Diary of a Traveling Communicator

2010-07-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

Here I am at the networking session for the 26th International HPV Conference with Elder Amelia Tekwatoni McGregor of the Bear Clan from the Kahnawake (pronounced Gah-Nah-Whah-Geh) Mohawk Territory, who during the opening ceremonies, welcomed delegates to her traditional territory.

The Keynote Presentation was delivered by Stephen Lewis. Just prior, I had the opportunity to catch up with him during the networking session (since I hadn't had a chance to speak with him since the closing ceremonies of AIDS 2006).

We discussed the current initiatives he is working on with Eve Ensler and her global campaign to bring much needed attention to the needs of Congolese women and girls.

Since this was a conference focused on HPV, we also spoke about the work I am doing with the National Aboriginal Health Organization in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada and the International Centre for Infectious Disease.

I explained that we had brought together an International Indigenous panel that would be presenting on July 5, 2010. How we are hoping to gather information on individuals who already doing work in HPV prevention among Indigenous populations. We both agreed that a coordinated international response is a good idea.

MC Hammer - Celebrity, Rapper and...Geek?

2010-04-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

MC Hammer was interviewed at the #140conf by Ted Cohen, Managing Partner, TAG Strategic and audience members on his relationship to twitter and social media.

The conversation that emerged was an explaination of how he has effectively used social media to promote himself as a brand.

He also discusses his interest in new technologies, his relationship to YouTube and twitter and monitoring user behaviours.

View 15 minutes with @MCHammer

Make Room for the Chief Listening Officer

2010-04-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

At the #140conf in NYC, Jeff Pulver introduces Jeffrey Hayzlett, the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Kodak by referring to a conversation they had about the need for "Chief Listening Officers" in corporations and the need for transparency.

Jeffrey Hayzlett presented on "Emotional Technology" and relationships. Kodak is looking at changing the ways people relate. Some of the ways they are doing this is by exploring the importance of twitter, participation and listening.

View Real Men (and Women) Use Twitter

Inspiring Messages at the NYC #140conf

2010-04-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

As a woman who has worked in journalism for the sole purpose of raising awareness of the challenges individuals who are marginalized face, I found Ann Curry's message to be honest and relevant.

During the question period, she also addresses a difficult topic, while highlighting the strength of the human spirit.

View her talk >>

Ann Curry(@AnnCurry) is the News Anchor on NBC's Today Show and host of Dateline NBC.

Jeff Pulver’s 140 Characters Conference! (#140conf)

2010-04-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the 140 Characters Conference: New York City (#140conf) which took place April 20-21, 2010 at the 92nd Street Y.

This event was the largest worldwide gathering of people interested in the effects of the real-time Internet on both business and “we” the people.

At the NYC #140conf, while I was a participant (and not a speaker), I had a little more time to take a step back and really observe and engage in what was happening.

In my opinion, the energy at the 140 Characters Conferences is the most free flowing of any conference I have ever attended.

There are so many inspiring stories and exciting initiatives that after a challenging few months, I feel like my passion for all things communications has been renewed.

Thank you Jeff Pulver, speakers and volunteers for yet another great #140conf experience.

The ever-increasing shift towards social media in contemporary culture

2009-12-02T08:30:00.000-08:00

2008 National Aboriginal Role Model and founder of Yellowtilt Productions, Ry Moran explains:

Social media describes an evolving paradigm for Web use; one where internet users create their own content, share this content with others, and engage in open conversations over the internet.

Social media is a shift away from traditional media wherein content was delivered from the creator to the user via a one-way transmission. In contrast to traditional media, Social Media allows users to interact with, and comment on the material they engage with on the Internet.

There are many ways to create social media including blogs, videos, music and Podcasts. YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are major social media hubs utilized by companies, organizations and individuals looking to spread information.

He makes reference to previous success and challenges encountered on past social media projects he has worked on - specifically citing the LearnMichif.com project.

For example, the diverse geographic range of the Métis nation led his team to embrace social media during the LearnMichif.com project. By utilizing video, podcasts, blogs and RSS technology, Ry and the LearnMichif team were able to share language lessons, oral histories, historical information, music and videos with users across the country in a user-engaging and cost-effective manner.

Reference: National Aboriginal Health Organization. Final Report. Workshop for First Nations, Inuit and Metis youth on Sexual Health Promotion and Sexually Transmitted and Blood Borne Infections (STBBI)Prevention using Social Media. PREPARED BY: Ry Moran, YellowTilt Productions, Victoria, BC. October 2009.

The NAHO Social Media Experience

2009-11-15T20:14:00.000-08:00

will be presented on Wednesday November 18, 2009 at the Ottawa Government Web 2.0 & Social Media: Identifying and Overcoming the Barriers to Leveraging Social Media in Your Workplace Successfully.

Presented by Colleen Patterson, Communications Officer, National Aboriginal Health Organization and James MacDougall, Webmaster, National Aboriginal Health Organization.

Case Study Description: The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) is mandated to improve the health and well-being of Aboriginal peoples in Canada by engaging in research, policy research and health promotion activities.

NAHO has had great success integrating social media into its existing communications activities, including Twitter, social networking, blogging, photo-blogging, RSS feeds, and discussion boards.

Learn how NAHO has been able to personalize a national organization by using these tools.

More info on the Seminar hosted by INFONEX

View the NAHO Social Media Experience power point on slideshare.

Follow us on Twitter @NAHO_NEWS

My Kodak Moment

2009-11-05T09:46:00.000-08:00

Thank you Kodak for this very special moment. This is me on stage at the Kodak Theatre where I presented at the #140conf on social media for public health messaging.

rogersmithlife.com and Panman Productions present...

2009-11-04T20:36:00.000-08:00

140 Characters Conference LA 2009 by Jeff Pulver

watch the YouTube video>>

Mashable and the LA #140conf

2009-10-30T16:52:00.000-07:00

Mashable is the world's largest blog focused exclusively on Web 2.0 and Social Media news.

Their team was at the #140conf offering participants this fun take home. I think they are awesome and they took the time to explain the technnology to me!

View Colleen is having a blast at the 140 Conference animated using MashCast.

Interesting people and social media at #140conf

2009-10-29T16:45:00.000-07:00

Twittamentary is a documentary about the effects of Twitter, directed by Singaporean filmmaker Tan Siok Siok and crowd sourced by Twitter'ers worldwide.

I also met Doug Jones. He is such a nice guy and very involved with twitter @actordougjones.

For those of you who can't place the name, he's "the man behind the mask of characters such as 'Abe Sapien' (Hellboy and Hellboy II: The Golden Army), 'Pan' and the terrifying 'Pale Man' from the multi-Oscar-winning Pan's Labyrinth, the legendary 'Silver Surfer' in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and he has a movie coming out soon."

You simply cannot have a conference at the Kodak Theatre without some complementary messaging. All of the staff at Kodak we're really great and their presence in social media is impressive. I learned alot from the Photography panel. Thanks Kodak team for working with Jeff Pulver to host such an informative and engaging event.

Met the Creator of the #140conf

2009-10-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

Here I am at the Kodak Theatre at Jeff Pulver’s 140 Characters Conference (#140conf) with Jeff Pulver.

Dinner with Public Health Messaging Panelists

2009-10-27T16:44:00.000-07:00

I went to loteria for dinner with two of the Public Health Messaging Panelists, L: Beverly Robertson of the March of Dimes, Marc Sirkin from Autism Speaks and R: our new friend Roberta Romero from LA.

Getting excited about our presentation tomorrow at the #140conf.

I'm in the Cast of Characters at #140conf

2009-10-27T16:41:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned for updates on how my presentation at the 140 Characters Conference went in LA. I'll be presenting on how NAHO uses social media to promote our message and how Twitter has helped us to spread the word.

Here I am with Jeffrey Hayzlett, Chief Marketing Officer for Kodak at the Kodak Theatre on Hollywood Blvd in Los Angeles.

Promoting the NAHO National Conference

2009-07-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

Today the NARMP mascot Bruce Ma Goose and the NAHO team visited the Jeanne Mance building at Tunney's Pasture to hand out postcards promoting the NAHO National Conference. You can meet Bruce Ma-Goose-and lots of really great people-at the NAHO National Conference in Ottawa this November 24-26, 2009!

The 8th Canadian Immunization Conference

2008-12-01T19:20:00.000-08:00

More than 1,200 immunization experts gathered at the Sheraton Centre Hotel in Toronto, Ontario from November 30 to December 3, 2008.

This conference brought together non-governmental organizations, vaccine manufacturers, provincial and territorial immunization policy and program planners, as well as professionals from the many disciplines involved in the immunization field.

I attended this conference to gain a broader understanding of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). While I have a strong background in health promotion, additional skills building in the areas of HPV epidemiology and vaccine developments was a valuable tool for me to acquire.

I found the plenary sessions, special lectures, the exhibit hall and the posters from Grade 6 students who expressed their ideas about immunization and healthy children to be very informative.

I even had the opportunity to participate in a lunchtime workshop about best practices on “How to Pack a Vaccine Cooler Bag” during mass immunization clinics and appropriate tools for vaccine transportation.

During a walk through the exhibit hall during lunch, I also met Gerri the Giraffe (pictured above) who promotes immunization in Ottawa.

Canadian Aboriginal Festival

2008-11-30T19:19:00.000-08:00

Promoting the Journal of Aboriginal Health during the Canadian Aboriginal Festival at the Roger's Centre in Toronto, ON is one of my many tasks working the NAHO booth this weekend.

Also featured is NAHO's new pop-up banner.

Click here for more info on the Journal of Aboriginal Health

River of the Sacred Fire

2008-09-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

As I prepare to leave for the airport, I reflect on the week gone by. Looking outside, I fully understand the meaning of the word Elsipogtog - River of the Sacred Fire. I am told it refers to "the red blazing reflection of the setting sun which appears seemingly like fire". I cannot help but wonder though if it also refers to the sunrise?

Women's Teachings

2008-09-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

When women gather together great things can happen. When a safe space is created for sharing and healing, stories begin to emerge. Today it was stories of child birth, puberty rights, moon teachings and menopause. Concerns and realities that we all share, yet often push aside to address more pressing issues, became the focal point of conversation.

It is in these all women spaces that the knowledge and stories often emerge. Each woman in the room bonded to the other by virtue of the fact that women were given the gift to be able to birth life. So much of the teachings that women share co-exist with this fact.

As we close the circle, if there is one fundamental lesson to take away, it is the importance of respecting yourself and your body.

NAHO's Journal of Aboriginal Health March 2008 Volume 4, Issue 1 is focused on Aboriginal Women's Health. To view a copy click here.

Prophecies

2008-09-12T19:15:00.000-07:00

This afternoon as I sat in a teepee close to the fire, I could feel my cheeks heating up from the flames. As I listened to the prophecies being shared with me I understood that the future is deeply rooted in the past. Many of the ways of our traditional Elders are based on living a life free of chemical additives and substances that are destructive to our very being and environment.

The advice being put forward to us is to make decisions not from a place of fear but a place of well-being. We were being asked to breathe in a sense of calmness and really think about the information being presented to us. If we don’t like it, then maybe it is not meant for us. If it applies to us and is useable then we have benefitted from their messages and wisdom.

There are many ways to know if a certain path is right for us. We can dream it, someone could encourage us to develop our strengths or we could just know. Much of what this week had to offer is a place to be quiet in our noisy world and just listen and reflect.

We were told many times this week to listen to our heart and believe in its truth.

To review The Haudenosaunee Code of Behaviour for Traditional Medicine Healers click here

Medicine Walk

2008-09-11T19:13:00.000-07:00

The women go gathering. This afternoon’s walk was based on the belief that if you know what to look for and how to use it, you can make your own medicines.

Today, I joined about 20 women (all of us wearing our customary long skirts), to hike down a path not often travelled. The purpose of this walk was to gather medicines in preparation of the ceremony that will be held on this traditional territory during the next full moon.

As we were guided through the woods, the Elder women led the way. Us younger city girls, stumbled along behind, swatting at mosquitoes while pushing tree branches out of our way and trying to not accidently let them swing back into our companions faces.

We stopped often to hear descriptions of the plants we were seeking and explanations of their healing potentials. I watched the Elder women kneeling down as their expert hands searched through the mud for the root of the items they were seeking. It was a timeless moment. A moment that has occurred countless times over the generations and yet it was new and foreign to many of those present.

For more info on Traditional Medicine in Contemporary Contexts click here

For info on the Handbook and Resource Guide to the Convention on Biological Diversity click here

Grandmother Teachings

2008-09-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

In my experience, the lessons and teachings of the grandmothers are always very powerful. The words spoken come from a very personal place and as a result the knowledge shared stays with me. While it would be incredibly inappropriate for me to tell the story of another women’s traditional journey, I will say her words were inspiring to me.

Her words were familiar lessons that I have heard from Elders before but her story was of course unique to her. I was reminded of the path one embarks on when choosing to lead a life of service for others. The exchange that can happen between an Elder and her apprentice when they decide to go on a traditional journey together. I was especially aware of the knowledge that can come to you when you listen to the words of another with an open mind and an open heart. Today was a reminder of all these gifts.

For information on Cultural Competency and Safety click here

Traditional Foods

2008-09-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

During lunch today, I began to notice that a dialogue about traditional medicines had opened up among the local Elders and those who had travelled great distances to be here. They had come to a realization that many of the medicines in this traditional territory were some of the same from other regions of Canada. This began a sampling of the different tastes and textures of the various roots, stems and leaves that could be used for healing.

I observed how each of these Elders held a special knowledge that is often under-valued in western society.

I watched as individuals became excited at the notion they would be able to go out on the land to gather medicines for their teas.

While a man from the community went to get a shovel and a knife, I handed the women some NAHO promotional bags so they would have something to put their freshly gathered medicines in.

When these Elder women returned, I was invited into the kitchen with them while they told stories and prepared their medicine tea.

Later, I helped to serve the tea to a room full of workshop participants who participated in the Traditional Foods workshop.

This session offered a wide range of valuable information including the damaging effects of salt and sugar, traditional techniques for preserving foods for the winter and beliefs around the importance of feeding spirits and spirit plates.

For An Overview Of Traditional Knowledge And Medicine And Public Health In Canada click here

Joy, Knowledge and Love

2008-09-09T19:10:00.000-07:00

During the opening ceremonies this morning we received a warm welcome from the Elsipogtog Chief and Council and the staff of the Elsipogtog Health and Wellness Centre.

As we were familiarized with the schedule of the week’s agenda we were asked to be open to the key themes of Joy, Knowledge and Love.

As we gathered in the Healing Lodge of the Wellness Centre, we were reminded that each of us must take responsibility for our own wellness. To overcome any hurt or abuse that has been a part of our lives, we must first make the decision to heal.

During the week these same sentiments would be spoken again and again.
•We were reminded of how important it is to love each other, respect each other and love the children.
•We were reminded to be patient and gentle with ourselves and others while on our healing journeys.
•We were reminded to breathe and to eat those same foods of the earth that were provided to our ancestors.

Setting the Tone

2008-09-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

It is a clear afternoon as the flight I am on arrives in the Atlantic region. Some of my colleagues have already been here for a few days taking part in some pre-gathering workshops. Since this event is both regional and national in scope, youth and Elders from across the country have been brought here to meet with the local traditional people and community members.

I am looking forward to the opportunity to be outside and on the land. It has been some time since I have attended an event of this nature. While I know this work requires much energy, both physically and emotionally, as spiritual work tends to be, I am at ease with how this is an appropriate venue in which to have knowledge pass from Elders to youth and youth to Elders.

I cannot know what lessons I will be reminded of and what information will come my way, but I trust the process to guide me. One teaching, I have often heard to contextualize events such as this is to take what information is shared with you that is useful and relevant and leave the rest behind for someone else. If at some time in your life you need that knowledge it will be there waiting for you.

To view the document Winds of Change: A Strategy of Health Policy Research and Analysis click here.

Protectng Traditional Knowledge

2008-09-07T19:08:00.000-07:00

The role of a media liaison person at an event traditional in nature can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. It involves balancing the organization's need to promote its key messages while ensuring a reporter understands that not all traditional knowledge is meant for public consumption.

To better ensure the media we engage are sensitive to traditional practices and protocols, NAHO has developed guidelines for Interviewing Elders. Copies of these guidelines will be available (in English and French) at the Gegenoatatoltimg: Sharing the Knowledge gathering.

How does my background connect me to this event?

2008-09-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

As a woman of Algonquin and mixed heritage, much of my work and volunteer history has been dedicated to improving the health and wellness of Aboriginal individuals, families and communities.

I have spent many years committed:

To empowering Aboriginal youth to stand up and speak out for the health of their people.
To taking on communications initiatives that help to improve the quality of life for First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

The foundational lessons that motivate me to do this work are the result of the four years I spent as an apprentice to a Micmac Elder who carried a Sioux Thunder Pipe. Traditional teachings and interactions with Aboriginal Elders and leaders have made me aware of my spiritual and cultural background and of the political issues that Aboriginal people face.

This traditional journey led me to Trent University where I enrolled in Native Studies and then to Simon Fraser University where I earned a degree in Communications and First Nations Studies.

Gegenoatatoltimg: Sharing the Knowledge

2008-09-01T19:03:00.000-07:00

Gegenoatatoltimg: Sharing the Knowledge is a joint initiative between the First Nations Centre of NAHO and the Elsipogtog (pronounced Elzi’buktuk) Health and Wellness Centre. This is a traditional gathering to bring people together to share traditional knowledge, medicine and healing.

From September 8-14, 2008, I will be on the traditional territory of of the Mi’kmaq people at the Elsipogtog First Nation (formerly called the Big Cove Band) in New Brunswick.

The purpose of my attendance is to be a NAHO resource person promoting the organization’s resources and to be a key media liaison person for the event.

The First Nations Centre of NAHO has two key resources on Traditional Knowledge. They are the Traditional Knowledge Toolkit and a report on the Traditional Healing Circle of Elders.