Impacts of Colonization and Historical Trauma
Brad Marsden
Brad Marsden (Gitsegukla Reserve within the Gitksan Nation in northern British Columbia) is a life coach, facilitator, and a Residential School counselor. He provides interactive workshops on Residential Schools and Colonization to non-native service providers so they can have a better understanding of Native people.
Brad is an Intergenerational Survivor of Residential Schools, raised by his grandparents who went there. Although he never attended a Residential School himself, he describes being raised by the same beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours that his primary caregivers and community experienced in Residential Schools. All of his important early childhood development was greatly influenced by their experiences in those schools.
Brad graduated from a Wellness Counselor program in 2008, and has been trained in safeTALK and Suicide Intervention at the Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC.
“It is my goal to help my people move forward in their lives by helping them and society become more accurately aware of the history of the Residential School and the effects that it had and still has on our communities today, and more importantly on our children.” – Brad Marsden
This session was originally presented at NOT Congress in November 2020, sponsored by Sage Intacct. You can now purchase on-demand access to this single session!
AFP Members: $15 +HST
Non-Members: $35 +HST
Members outside the Greater Toronto Chapter please email Matthew Ford to access member pricing through our contact form.
In this powerful session, Brad Marsden will share his lived experiences of growing up as an Indigenous boy in Canada, and being completely unaware of the pre-existing historical trauma of the past 200 years from colonization and Residential Schools. The systemic racism and discrimination within Canadian institutions and the negative portrayal of Indigenous peoples profoundly affected Brad in a negative way. Only after really understanding his peoples’ history and more importantly, his own childhood, could he then reframe everything he had thought about himself, and change the trajectory of his life.
Brad will also discuss his experiences of working in Indigenous-led organizations and organizations serving Indigenous populations, as well as how he accessed their services as a youth and young father.
Following, Sharon Redsky will provide a perspective as an Indigenous fundraiser, and highlight the funding inequity between Indigenous-led organizations and non. Sharon will then discuss the final report regarding the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, produced for the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy – Canada’s Fellowship in Inclusion and Philanthropy Program. She’ll also provide examples of Indigenous-led organizations’ successful projects working with community foundations.
This session will create a safe space for learning, sharing, and asking questions.
Learning Outcomes:
- Gain a deeper understanding of how system discrimination, and specifically Residential Schools, affected Indigenous communities and created the social conditions we see today.
- Acknowledge and begin to build relationships that are equitable and respectful with Indigenous communities and organizations.
- Learn how legislation and policy created the inequity we see today.
- Become aware of the underfunding and other inequities Indigenous-led organizations face.
- Understand Indigenous-led charities and learn ways to support them.
- Shift the way we engage the community.
Target Audience(s):
- All
- Anyone interested in understanding the real history of First Nations People in Canada
Please note there is no start date as your access will be on-demand; you will be able to login at any time to view the session, for as many times as you wish until May 25.