Blog Callout: Power and Global Health Day 2023

Western’s Power and Global Health Day committee invites you to create a blog on the topic of Good Neighbours and Allyship in Action

Allyship is “An unsettling pedagogy that is therefore based on the premise that settlers cannot just theorize about decolonizing and liberatory struggle: we must experience it, beginning with ourselves as individuals, and then as morally and ethically responsible socio-political actors in Canadian society" (Regan, 2010, pp. 23-24). Allies aim to improve the lives of everyone in our communities, but especially those who have been marginalized. Creating inclusive spaces supporting marginalized groups is essential to practice allyship and respectful cross-cultural interactions.

Good relative and allyship principles include the following:

  • Show a good heart and mind.
  • Are recognized by the Indigenous Community.
  • Support Indigenous leadership.
  • Examine their positionality and biases.
  • Commit to undertake the work to unsettle, build, and grow relationships with Indigenous Peoples.
  • Unlearn and learn through research and by engaging respectfully with Indigenous Peoples and the Community.
  • Use privilege to advocate for and support the Indigenous Community.

How can you demonstrate these qualities in your everyday interactions with First Nations, Métis and Inuit faculty, staff and students? How can you begin this journey of unsettling yourself?

For this year’s Power & Global Health Day with its theme of Allyship, you may consider producing a blog about (for example, but not limited to)...

  • Lived experiences
  • Indigenous Health
  • Community-based healing and advocacy
  • Community programming and opportunities
  • Culture Migration Experiences and Policies

Submissions are welcome from the entire Western community as well as external community members. Current students’ blogs will be submitted to a panel composed of students, faculty, and community representatives, with the chance of being featured on the Global Health Equity HUB @ Western University, and various prizes including:

  • 1st Prize $75 bookstore gift card plus mug, bag and blanket
  • 2nd Prize $50 bookstore gift card plus a bag & mug
  • 3rd Prize $25 bookstore gift card plus a mug

Blogs will be accepted from now until November 10 at 11:59. Winning student submissions will be announced on November 23, 2023, in the Community Room, Weldon Library. 

You do not need to be a current member of the Western community to submit. We want to hear from you! All blogs meeting submission criteria will be featured on Western’s Global Health Equity website.

Blogs should not exceed 1500 words and should align with the general blog guidelines for the GHE hub.

Please send your submission to: https://ghe.uwo.ca/blog/submission_guidelines.html

We look forward to hearing from our community and holding these important conversations. Please also join us at Power and Global Health Day on Thursday, November 23, 2023.