Dear Two-Spirit Program Team Members:
The Two-Spirit Dry Lab; Turtle Island’s first research group that focuses exclusively on Two-Spirit (2S) people, communities and experiences; is pleased to extend our heart-felt congratulations and gratitude to the Two-Spirit program at Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC) for your leadership, hard-work and dedication to make the first annual “Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ Awareness to Celebration Day” possible. We are excited to join and lend support for us to all come together and acknowledge all the diverse sexualities, gender roles and/or expressions that existed in many Indigenous communities prior to colonization.
This day is a culmination of decades of tireless community organizing efforts of countless 2S leaders and community members. It marks the maturation of the 2S movement as it is a shift from education and advocacy to action, and signals a (re)integration 2S people within each Nation, and is thereby, a mending of the sacred hoop.
The overall intent of this day is to bring greater awareness to lift up and celebrate 2S people and communities through actions and events, so 2S people once again will know respect, honor and dignity within their respective Nations.
We thank all the members of the Two-Spirit Program at CBRC for their continuing support and commitment to recognizing and working to enrich the lives of Two-Spirit people here in British Columbia and across the country!
Respectfully,
The Two-Spirit Dry Lab
