Velocity unveils new Indigenous mural

More than a year after Velocity opened its doors inside the University of Waterloo’s Innovation Arena, its halls hum with the energy of students and founders arriving each day ready to imagine, build and transform. Ideas take shape within Velocity’s collaborative community, evolving in programs, spaces and shared labs before beginning their commercialization journey into the world. But during all this momentum, one essential element had been missing — a visual reminder of the land and community that makes this innovation possible.

That reminder now lives in the lobby of Velocity and shared with everyone who passes through the doors.

“But coming to this place, we all have one mind. We all want to make the world a better place for someone else. That connection helps us stay grounded in our original instructions: to care for the Land, Mother Earth and one another, and to make life better, easier, happier and safer for someone else.”

Placed prominently at the entrance to Velocity, the mural is the first thing founders and visitors see when they enter.

The unveiling on January 20th opened with a smudging ceremony, followed by reflections from Elder Myeengun Henry, Indigenous knowledge keeper at Waterloo, who spoke about recognizing the Land and the responsibilities that come with working upon it.

“Everybody should feel that we are all human beings brought here with special gifts, talents and ideas,” Elder Henry says. “We share those gifts in the short time we live on this earth. I’m honoured that one of our great community artists has shared her vision and that this beautiful artwork will impact people every single day.”

The mural reflects Waterloo’s ongoing commitment to truth and reconciliation, and was developed through a collaborative, relationship-based process between Velocity and the Office of Indigenous Relations. The project was made possible through a generous donation from the Robinson Family Fund held at the Waterloo Region Community Foundation, illustrating the broader community’s support for art, education and indigenization.

“True reconciliation is not a single moment, phrase, act or symbol,” says Dr. John Lewis, interim associate vice-president, Office of Indigenous Relations. “It is sustained work grounded in trust, accountability and action that moves minds to where an Indigenous presence is not marginalized. It’s not on the side. It’s recognized, central, respected and woven into the everyday fabric of our lives and on our campuses.”

Elder Myeengun Henry, Indigenous knowledge keeper at the University of Waterloo, offered reflections at the mural’s opening ceremony on how Many Hearts, One Mind reminds the community of its responsibility to the Land. Photo credit by: Suleyman Begenjov, Velocity.

Jewell designed the artwork to capture the journey of transformation. Flowing stars throughout the piece represent ideas that begin with a single person before travelling onward, which are then tested, explored, questioned and strengthened through collaboration. These ideas ultimately converge in places like Velocity, where innovation has the power to reach the wider world. Elements of the natural landscape woven throughout the mural serve as a reminder that even within an urban setting such as downtown Kitchener, the Land continues to support and care for those within it.

For Jewell, the mural bridges art, innovation and Indigenous worldviews.

“Creation is a word that many Indigenous people use when referring to the Land or the natural world,” Jewell says. “I also think of the word creation when I’m making art and how the process connects with our understanding of the natural world as creation. There are a lot of similarities with the work being done at Velocity. When people are creating something for the first time, especially through a community-focused lens, I thought that was really special to combine all of those things.”

Lewis says Many Hearts, One Mind is both an expression of Indigenization and reconciliation, and a powerful reminder that innovation carries responsibility.

“Meaningful innovation is not only about what we build,” Lewis says. “It’s about how we build, who we build with and what responsibilities we carry as we do it. The Land has a remarkable ability to flourish in unlikely places, and that feels especially fitting here at Velocity, where ideas become action.”

Many Hearts, One Mind by local Indigenous artist Alanah Astehtsi Otsistohkwa (Morningstar) Jewell reflects the relationship between Velocity and the Land, inspired by the creativity and possibility she witnessed during her visit.

For Velocity founders, the mural offers both grounding and inspiration.

“As a founder, I believe it’s very important that Indigenous art is featured in the Innovation Arena,” says Nicholas Richard Cheng, master’s student and president of Velocity startup Evolv Biotech, whose work focuses on restoring the environment to its natural state.

“Kitchener–Waterloo is one of the most innovative places on Turtle Island, and every founder who begins their journey here has a story. But as anyone working in the environmental field knows, you can’t do it alone. Although our community of founders may work with different customers with different problems, we still end up with the same mission of making a positive difference in people’s lives. Recognizing the origins of the place we call home is critical for grounding our founding stories, so we can proudly display ourselves on the world stage.”

At Velocity, founders and students are building health-tech and environmental innovations that improve patient care and support a more sustainable future, including a health-care platform that eases nurses’ workload, autonomous robotic systems and self-cleaning solar technologies.

With Many Hearts, One Mind now on display, Velocity gains more than a mural. It gains a living reminder that innovation is strongest when it moves forward in relationship with people, community and the Land on which it takes shape.

Banner photo credit: Suleyman Begenjov, Velocity.