In 2016, a young Indigenous man named Colten Boushie was shot in the head after driving onto a farmer’s property with his friends. The emotionally charged trial and ultimate acquittal of shooter Gerald Stanley intensified conversations around anti-Indigenous racism and Canada’s judicial system.
On Oct. 22, Lethbridge College Indigenous Services will host a virtual screening of nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up, an award-winning documentary about Boushie’s life and death, Stanley’s trial, and its aftermath. Following the screening, the college will host a very special panel discussion with the filmmaker Tasha Hubbard and Colten’s sister/cousin Jade Tootoosis.
“As a post-secondary institution that is dedicated to the pathway of reconciliation, it is our duty and responsibility to bring awareness and support to these important issues,” says Shanda Webber, manager of Indigenous Services. “It is our responsibility to teach the truths of Canada’s colonial past, to speak to the detrimental effects and injustices that it has resulted in today, and to it find hope for a world where racism does not exist in the future.”
The panel discussion will take place at 6 p.m. on Oct. 22, and is one of the first times Hubbard and Tootoosis, who is featured in the film, have joined the same panel to discuss the film and the themes it explores. Hubbard, an award-winning filmmaker, uses the documentary to follow the case and its aftermath from her perspective as a Cree mother fueled by the need to protect future generations of Indigenous boys, including her young son and nephew. The film weaves a narrative encompassing the filmmaker’s own adoption, the stark history of colonialism on the Prairies, and a vision of a future where Indigenous children can live safely on their homelands.
The screening of the film begins at 3:30 p.m.; it can also be viewed in advance through the National Film Board’s website. Held as part of the college’s Stone Pipe Days, the screening and panel discussion will help support the college’s commitment to thinking in a more holistic way of what Lethbridge College means for Indigenous students and the local Indigenous community.
“We know the term ‘Indigenization’ has been used in academia, but our hope is to get our college community listening, connecting and building a story both individually and collectively,” says Marcia Blackwater, Indigenous coordinator – Centre for Applied Arts and Sciences. “This film is important in terms of considering curriculum, as Lethbridge College is at the educational forefront in both fields of Criminal Justice and Justice Studies. Hearing the stories, having the hard conversations and gaining a better understanding ensures our graduates carry with them a strong foundation of Indigenous cultural competency that they can use and build upon in their careers.”
The virtual screening and panel discussion are open to anyone and are free, but advanced registration is required. To register and learn more about this event, visit: https://lcwewillstandup.eventbrite.ca.
Learn more about nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up, and view the downloadable study guide on the National Film Board’s website.