dr. James Makokis (a Two-Spirit doctor from Kehewin Cree Nation) and MP Blake Desjarlais (a Member of Parliament from Edmonton) are sharing their stories to help more people understand why Two-Spirit Peoples are an essential part of their Nations – and to reduce the stigmatization around people living their authentic lives.
“They are emerging from their long decades of oppression and marginalization working toward re-establishing their rightful roles in their communities as they go through this period of rediscovery,” says Elder Ed Lavalle. “They are working to be recognized, respected and engaged in an integral manner, within Indigenous communities and society in general.”
This Pride Month and National Indigenous History Month, we’re celebrating the bravery of Two-Spirit people coming out and bringing this piece of Indigenous culture to the public forefront. We hope you’ll join us in making room for Peoples who can walk in both worlds to share their gifts and help make this world a more equitable place for everyone.
The role family plays in many Indigenous cultures can’t be understated. Blood familial ties and chosen families can hold the most sacredness and honour for Peoples in Indigenous Nations. The Community at Bissell Centre is no different.
Those strong family ties are especially prevalent at our National Indigenous Peoples’ Day (NIPD) event outside our Community Space (10530 96 Street) every June 21. This is a day of celebration where we block off part of the street, invite performers and artists to share their crafts, and serve some of the best Indigenous cuisine you can find in the city.
The Reverence held for Elders
Honouring Elders is one of the most important customs of NIPD. The knowledge and teachings these individuals hold in the communities not only preserves the traditional ceremonies and rituals that bring so much vibrancy and life to Indigenous Nations – they can also help guide individuals through challenges and onto the most life-affirming paths.
“One of the most important services we can offer with Bissell’s Indigenous Engagement Program is connecting individuals to Elders,” explains Sarah Higgins, Director of Indigenous Engagement and Integrated Family Services – and a Red River Métis woman. “The teachings and guidance Elders can provide and the connection they foster to Indigenous Nations can help a person decide it’s time to reach out for further supports in their unique journey out of poverty.”
At the NIPD event, you’ll see a tent specifically for Elders to sit in. They’re often accompanied by children from Indigenous Nations, as well, symbolizing how their knowledge will be passed down through generations to ensure the culture and traditions remain a vital part to one’s Indigenous identity.
The Crucial Chosen Families Built in the Community
For people accessing the services at Bissell Centre, families by blood aren’t always a part of their lives, yet the importance of family never really goes away for a lot of folks. Creating new chosen families then becomes a part of life in the community.
“It’s not uncommon to see folks in the community calling each other uncle, aunty, or cousin because this is the family they’ve built for themselves,” says Higgins. “Just like a family, these are support systems for each other and we see these connections as real family – just the same as any blood tie.”
Families and communities coming together to celebrate the resiliency of Indigenous Peoples shows how important NIPD is for the folks in downtown Edmonton. And no matter what that family looks like and who makes up that unique family unit, NIPD will have space for all who attend to celebrate the strength, culture, and customs from Indigenous Nations.
There’s an old saying that goes, “when you have more than you need, build a longer table.” Boyle Street Community Services and Bissell Centre are coming together to do just that at this year’s Friendship Feast.
This year’s Friendship Feast is on October 9, 2023, at Boyle Plaza (9538 103A Ave). Boyle Street Community Services and Bissell Centre are partnering for two meals to not only fill bellies in the community but also to celebrate the community we serve and appreciate the friendships and love that have grown.
Two Meals – Two Takes on Fall’s Favourite Feast
The first sitting will be from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will be provided by Boyle Street Community Services. They will be serving up all the traditional Thanksgiving favourites like turkey, stuffing, potatoes; everything you would expect to find when family and friends get together to celebrate. Bissell will serve the second meal from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. It will consist of Indigenous delights such as stew and Bannock from our outstanding Food Services team – a meal that’s been met with loud acclaim more than once, including recently at our National Truth and Reconciliation Day Round Dance.
A Friendship Feast Is About Coming Together
Our friends at Boyle Street Community Services recently moved out of their current location and are waiting for their new home, King Thunderbird Centre, to finish construction. We’re helping out by providing some temporary space for Boyle Street Community Service’s programs – so we can continue meeting our community members’ needs.
“This year, we’re not just filling bellies; we’re celebrating our community, appreciating the bonds we’ve forged, and sharing love through two unique meals,” says Director of Marketing and Communications Nivedita Kunjur. “It’s more than a feast; it’s a testament to friendship, unity, and the power of coming together. We’re not just serving food; we’re truly building a longer table.”
For Sarah Higgins, Director of Indigenous Engagement at Bissell Centre, the word that comes most to mind when she thinks about National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is ceremony. She explains how every Indigenous member of Bissell Centre’s staff and community has a direct correlation to or has been directly impacted by residential schools.
“It’s a way to express our grief and heal from our losses in a healthy and enriching way,” says Higgins. Bissell Centre is holding its own National Day for Truth and Reconciliation ceremony on September 29 from noon to 9:00 p.m. and will feature a pipe ceremony, a Round Dance, and a traditional feast provided by Red Seal Indigenous Chef Matthew Potts.
A History of Indigenous Cultural Ceremonies
While Bissell Centre’s event in downtown Edmonton (10527 96 Street) is open to everyone, it’s far from a celebration. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was born from the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission – and after mass graves were found at multiple sites of residential schools across the country. Cultural Support Worker Brandon Lee-McDonald explains how at one point, holding this very event would have landed everyone participating in prison.
“Up until 1951, when the Indian Act was amended, we weren’t allowed to have our drum circles, we had to change the names of our ceremonies, we essentially had to hide in the bushes to express our cultural identity,” says Lee-McDonald. “Our ancestors suffered and died so we could hold our ceremonies in public again. Without their sacrifice, we wouldn’t be able to have this ceremony in downtown Edmonton.”
What this Day Means at Bissell Centre
A tenant of the National Truth and Reconciliation event at Bissell Centre is honouring those who survived residential schools. There will be a list of survivors in attendance during the event, to recognize their resilience in the face of an atrocity that took so many.
It might look like we’re celebrating at our National Day for Truth and Reconciliation event, but we’re mourning and grieving,” says Lee-McDonald. “We’re acknowledging the survivors of residential schools and honouring them. This is our day to mourn in a healthy way from our past traumas.”
While everyone at the National Truth and Reconciliation Day event at Bissell Centre will be commemorating that they’re still here, there is still a lot of healing to be done. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation may be about grief and healing, but it’s also about empowerment and reclamation.
“This is a day given to us by the Creator,” says Lee-McDonald. “It was given to help us grieve and heal and be healthy. We want to take this day for our ceremony and live our truths in our cultural identity. It’s a big deal we can hold this ceremony on the streets of Edmonton.”
Bissell’s National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration weeks ago brought 96 St. right outside Bissell to life. Bissell Centre has been celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day, proclaimed in 1996 by the Canadian Government, for well over a decade! This year, it was so much more than a block party– our team made sure this was a celebration to remember.
Keeping Traditions Alive
Our Food Services kitchen team made traditional stew and Bannock for everyone who attended. In total, they served more than 900 meals! Elders from the community held a traditional pipe ceremony to kick things off. They shared stories of struggle and expressed why the customs and traditions they grew up with are so important to folks from Indigenous communities.
Energetic Local Performances
Families enjoyed the traditional hand games from Indigenous communities. Plus, dance and music performances from the Thunder Lake Singers & Dancers and flutist Theo Waskahat. The block was alive with music, drumming, and dancing for the whole community to enjoy.
Sharing and Learning Together
National Indigenous Peoples Day is always an amazing celebration, but this year’s was truly one to remember. We’re so happy and grateful for everyone who came out, participated, shared their gifts, and helped make sure Indigenous customs and traditions will stay alive for the people who need them most.
National Indigenous Peoples Day 2023 Photo Highlights
As The Minimalists, these two do much more than talk about living with less. They provide valuable tools and ideas to help others find their ways of living with less. Local broadcaster Ryan Jespersen has started his journey, taking on the 30-day Minimalist Challenge and chronicling his progress on Twitter – making sure everyone knows he’s giving to Bissell Centre.
As we roll into a fresh year, countless Edmontonians are looking for their own fresh starts to a new year. And let’s be real, we all accumulated a lot of stuff over the pandemic. With the world opening again, it could be time to look at everything in our homes and refocus ourselves back to what’s most important.
The Minimalist Challenge
Jespersen isn’t the first locally-recognized name to chronicle this adventure in the Minimalist Challenge. The Edmonton Journal’s Fish Griwkowsky shared his experiences in the newspaper back in 2016 – clearing out a myriad of science-fiction novels, vintage action figures, and more!
How this month-long game works is simple: on the first day of the month, find one thing to let go of; on day two, find two things; and so on, and so on. By the end of the month, that’s close to 500 individual items to be let go.
And this is just one idea the two influencers devised. There’s also the packing party, where you pack up everything you own like you’re moving and only unpack the items you use. After three weeks, you start to see how little you need in your day-to-day. They also have a series of “rules,” which really are more like guidelines and can always shift depending on individual need.
Don’t Forget Bissell Centre as you downsize
Bissell Centre accepts donations of all kinds at both of our Thrift Shop locations, from books to clothes, kitchenware, unused toiletries and undergarments, winter clothing, and more! So, if you decide to take this plunge in trying to live with less, be sure to keep us in mind as a place where all these things can be put to good use and help those who need it most.
Share with us your own downsizing journey! Is there anything in your home you decided to minimize? What do you donate most often to organizations like Bissell Centre? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to leave your thoughts. Let’s keep the Minimalist Challenge and the conversation going!
November is Financial Literacy Month (FLM). It’s the time of year when Canadians are encouraged to do a financial checkup. With new apps and online financial tools, it’s never been easier to assess your financial well-being. But where do you start, if you are missing basic financial literacy in subjects like debt, credit, financing, and budgeting? And where do you go if you want to understand your financial rights and responsibilities?
Theresa Baran is familiar with this dilemma. Growing up in Edmonton, Theresa’s father was her first financial mentor. “My Dad,” she smiles, “was the first person to teach me about money.” Although her father focused on saving his money, Theresa never forgot the big, unexpected purchase he had made for his family.
As a nine-year-old girl, Theresa vividly recalled her father pulling into their driveway with a vehicle. “It was blue, had big wheels, and was beautiful,” she said. “It was the fanciest car I had ever seen. My dad was the first Native man in our neighbourhood to buy a car.” After years of saving, the family had its first vehicle for $2000. It was a large purchase for a young family, which included Theresa and her two siblings.
Theresa’s Dad imparted financial wisdom to his daughter that she carries to this day. “Always have money to put a roof over your head,” he reminded her, “and never be homeless.” Then, suddenly, on her 18th birthday, Theresa’s father died, and everything in her life changed.
Theresa had nobody to advise her on money management, and she didn’t know who to ask for guidance. Although her dad taught her so much about saving, he didn’t have time to explain credit, debt, and rules about income tax. Living on her own, she found work at a daycare, a career she held for 22 years. She tried to save her money but lacked basic financial literacy. Now at 48 years of age, Theresa is on Assured Income for the Severely Handicap (AISH), where she needs to survive on a fixed income where every dollar counts.
Bissell Centre offers a variety of programs on financial empowerment to improve the lives of people on low incomes. These free programs allow participants to feel empowered in their financial decision-making, helping them to avoid making poor financial choices or being taken advantage of by unscrupulous companies that offer easy financing and high-interest payments. Participants create budgets, file taxes, access government programs, and create realistic savings plans.
Katrina John-West, Team Lead of Financial Empowerment, says the program is providing financial information that many of us take for granted. John-West, who holds a business degree, covers topics ranging from debt and credit to budgeting and knowing your financial rights, giving participants the confidence to manage their money. “Bissell even helped me file my income taxes,” says Theresa, adding, “When I worked at the daycare, I had a T4. Now that I am on AISH, it’s different, and I have a T5.”
Thanks, in part, to her father’s advice, Theresa has never been homeless. “Do good things with your money and don’t cry away your blues by drinking and drug use,” guided her dad. For the first time in her life, Theresa says she feels like “an independent woman” having taken the Financial Empowerment program.
Theresa Baran shares the financial skills she developed as part of the Bissell Centre’s Financial Empowerment Program for Financial Literacy Month.
The key to the Financial Empowerment Program is facilitators, like Katrina John-West, who possess social services and business backgrounds and spend time one-on-one with participants, including Theresa Baran.
In the fall of 2021, cold winter weather was looming, and there was reduced shelter capacity in the local sector as a result of COVID-19 spacing requirements, This created an emergent need to provide shelter and safety from the outside elements for people experiencing homelessness. The Edmonton Convention Centre was opened as Tipinawâw, a 24/7 emergency accommodation space which was operated by several local partnering agencies. This video series shows the challenges and triumphs faced.
Episode One – Mobilizing for Winter
With cold winter weather looming, and reduced shelter capacity in the local sector as a result of COVID-19 spacing requirements, there was an emergent need to provide shelter and safety from the outside elements for people experiencing homelessness. The Edmonton Convention Centre was opened as a 24/7 emergency accommodation space and operated by local partnering agencies. While this response faced some significant challenges, there were also some great triumphs. We invite you into Tipinawâw.
Episode Two – More Than Just a Name
Tipinawâw not only provided shelter and safety from the outside elements for people experiencing homelessness, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society brought Indigenous culture to those at the 24/7 emergency accommodation space, allowing some to experience their own culture for the first time. This connectedness to one’s culture is a powerful step in their healing journey. We invite you into Tipinawâw.
Tipinawâw: Episode Three – Outbreak
Following public health guidelines like physical distancing is hard. It’s even harder when you don’t have a home to stay in. Tipinawâw provided a 24/7 space at the Edmonton Convention Centre for people experiencing homelessness to access day and night services as safely as possible. Boyle Street Community Services led Tipinawâw’s medical response to COVID-19, providing PPE, showers, wound care, and harm reduction services on-site. They developed a contact tracing system and helped clients access COVID-19 tests and isolation spaces. As COVID-19 cases rose across the province, measures at Tipinawâw helped slow the spread of COVID-19. We invite you into Tipinawâw.
Episode Four – Breaking the Cycle
Tipinawâw provided people experiencing homelessness with a warm, safe place to go over the fall and winter months. The 24/7 emergency accommodation space at the Edmonton Convention Centre did so much more than that; it also brought housing services to where people were at in their journey out of homelessness. Ultimately the solution to homelessness, is housing. We invite you into Tipinawâw.
Tipinawâw: Episode Five – Tomorrow
Through collaboration and caring, Tipinawâw provided vulnerable Edmontonians a warm, safe space to go this past winter, and directly connected them to housing options. In the final video of this series, we explore how the City and partner agencies came together quickly to help people experiencing homelessness during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. What were the lessons learned? What will it take to end homelessness in Edmonton? Ultimately, the solution to homelessness is housing, and we are all stronger as a community when we are not leaving anyone behind. We invite you into Tipinawâw one final time.
Videos made in partnership with Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, Bissell Centre, Boyle Street Community Services, The Mustard Seed, the City of Edmonton, Edmonton Convention Centre and Homeward Trust. Video production: PlanIT Sound
