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OUR CHALLENGE
We Matter is committed to creating space and opportunity for Canadians to celebrate and honour the voices and experiences of Indigenous youth. Help us share the We Matter message that our youth are… Indigenous & Awesome! Our challenge for you is to amplify the voices of Indigenous youth. We challenge you to visit our video gallery, watch a minimum of 10 We Matter videos and then share one. We ask that you watch 5 created by youth geographically close to you, and another 5 videos on a topic that means something to you personally - and then, share one or more of those videos with your networks. Videos range from 1-3 minutes long each.
To begin, click the "Accept Challenge" button and then go to the We Matter video gallery...
About This Challenge
As activists and as individuals, we have committed ourselves to Indigenous youth empowerment, hope and life promotion. Indigenous youth have an unacceptably high suicide rate, as well as unacceptably high rates of substance abuse and school dropouts - but we know it doesn’t have to be this way.
In 2016, we started the We Matter Campaign because we saw the gaps in support that exist for Indigenous youth all around the country. We created We Matter to exist as a reminder to Indigenous youth that you are loved, you are valued, and your lives mean something - whenever they need that reminder.
Our multi-platform campaign is all about amplifying the voices of Indigenous youth and about creating a space and a platform through which youth can share their stories with each other. No one in our society is voiceless - it’s just that some voices are heard more clearly and more often than others. We Matter is about listening to, learning from, and amplifying the voices, messages, and stories of Indigenous youth from Communities all across this country who aren’t always heard by other Canadians.
The #Next150 challenge might be your first action in engaging with Reconciliation - if that’s the case, welcome to this journey. If you, like us at We Matter, have been engaged with this work for a long time, we honour your commitment. The #Next150 challenge is not a starting point and it’s not an end point on the journey to Reconciliation in Canada, but it is a critical point. It is an activity that we all can participate in as a way of learning from each other.
Why Youth Voices?
There are so many misconceptions about the lives and the experiences of Indigenous youth in Canada today - instead of turning to second-or third-hand accounts of those experiences, we urge you to listen to Indigenous youth in their own words, on their own terms. We ask that you share a video that resonates with you with your network and we ask that you explain why you connected to it. Youth voices are not just the voices of tomorrow - they are speaking today. Take this challenge to really slow down and listen to them.
Whether you’re an Indigenous person, a settler Canadian, or a newcomer to Canada, whether you’re a young person coming of age, or an older participant looking to fill the gaps in your learning or life experience, we know that you will gain immeasurable value from taking the time to listen to Indigenous youth voices from around the country. When you’ve watched a minimum of 10 videos and share one (or more) with your friends, family and networks, we ask that you consider following We Matter on social media to get regular reminders of the work that’s being done and the work that has yet to be done in the space of youth empowerment.
Marsi cho,
Tunchai and Kelvin Redvers, Co-Founders of We Matter
ADDITIONAL LEARNING
- We Matter Campaign - More Ways to Get Involved
- Follow We Matter on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
- Indigenous Youth Wellness - Cuystwi and Ask Auntie online wellness activities for Indigenous youth
- N’we Jinan youth music and empowerment program
- Indigenous Health Equity: Examining Racism as an Indigenous Social Determinant of Health webinar
- River of Life Online Course: Preventing Suicide in Indigenous Youth
Join others who have
accepted this challenge.
ACCEPT CHALLENGE
Kelvin is a Dene filmmaker originally from NWT. His short films made during high school went on to win awards at festivals in Canada and around the world, and he's continued that success to today, in filmmaking and journalism. In October 2016 he launched the We Matter Campaign alongside his sister, wanting to bring hope to Indigenous youth.
Tunchai Redvers is a two-spirit Dene/Metis social justice warrior, public speaker/facilitator and writer from the Northwest Territories. She has been recognized nationally for her community and advocacy work and is actively attempting to normalize discussions on hardship, hope and healing while indigenizing mental health and identity. She is the co-founder of We Matter, a national Indigenous and youth-led non-profit.
"We challenge you to watch a minimum of 10 We Matter videos and then share one with your personal networks. We ask that you watch 5 created by youth geographically close to you, and another 5 videos on a topic that means something to you personally."
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