To celebrate National Indigenous History Month, Metroland introduces readers to 30 Indigenous people who are making a difference. Meet them all online.
Colleen Gray is an Indigenous artist. Her mother’s people are Mi’kmaq/Acadian. Her father’s people are Irish.
Q: Tell us about what you do/your calling.
A: Before all else, I believe in being a good human. Beyond that, I am an artist with an understanding of how important art is to this world. I began The Art for Aid Project (TAFAP) in 2013 to address the shortfall of art learning tools in remote Indigenous schools in Canada. TAFAP collects new and gently used art supplies and works to fill the wish lists of the schools we connect with. I use the art I create to produce art products, with the funds supporting our demanding shipping and operations budget. In 2019, I was awarded the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers, given by the Governor General, for my work with TAFAP. It is entirely volunteer-driven and fiercely dedicated to supporting access to art learning tools for Indigenous youth (www.artforaid.ca).
Q: Why is that your passion?
A: Art has the power to help break isolation; it supports positive mental health and emotional release. It invites critical thinking and collaboration, hand-eye co-ordination, mental exercise and so much more. But it all begins with access to the tools of learning. Indigenous youth receive less advantages than all other youth in the Canadian education sector and as we all know, the arts are always the first to take the cut. Teachers are often out of pocket for special project supplies because there is not enough to go around. Conversely, just about everyone has art supplies they do not use; they are expensive, and people do not like to toss them out. TAFAP provides a way for those supplies to have purpose again through our shipments.
Q: Tell us what drives you.
A: (Shipping) art supply boxes to well over 100 schools has demonstrated to me that the need is far greater than the support. Increasing our reach and providing art supply access to more schools is always a driver. The echo of residential school trauma and the work to heal those wounds, coupled with remote community life, can be tough on youth. The boredom of isolation can often lead to activities that are detrimental to their future. Youth have so much to say and art provides the vehicle for them to have a voice. With each of the boxes that goes out, I offer my most heartfelt hope that the contents provide youth and educators with joy and purpose.
Q: What was the best advice you have ever received and from whom? Why did it resonate with you?
A: By far, one of the greatest influences in what I do has been my husband, Fred. His steady stream of support and encouragement for what I do gives me a solid road to walk on. He trusts me to make the right decisions and is always there to support my next step. His advice to me once was: “Just do what you know how to do, and the rest will just fall into place.” He is right about that.
If non-Indigenous Canadians learn one thing about Indigenous history this month, what should it be?
A: Canadians could learn so much from Indigenous people about how to embrace this beautiful blue home on which we all live. The more we know, the better we can do, and having an ally while we are trying to heal and become whole in the modern world is more valuable than you could know. It is the task of the Indigenous people of the world to care for Earth. No effort is too small. In the words of the great leader and man of peace, Ojigkwanong — Chief (Grandfather) William Commanda of the Algonquin Nation, “we must come together with one heart, one mind, and one determination, and respect Mother Earth.”
