Red River College’s Aboriginal Student Support & Community Relations department will host an event to connect Aboriginal LGBTT* people and RRC in a meaningful way that honours the voices of Indian Residential School Survivors.

On Thursday, May 17, 2012, the department will partner with Two Spirited People of Manitoba Inc., and the organizers of RRC’s LGBTT* Initiative, to host “Gakina Awiiyaa — We Are All Related,” an event celebrating both communities’ participation in post-secondary education.

The event will feature presentations by Kelly Houle, a two-spirited residential school survivor, and the University of Saskatchewan’s Dr. Alexandria Wilson, a member of the Opaskwayak First Nation who will speak about the effect of residential schools on Aboriginal gender identity, as well as the repercussions on education, communities and ceremony.

Held to coincide with the International Day Against Homophobia, the event stems from earlier presentations organized by Aboriginal Student Support & Community Relations for RRC students and staff, exploring the impact of Western viewpoints on Aboriginal gender identities, as well as an overview of pre-colonial roles of Two-Spirit (LGBTT*) people.

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Red River College’s acclaimed Science of Early Child Development project has contributed to a new video calling on global leaders to renew their commitment to ensuring quality care and education for children around the world.

Footage shot by the College’s eTV department as part of the Science of ECD — an online multimedia resource developed by RRC’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) program — was included in Rights from the Start: Early Childhood Care and Education, a five-minute video launched recently by the U.K.-based Global Campaign for Education.

Introduced by Graca Machel (wife of Nelson Mandela), the video includes an array of international footage, some of which was filmed in Egypt and Pakistan by RRC in partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation. As well, one of the men profiled in the video (Shafique Sekalala, who appears at 1:02) was part of a recent round of online Science of ECD training, and was also part of a group that worked with RRC in Istanbul last January.

The launch of the video coincides with the release of a new report — also entitled Rights from the Start — that highlights the disastrous impact of neglecting early years care and education. The report was written on behalf of the GCE by Vernon Munoz, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, with contributions from Emeritus Professor Peter Moss, of the University of London, and Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO.

Click here for more information on the Science of ECD.

Rob Neufeld, Executive Director, North End Community Renewal Corporation

Representatives from Red River College joined a host of North End advocates and community organizations in celebrating a newly-announced housing and retail development on Selkirk Avenue yesterday morning.

Following news the notorious Merchants Hotel is now being managed by a coalition comprised of 20 government and community agencies, RRC President Stephanie Forsyth commended those involved on their collaborative vision of renewal and revitalization.

“This is what Red River College is all about — meshing the needs of the community with the community’s educational goals, so that we can move forward,” said Forsyth. “That constant renewal is so critical to initiatives like the one announced today.”

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Creative Communications student Daniella Ponticelli and Hannah, a dog who had to have a leg amputated and an eye removed before being adopted.

Students from Red River College’s Creative Communications program are putting their talents to good use in support of the Winnipeg Humane Society this weekend.

On Sunday, March 18, 2012, CreComm students will produce and host the “IAMS 1001 Donations” telethon, airing live on Shaw TV from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The second-year students — representing all four streams of the CreComm program (journalism, advertising, public relations and broadcasting) — have already produced a series of pre-recorded pieces that will air during the telethon, and will also serve as technical crew and on-air talent while broadcasting live from the Humane Society on Sunday.

“Our students are extremely talented, and this telethon will give them a well-deserved opportunity to showcase those talents and help a great cause at the same time,” says CreComm instructor Joanne Kelly, a former Shaw TV producer and on-air personality.

“We are always looking for opportunities for the students to gain real-life experience so they will be that much more prepared for the workforce upon graduation. This telethon also helps teach them the value of being connected to your community, and how important it is to give back.”

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More than 225 people learned about Inuit culture on March 6th at Red River College. The college’s Aboriginal Student Support & Community Relations department hosted an exhibition titled “Celebrate Inuit Art and Culture”. The all-day event  educated visitors, while showcasing the art, culture and history of Inuit people — in particular Nunamiut, or the Caribou Inuit of the Kivalliq region in Nunavut. The valuable educational opportunity was made possible thanks to the guidance, research, and knowledge of respected educator/historian and art curator Frederick G. Ford.

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Red River College is hosting a speaker’s event today at the Exchange District Campus entitled “Standing Tall: A day dedicated to our stolen sisters.”

Across Canada every Valentine’s Day, memorial marches are held to honor the lives of missing and murdered women and their families.  As part of this day we would like to invite you to learn about some of the work that is being done in this area, to participate in a safety presentation delivered by Winnipeg Police Services and to listen to teachings from Chickadee Richard on the sacredness of women.

The event is from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm In Room P107 (CGA Manitoba Room) at RRC’s Exchange District Campus, located at 160 Princess Street. Room P409 will be reserved as a “smudge room” for the day. All are welcome.

For further info, contact:
Cheyenne Chartrand
Aboriginal Student Support & Community Relations
Red River College Exchange District Campus
P210-J  160 Princess Street  Winnipeg, MB  R3B 1K9
T: (204) 949-8506 F: (204) 949-9186
E: chchartrand@rrc.mb.ca

Find out more about Aboriginal education at Red River College, as well as related programming and events at http://blogs.rrc.ca/aboriginal/

Microsoft Corporation has recognized a Red River College instructor for using technology to forge social and cultural connections between high school students in Winnipeg and their counterparts in northern Manitoba.

Teacher Education instructor Eva Brown (shown) served as head of the Technology department for the River East Transcona School Division, for whom she developed a collaborative, cross-cultural exchange between Grade 12 students from River East Collegiate and Grade 11 students from Charles Sinclair School on the Fisher River Cree Nation.

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Red River College’s Rebels Athletics program got a bit of a facelift this year — in the form of renovations to the North Gym that will allow fans to get even closer to the action.

In the past, the gym’s bleachers were located in the upper-level exercise loft, which — in addition to wreaking havoc with the loft’s schedule for users — also created a serious disconnect between Rebels’ fans and the athletes they were cheering on.

No longer! As of last February, the North Gym’s bleachers have been located courtside, where they belong. In addition, the gymnasium’s floors were repainted and re-finished (complete with a full-scale Rebels logo at centre court), and all the walls were treated to a new coat of paint. Read More →

Red River College’s Electrical Engineering Technology department is pleased to again offer Kids Kamp — a free program that introduces Grades 7 and 8 students to the field of electrical and electronic engineering technology.

The College will offer a number of sessions at both the Roblin Centre and the Notre Dame Campus, running every Saturday morning (9 a.m. to noon), from February 25 to April 7, 2012.

Students will learn some basic theory, but the emphasis of each session will be on developing practical skills, and on encouraging younger students to consider careers in science and technology.

Classes are limited to a maximum of 16 students, and sessions have filled up quickly in previous years, so those interested are encouraged to apply early in order to avoid disappointment.

For more information, or to access application forms, contact Taryn Presley at 204-632-3803 or tpresley@rrc.mb.ca.

Red River College Continuing Studies instructor Ursula Neufeld has helped transform one of Main Street’s most colourful landmarks into a similarly eclectic downtown showpiece, while at the same time providing a creative outlet for those struggling with mental illness, addiction and homelessness.

Neufeld, a local visual artist who teaches Early Childhood Education courses at RRC, has for the last two years served in a lead role on a community arts project launched by local artists at the Red Road Lodge, 631 Main St. (formerly the New Occidental Hotel, now a transitional housing complex for at-risk individuals).

The result is a stunning outdoor mosaic located on the Lodge’s north-facing wall — one that’s inspired by traditional Aboriginal teachings, but also reflective of the diverse backgrounds of the hundreds of people who’ve contributed to its completion.

“We wanted to do something beautiful for the neighbourhood — to share in the creative process with the people here,” says Neufeld of the creative types behind Studio 631, an arts and culture resource housed within the Lodge. “But they didn’t just want to do a painting — they wanted to do something different.” Read More →