IONS is situated in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaw people. Unceded means that the Mi’kmaq have never relinquished, sold, traded, or transferred ownership of their land to European settler colonies, yet land was taken over without their consent through various processes of settler colonialism. This territory is covered by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship, which the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik people first signed with the British Crown in 1726. These Treaties did not involve the surrendering of rights to the lands and resources they had traditionally used and occupied. We are all Treaty People.

We further acknowledge that Nova Scotia is the birthplace of Black culture and heritage in Canada. People of African descent have shared these lands for over 400 years, and over 50 strong and resourceful African Nova Scotian communities exist here today.

We are committed to the struggle against systems of oppression that have resulted in profound inequities and the denial of self-determination rights. We are working actively to deepen our learning at an individual level, provide learning opportunities about anti-racism and decolonization, and to develop partnerships with organizations serving and led by underrepresented groups.
  • Apples, Onions & Peaches: Learning Organizations for Impact

    Apples, Onions & Peaches: Learning Organizations for Impact

    Annika Voltan Executive Director On Friday afternoons, the CSCNS team closes out the week with our A.O.P. meetings. They started several months ago when our colleague Emma shared that she uses “Apples, Onions, and Peaches” at the dinner table to encourage her young daughters to share what’s happening in their lives. This practice came up at a time when we were consciously looking for ways…

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  • Beyond Statements: Transformational Anti-racism Work is Relational

    Beyond Statements: Transformational Anti-racism Work is Relational

    At CSCNS, we have a little crush on Brené Brown and often find ourselves referencing her work in team meetings. While these days Brené borders on being a household name, her colleague Aiko Bethea is a lesser-known rising star. Brené and Aiko recently recorded two episodes on the Dare to Lead podcast (November 9, 2020…

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  • Green Lights for Grants

    Green Lights for Grants

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  • COVID-19: Themes from Interviews with Executive Directors

    COVID-19: Themes from Interviews with Executive Directors

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