Words. Words can sting….and words can heal. Words can inspire and words can tear apart. Words can lift you up or tear you down. Words.

The power of words is that they can remain in our mind, our heart, and soul long after they are spoken. They become the internal language that we use, often based on the interactions we have with others. For children and youth, it is not always easy to cling to the inspiring and affirming words, especially when faced with words that sting, and especially when these words come from their peers or family members.

The Power of Words

Inclusive Communities

Issue No. 7 November 2016

We are called to be leaders of hope and mercy. As we work together to answer this call, let our actions

of love and grace guide us as we continue to build inclusive, welcome, safe, and caring learning and

working environments for all.

Edmonton Catholic Schools

Words Matter. They matter for children, for youth, and for adults. As adults, do we model the power of words for our youth? Do we offer words of hope and mercy when our youth are facing adversity or when they are sharing a piece of who they are with you for the first time? What about when our own patience is tested? What about in the midst of conflict, whether with our peers, parents, or students? What about the language we use when we talk with peers about student growth or student scenarios? Have you ever heard a colleague use words such as “My autistic boy” to describe a student, rather than “my student who has autism?” Autism is a part of who he is…not the whole of who he is. How can we strive to use more inclusive language? Or use those teachable moments with our youth to be aware of their words?

This edition will focus on our WORDS and the effects they have on others and ourselves. We will also talk about our role as advocates for peaceful, inclusive communities. Part of our work as teachers is to empower our youth to stand up for others when they face adversity (unkind words or actions). This affirmative action instills in our youth the shared responsibility that we have for our learning and working environments in making them conducive with respect and dignity for all.

Teaching our youth about the power of words is a big step towards building healthy communities and healthy minds, bodies, spirits. As we know, we continue to see the devastation of the power that hurtful words have over youth. Recent events have struck us between the eyes with the urgency that is real--where youth have faced bullying, isolation, depression, or racism, and their response was taking their own life. Imagine being pushed to that edge…where you feel like your own life no longer matters. Where you have faced harassment or worse, and no one stood along with you to stop the hurt.

Together we can stop the hurt. Together we can help each other become stronger. Together we can heal.

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Be an Agent of Change

On November 1st (all Saint’s Day), Archbishop Joseph MacNeil shared a homily after a reading of the holy Gospel according to Matthew [Matthew 5.1-12a]. In this homily His Grace reflected upon the Beatitudes. He shared that the word beatitude comes from the Latin word beatus, which means blessed. He taught us that the Beatitudes are at the core of who we are and they teach us our values in which to live by every day.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the mercifcul, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. We can help our youth find their way through the Beatitudes. Help them to reach out and offer help to those in need. To stand up for those who struggle to stand up for themselves. For those who have been beaten down with words, and left powerless. Help our youth become agents of change for a world where we stand up for each other. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” What does that mean? Help our youth hold conversations around the meanings of the Beatitudes and to define them for themselves. In the month of November we traditionally focus on the peacemakers. This is an important tradition and it helps us to bring to the forefront our own actions to be peaceful. The Beatitudes help us to be mindful of the many ways we can strengthen who we are, through our actions towards ourselves and towards others. It is through our values that we can find our purpose in life—to be the best version of ourselves. Knowing that being our best happens within a thriving and healthy community helps our youth see the bigger picture—outside of themselves, their thoughts, their hurts—to a place in community where we each hold a responsibility to create a peaceful and happy space of learning and being.

Video: Blest Are They—the Beatitudes

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Be an Agent of Change Listen to the story below of a young adult as she shares her story about conquering depression. In the video she shares how she was tapped into a leadership role in her school by reaching out to others so they don’t feel alone. My Story: Conquering depression: how I became my own hero | Hunter Kent “I am sure all of us can remember a time when we were sad, upset, or discouraged. A pet had died, you got a bad grade, you had a fight with your best friend, and you were sad. That’s natural. But eventually a day, a week, a month pass…and we feel better. And even though the pain cannot be forgotten, and those brief moments of sadness should be taken seriously, it passes. We feel better. When you are living with depression it doesn’t just pass. It can strike after a tragedy, or emerge out of the blue. It can come from stress and pressure, from school, friends, and family, bullying and emotional abuse, and the media that damages our perceptions of self-image and self-worth. I grew up as a shy, quiet, introverted kid. I had friends but in 3rd grade my sister, who I was very close to, left to live with another family. After she left, I became lonely. My depression started taking a toll on me in 8th grade. I rarely talked in school, and although my grades were good I had no motivation. I felt very lost. Once I was in that rut, it felt impossible to try and get out. I’d heard about cutting—how people hurt themselves to try and cope with their depression. So I tried it, and it became a habit, a go-to when I felt numb. The rest of 8th grade was hard. I was irritable, angry at the whole universe, angry at myself most of all. The voices in my head were awful—self-loathing and hateful. I cried almost every day, at the littlest of things, and felt nothing. I would have happily stopped at existing. When I went into Freshman year, my grades started to go down. I didn’t have a motivation or energy to try harder. Between Freshman and Senior year I created an Instagram account I wanted to reach out to other people also struggling with depression. Then Sophomore year started and my depression got worse. But, I was chosen to be a part of the school’s Natural Helpers program that year. It had to be a mistake. All the other Natural Helpers were outgoing and confident. Then it occurred to me. It was my Instagram, because reaching out to others there (Instagram) was just as noticeable as reaching out to others in school. However, my self-destructive actions continued, forcing me to wear long sleeves and thick bracelets so no one would see. I started depriving myself of food. I was sent to a different counselling place, which included group therapy. But that didn’t help either, because I had no interest in getting better. I just didn’t care. There were 5 other kids in the leadership program. At first I tried to isolate myself from them. I was scared to open up to them. But after all of the challenge courses and group bonding activities…I grew to trust them. They involved me in games and conversations. They offered me a seat next to them. They paid attention to me when I shared an idea. They went out of their way to make me laugh. In Junior year I learned to stop judging people and made dozens of new friends. I later went into Freshman health classes and spoke to them about overcoming pressure and judgment in high school. After receiving hand written letters from Freshmen I knew that with my words and stories, I could change the world. Every day I am reminded of the impact my kind words have. I am beginning to fall in love with myself, and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I know there are people who experience or are currently struggling with depression. This is for you. You are not in a bottomless pit. You are not in an endless tunnel without light. You are not a hopeless cause. Help is out there. You are loved. And you are cared for. You have the power and right to achieve everything you want in life. My life didn’t just get better on its own. With help from friends, old and new, I realized that I am worth so much more than what I once thought. I have the power and the ability to view the world in a new way—as a place full of endless opportunities and amazing people. I’ve opened myself up to what the universe has to offer, and I’ve created my own beautiful life. I have emerged.”

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You Are Not Alone Listen to the stories of others…you are not alone Video: Overcoming Hopelessness | Nick Vujicic Video: The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong | Amy Morin Video: The art of being yourself | Caroline McHugh Video: Living without shame: How we can empower ourselves | Whitney Thore Video: How do you define yourself? | Lizzie Velasquez Video: Be the Warrior Not the Worrier—Fighting Anxiety & Fear | Angela Ceberano

Read: The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up for Others

In this story, a new student learns about The Promise the students have taken together in Mr. Peltzer’s class. “We promise to take care of ourselves, each other, and our classroom and to solve problems peacefully. We promised that in this class, no one would stand by and accept bad behavior.”

The Promise I WILL speak up instead of acting as a bystander. I CHOOSE to participate in activities that don’t involve teasing. I FORGIVE others if they make poor choices. I MODEL good behavior. I ACCEPT others for their differences. I INCLUDE others in group situations. I WILL talk to an adult when there is a problem I cannot manage on my own. I AM powerful in making a difference in my school.

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I matter. You Matter. We Matter.

My Story (video): Sydone Okheena

Hi. My name is Sydone Okheena. I am from Ulukhaktok, NWT. I am 17 years old and I have cerebral palsy. It’s been a tough life. I’ve been bullied a lot in life and I am graduating this year. But I wouldn’t be graduating if I didn’t make some sacrifices. I remember back in gr. 7, I was having a real difficult time with fitting in and getting along. I would go home crying every day until I finally got what was inside of me out. I finally decided to tell someone about how I felt. It made me feel better. It made me motivated to finish school. And now here I am, in gr. 12 finishing off high school. I feel really proud of myself. There were times when it was really hard but I kept telling myself that I can do it—and look where it got me! Right here!

My message to you guys is if you are having a tough time with school or anything in life, there is always hope for tomorrow—don’t give up. Even if you are almost at that point where you fell off the edge. You didn’t fall off. You just gotta find a way to get back up there. Show the world how amazing you are. You all matter.

Sydone Okheena

Visit: wemattercampaign.org From the website: “We matter is a national campaign designed to share the message to Indigenous youth struggling with suicidal thoughts and other hardships that no matter how hopeless or lonely things feel, there is always a way forward. Suicide rates for Indigenous youth are several times higher than that of other Canadians, as well as instances of addiction, abuse, violence, and many other issues. Our mandate is to communicate to Indigenous youth that their lives matter, and to provide resources to encourage and support those in crisis while fostering unity and resiliency. We provide a forum for people across the country to share video messages of hope and positivity with youth who are going through a hard time. By sharing our stories, our words of encouragement, and out authentic messages of hope and resilience, we help to make a community stronger. We remind youth that I matter. You matter. We matter. Our model of sharing messages of hope and resiliency was based on the It Gets Better Project, an initiative to share videos of hope and positivity with LGBTQ youth. These messages remind youth that life becomes easier and gets better if they can get through the difficult teen years. We thank the It Gets Better Project for their ongoing support as our Organizational Partner, and encourage you to visit their website for more videos addressing community, strength, and resiliency in the face of adversity.”

According to a 2010 Health Canada study, young First Nations male suicide rates are 126 per 100,000 people, over 5 times more than non-indigenous males

Similarly, suicide rates are higher in young First Nations females compared to non-indigenous females

In the past month 6 indigenous female youth (the youngest was 10 years old) have committed suicide in northern communities across Canada. The latest was a 13 year old female

Statistics

Suicide rates among Inuit youth are among the highest in the world, at 11 times the national average

Article: ‘I want to speak to you from the heart’ [Globe and Mail, Oct. 22, 2016]

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I Matter. You Matter. We Matter. Stories from our youth

Breathe. Suck back air. Keep that oxygen coming. Keep those pints of blood pumping. Even if you want to open the rivers and let them run red right out of you. When you’re this close to death you have everything to lose. And no matter what you think, you have nothing to prove. Focus only on the present. Kick yourself out of yesterdays and Tomorrow, well it’s not here yet. So breathe. Suck back air. Know that it is the sweetest thing to ever roll across your tongue. Savor it. If nothing else seems salvageable only keep the moment when the days become unmanageable. You come from indigenous seed where ancient forests have laid roots deep beneath your feet. You are walking on the bodies of those who came before you. Don’t ever feel unsupported or alone. That couldn’t be further from the truth. My love, you come from warriors, unflinching and unafraid. That’s how hell and high waters were faced. Blood memories of braves still run rampant in your veins. Honour them. If you are weak, stuck in a full throttle spin and shook to the core and you see everybody’s life is better off if you’re not in it anymore… Try something different. Let traditions and ceremony be your medicine. Let the ancient tongues of your grandmothers be your lullaby. Let prayers be the wings that give you flight. Let not another light be stolen, not another loss to suicide. Not now. Breathe. Suck back air. Even if you have to do it slowly, with the lights turned off, because it’s too hard to live in the light—CHOOSE LIFE. I know this sounds cliché, but things won’t always be this way. It might seem like a strain right now – but one day I promise you will be standing proud. Know that your skin is the most beautiful shade of brown. And you are still a warrior But battles are now fought on different grounds. And I know that you are probably feeling the strain, and it’s hard Whether it be from living in a household of addiction, being addicted, pulling double shifts, or living with some other affliction You are more than this. So breathe. Suck back air. Don’t tell me that you can’t do it…because I….I’ve been through it. Helen Knott

My Story (video) Helen Knott--Spoken Word

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- Lorem Ipsum

I Matter. You Matter. We Matter. Stories from our youth

My Story: Jack Linklater Jr. Attawapiskat First Nation Youth

Hello. My name is Jack Linklater Jr. I live in Attawapiskat, Ontario. I’m Cree, and proud to be. I live along the James Bay shorelines, the lowlands, in the Muskegwak Territory. My message to you, if you’re having a hard time— LOOK TO THE TREES…as it shows you to stand tall and proud. LOOK TO THE ROCK….as it shows you the strength you need. LOOK TO THE RIVER….as it shows you to keep moving forward in life, as it flows, it can never give up. LOOK TO THE FLOWERS…as it shows you the love you need, the colors. LOOK TO THE GRASS…as it teaches you goodness and it always grows and grows, no matter who keeps stepping on it. It’s there to show you to forgive. We matter. Every living thing matters. The trees, the rocks, the flowers. You matter. Stay strong. Jack Linklater Jr.

The It Gets Better Project’s mission is to

communicate to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth around the world that it gets better, and to create and inspire the changes needed to make it better for them.

The It Gets Better Project began in 2010, created to inspire hope for young people facing harassment. In response to the number of students taking their own lives after being bullied, the founders wanted to create a personal way for supporters everywhere to tell LGBTQ youth that, yes, it does indeed get better.

In Our Words Neil Patrick Harris---It Gets Better It Got Better Featuring Adam Lambert It Got Better Featuring Tegan and Sara It Got Better Featuring Raven Symon It Got Better Featuring Nate Berkus It Got Better Featuring Portia De Rossi It Got Better Featuring Rosie O’Donnell It Got Better Featuring Jason Collins It Got Better Featuring Andrew Rannells It Got Better Featuring Wanda Sykes It Got Better Featuring George Takei It Got Better Featuring Tim Gunn It Got Better Featuring EJ Johnson It Got Better Featuring Candis Cayne It Got Better Featuring Janet Mock It Got Better Featuring Laverne Cox It Gets Better—Striving to Make It Better for LGBT Youth—TD Bank Canada #youcanmakeitbetter It Gets Better—Royal Canadian Mounted Police It Gets Better—Inspiring Messages from Police Offers Who Identify as LGBTQ

“With time you are going to see that your differences are a source of pride

and a source of strength.” Barack Obama

The ‘It Got Better’ series offers powerful storyteller vignettes of celebrity role models sharing their voices—lessons on self-awareness, struggles, self-worth, resiliency, and finding your passion—as someone who identifies as LGBTQ.

“If you’re getting bullied and you’re feeling like you are on the outskirts, it gets better. “Act with strength, courage, class, stand tall. Be proud of who you are.” Neil Patrick Harris

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Labels-Why Not Change The Way We Talk?

Knowing ourselves and what we value is the key to authentic communication and growth of healthy communities. What do we value?

• Healthy relationships • Values (love, faith, hope, mercy) • Care for creation, for all • Safety –of self, of others • Voice—finding our own and respecting the voice of others • Community—knowing that you are not alone and that others care • Building capacity of knowledge—we are all teachers and students—reciprocal teaching is a way to

empower students to be teachers Sharing in dialogue is an important step in growing compassion and understanding. Talking about the ‘Power of Words’ is a healthy way of discussing the impact of how we talk to ourselves as well as how we talk to others. Be a role model and use and promote inclusive language. Best Friends Get Brutally Honest About Their Bodies |The Scene Two best friends wrote down the things they don’t like about their own bodies. They are now going to say these comments out loud, but direct them to each other. Why do we say things to ourselves that we wouldn’t ever say to (or think about) our best friends? Be a best friend to yourself. To This Day Project—Shane Koyczan Canadian Poet Shane Koyczan shares his story of how he developed resilience (the power of words) in the face of adversity. Who Wil Stop the Bullying? How would you react to a child getting bullied? Boys’ reaction to bullying will melt your heart 5 boys find a way to counteract bullying. Hilary Duff on CNN—“That’s so Gay”—ThinkB4YouSpeak! The ThinkB4YouSpeak campaign helps people realize the impact of hurtful words on others. How Challenging “That’s So Gay” Made a School Safer A school’s story. Shh! Silence Helps Homophobia—LGBT Youth Scotland A powerful video on how silence breeds phobia or exclusion, and how your actions of support speak volumes in building healthy communities. In My Shoes: Stories of Youth with LGBT Parents Listen to the stories of youth who have parents of the same sex, and learn SheNative inspires indigenous women with clothing line Devon Fiddler hopes messages like “she believed she could” and “she’s got this” will help women wearing her clothes remember their strength and resilience. How Can I Make Your Day Better? How these 7 words began to heal the gap between a husband and wife. #wordsmatter

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Labels-Why Not Change The Way We Talk?

The Well Endowed Podcast—Edmonton Communities Foundation—“Social Inclusion” How important newcomers are to ensuring a bright social and economic future for our city. Then, we sit down with Fok Lordz, an improv troupe that uses storytelling to build community and connect with their Cree and Jewish heritage.We also hear about the Edmonton Shift Lab to eliminate racism, and how you can get invovled in this exciting initiative to improve opportunity and inclusion for all. Cultural Appropriation vs. Appreciation |CBC Radio (video) This video was posted on FB by ‘We Stand YEG’ with the following comment: “This Halloween, be sure to understand the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. Make halloween in #yeg great for everyone!” Edmontonians Unite in Rally Against Racist Flyers –CBC TV [Oct. 28, 2016]

Smile Because You’re Beautiful Series Christian Vlog—smile because you’re beautiful! “The key to religion is waking up and being the best person you can be. That is being kind, watching what you say, helping others, appreciating others, appreciating you, appreciate what you have, what’s been accomplished and what you can accomplish…and appreciate the fact that God is there no matter what.” Smile Because You’re Beautiful Smile because you are beautiful Websites Canada’s Anti-Bullying Website –Stop A Bully Core Resilience Strength

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Inclusive Communities Event Calendar

November 2016

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1

All Saints Day World Vegan Day

2 All Souls Day Stress Awareness Day

3 4 5 Veteran’s Week Nov. 5-11

6 Catholic Education Sunday

7

8 Intersex Day of Remembrance

9 World Freedom Day

10 World Science Day for Peace and Development

11 Remembrance Day

12

13 World Kindness Day

14 World Diabetes Day

15

16 International Day for Tolerance

17 World Philosophy Day World Pancreatic Cancer Day International Students Day

18 19 International Men’s Day

20 Universal Children’s Day

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

Transgender Day of Remembrance

21

Word Hello Day

22 23 24

Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day

25

Holodomor Memorial Day

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

26

27

Advent Begins

28

29

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

30

International Self Harm Awareness Day

November is: Movember (celebrating Men’s Health and fight against cancer); World Vegan Month.