Laura J. Gillis

Dec 1, 2024 | capitalcurrent.ca | Laura J. Gillis |Cara Gordon |Holly Joth-Smith |Thuy Anh Nguyen |Thủy Nguyễn

On a busy Saturday morning in downtown Ottawa, graffiti artist Mique Michelle is working on a new mural decorating a storage container for the ByWard Market’s new skating rink. As the work takes shape, passersby stop to watch. A teenaged boy says, “Nice painting!” Two middle-aged women admire from afar, then ask how long the process takes. Michelle says these positive interactions are common when she’s out painting: “I’m a big fan of the process, of being communicative,” she says.

Sep 27, 2024 | capitalcurrent.ca | Laura J. Gillis

A non-profit committed to empowering Indigenous youth in Ottawa will mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with walking tours that aim to spread awareness about Canada’s colonial history. Also referred to as Orange Shirt Day, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30 honours survivors of the residential school system and the children who never came home. It was declared a federal holiday in 2021.

Sep 11, 2024 | capitalcurrent.ca | Laura J. Gillis

Gabrielle Fayant is the co-founder of Assembly of Seven Generations (A7G), an Ottawa-based non-profit focused on empowering Indigenous youth. “Seven Generations” refers to the Seven Fires Prophecy of the Anishnaabe people, which says that in the time of the Seventh Fire, a new generation will return to traditional ways of life. Fayant is from Fishing Lake Métis Settlement in Alberta. She moved to Ottawa with her mother when she was a teenager.