The deadline to submit entries is November 1, 2019 (Photo courtesy United Way of Lethbridge)

By Justin Goulet

Local art and media contest focuses on reconciliation

Sep 24, 2019 | 10:47 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Reconciliation Week took place earlier this month, but a trio of local organizations want to keep the discussion going.

United Way of Lethbridge, the Lethbridge Indigenous Sharing Network and the Reconciliation Lethbridge Advisory Council have teamed up for the second annual #YQL Expressions of Reconciliation contest.

Local artists have a chance to win one of three cash prizes through the contest. Submissions can include paintings, essays, sculptures, poetry, photography and other types of media listed here.

United Way executive director Janelle Marietta-Vasquez said that the goal is to keep people thinking about reconciliation and to show that everyone can play a role in reconciliation efforts.

2019 has been declared as the Year of Indigenous Languages by the United Nations, and Marietta-Vasquez said all submissions must adhere to that theme.

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“Language is such an important part of our identities and how we understand our own culture and our own stories, so it’s a really important thing to think about when we go forward with reconciliation and maintaining that language and celebrating those languages and finding way to connect that to our community,” she told Lethbridge News Now.

“We’re really excited to find ways and kind of put the challenge out to artists in the community to think about that and think about Indigenous languages and the role they play and the importance they play in building reconciliation.”

Marietta-Vasquez said she’s proud of the reconciliation efforts taken thus far in Lethbridge.

“It’s great to see our community leaders really emphasize the importance of reconciliation and prioritizing that in the work that they do,” she said.

“Lethbridge is unique in the fact that we are one of the first communities in Canada to put in an action plan with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It’s fantastic to see the work that goes forward, but certainly there is so much more that we need to be doing and that conversation needs to continue, there’s a long way to go.”

The deadline to submit pieces is Friday, November 1 at 5:00 p.m. Committees made up of members from all three members will then choose the contest winner, as well as second and third place finishers.

Winners will be announced to the public on November 19, 2019.