Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts (ANDPVA)

Published purpose

This 21-month project will support a feminist response and recovery from the current impacts of COVID-19, through systemic change. The Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts (ANDPVA) will achieve this by challenging gender stereotypes at the Indigenous community level and pushing for policy change to better address gender-based violence (GBV) and provide adequate support to survivors; providing safe spaces for women and gender-diverse individuals to share stories, resources and hosting sharing circles to discuss GBV topics such as Indigenous Human Trafficking (IHT) and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), and reducing the feeling of shame for survivors; creating and hosting a culturally aware course on Indigenous GBV (including IHT and MMIWG) for band council members to educate them on stereotypes as well as influence the creation of new policies to prevent GBV within the community; creating partnerships with band council members (in Ontario and Quebec) to influence new policies; and performing an evaluation of the cultural relevancy and impact of the trainings for Indigenous communities, including lessons learned and proposed next steps for a national expansion. At the end of the project, the organization will have contributed to addressing systemic barriers by advancing inclusive policies and practices, encouraging more equitable and effective sharing of resources, increasing networks and collaboration to accelerate systemic change, and addressing persistent harmful gender norms and attitudes to support women’s equality. For this project, the Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre will facilitate connections with members of the Urban Indigenous communities and representatives of band councils; and provide advice on the content and materials for the training. Partnerships will be sought with council members in Ontario and Quebec with the intention of implementing new policies to prevent gender-based violence and support survivors.