As we continue the journey to deepen our understanding of Truth and Reconciliation and what that means for us personally and within the field of social work, the passing of Murray Sinclair on November 4, 2024 invites us to pause and reflect on core elements of this journey: relationships, intention, and connection.
This work calls us to create brave space so that we can meet one another with open hearts and minds in relationship, to connect and engage in intentional dialogue about hard truths and the implications of these for us as human beings and as social workers.
Truth and Reconciliation isn’t about creating guilt or shame, but rather an invitation to pursue equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice in a meaningful and impactful way.
It is also not about grand gestures. It is about determining the little things that we can shift to establish a pattern of behaviour that then becomes a part of who we are and how we choose to show up every day. These little changes culminate into bigger impacts.
Murray believed that as individuals we can make significant contributions to advancing Truth and Reconciliation. Through our willingness to get uncomfortable, to engage in deep listening and learning about the hard truths within the history of this nation, and to unpack our biases and be gently curious with ourselves about where these come from and how they inform and influence how we show up. Murray believed that this is where personal and collective healing lay.
To carry on his legacy and to honour the tireless work he did, we invite you to consider how you might create ripples of reconciliation in the circles that you belong to.
On behalf of the School of Social Work, Joanna White & Trish Van Katwyk