Shyra Barberstock and Ryan “Rye” Barberstock, both PhD students in the Geography and Planning department, have some exciting news to share. The Barberstocks are cofounders of Okwaho Equal Source, a global Indigenous consulting boutique and design thinking firm. Okwaho, in partnership with Crown-Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), has just officially launched the “Indigenous Climate Hub”, a national online Indigenous climate change platform.
This platform provides information and resources for Indigenous communities and provides an online space for sharing climate change stories from Indigenous perspectives. In addition, a documentary titled “A Different Type of Gathering: We are One. Hishuk’ish Tsawalk – Everything is One,” was recorded and produced by Geography PhD graduate Dr. Paul Chaput and the film can be viewed on the Indigenous Climate Hub website. You can read more about the Indigenous Climate Hub initiative here - https://bit.ly/2KLK9Uw.
The Indigenous Climate Hub welcomes unsolicited blog submissions on Indigenous climate change stories. If you have any great stories to share or if you are interested in writing some blog articles, feel free to send them to admin@okwaho.com.
The Barberstocks are also excited to share that Okwaho Equal Source will be partnering with Queen’s University to design and deliver Indigenous women entrepreneurship programming and mentorship in the Kingston region. An article has been published in the Queen’s Gazette today (Federal Funding for Women Entrepreneurs in Kingston).
Shyra Barberstock was interviewed by Global Newsat the announcement this morning and her interview will be on Global Newsthis evening at 6:00pm. In addition to Queen’s University, Okwaho Equal Source will also be working with other partners in the Ontario region to support women’s social enterprises (businesses with a social/environmental mission) and Indigenous women entrepreneurs. You can read an article regarding the initiative across Ontario in Liisbeth - https://bit.ly/2Z6iKp7.