Tag Archives: Jenessa Joy Klukas

Indigenous Nations

Decolonizing your teen’s bookshelf

By Jenessa Joy Klukas, The Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The project of decolonization requires readers, young and old, to diversify the stories they consume. 

Earlier this month IndigiNews explored a list of kids books written and illustrated by Indigenous creators, and we highlighted the need for children’s books that embrace diversity and Indigenous identity. 

To encourage our readers to keep reading, IndigiNews Education and Child Welfare Storyteller Jenessa Joy Klukas has compiled a list of young adult fiction books that can capture the hearts and minds of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Youth alike (and maybe even adults too).

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Education, Indigenous Nations

What Vancouver Island University is doing to decolonise BC’s classrooms

By Jenessa Joy Klukas, The Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Education student Hayden Taylor says Vancouver Island University (VIU) is “definitely a safe space for Indigenous future educators.” 

Taylor is a member of the Haisla Nation, and as a fifth year in VIU’s Bachelor of Education program, he regularly participates in Indigenous practices on campus.

Taylor is an active participant at Shq’apthut (A Gathering Place), the campus’s hub for Indigenous supports, and is part of VIU’s community cousins program. “[Community Cousin’s] is a mentorship program that is made up of Indigenous students at VIU, that provides support for Indigenous students.”

Continue reading What Vancouver Island University is doing to decolonise BC’s classrooms →