Sweetgrass and CFWE news - March 30, 2016

Inaugural award goes to Indigenous fashion designer

March 30, 2016. Indigenous Graduate Award winner Derek Jagodzinsky is showing his latest fashion LUXX ready-to-wear collection Wednesday as part of Western Canada Fashion Week in Edmonton. Jagodzinsky is the inaugural winner of the provincial award, which celebrates Indigenous graduate students who identify as Indian/First Nations, Non-Status Indian/First Nations, Métis or Inuit. Jagodzinsky is a Whitefish First Nation member, a University of Alberta bachelor of design graduate (2010), a current graduate degree student in Industrial Design and a local fashion designer. “I always wanted to promote Native fashion and create a new, modern Indigenous look,” said Jagodzinsky. “Native culture is for everybody. It’s meant to be shared.” Jagodzinsky said he is honoured to be the first recipient of the award, which is based on academic achievement and potential, as well as the candidates' involvement in the Aboriginal community.     

Controlled burning in Slave Lake area

March 30, 2016. In order to help reduce the risk of fire, firefighters will be burning areas of dry grass in and around many communities in the Slave Lake Forest Area over the next several weeks. Burning helps to remove the dangerous build-up of dry grass that becomes prominent around many communities in the spring. Lack of snowfall this winter and lack of early spring moisture are reasons for concern. March 1 marked the start of the 2016 wildfire season. Fire permits are required for any type of burning in the Forest Protection Area, but campfires do not require a fire permit.

Bissell Centre promotes interim CEO

March 29, 2016. Interim CEO Gary St. Amand has been appointed new chief executive officer for Bissell Centre in Edmonton. St. Amand took over following the resignation of Mark Holmgren in November 2015. The board of governors selected St. Amand for the permanent position after a national search. As chief programs officer of Bissell Centre for the past three years, St. Amand was integral to the growth and strength of the organization and its mission to empower people to move from poverty to prosperity. St. Amand is also a member of the City of Edmonton’s EndPoverty Task Force Implementation Committee with a vision to eliminate poverty in the city within a generation. Bissell Centre, which has operated in Edmonton’s inner city since 1910, helps the homeless to find homes, supports families by offering free childcare, enables employment and life skills training, provides emergency food and clothing, counsels those with issues from mental health to fetal alcohol spectrum challenges, and empowers people in the community to lead prosperous lives. 

CBC to broadcast last three seasons of Blackstone

March 29, 2016. CBC has acquired the broadcast rights to air seasons three to five of the drama Blackstone. CBC previously broadcast seasons one and two as part of the network’s 2015 National Aboriginal History Month programming. “The CBC’s reinvestment in Blackstone is a true testament to our cast and crew, and to the unfiltered and compelling storytelling that has become a benchmark of the show,” said showrunner and director Ron E. Scott. Known for its “ripped from the headlines” approach to storytelling, the Blackstone series is a fictional yet authentic drama series that explores the raw and real dynamics of family, power and politics on a First Nation reserve. Blackstone is produced by Prairie Dog Film + Television. The series currently broadcasts in Canada on APTN, as well as in the United States, New Zealand and Australia. Blackstone has been nominated for 86 awards, including its most recent nomination for Best Dramatic Series in the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards. Broadcast and digital platform details for the remaining seasons on CBC will be announced at a later date.

Ambrose Place celebrates one year

March 29, 2016. Ambrose Place, opened last year in downtown Edmonton, is the first facility of its kind in the province. It provides harm reduction housing for individuals and couples, mostly of Indigenous ancestry, with a history of homelessness, mental illness, substance misuse and multiple chronic health conditions/disabilities. The residence, operated by Niginan Housing Ventures, includes 28 supportive living spaces contracted by Alberta Health Services, 14 affordable housing units, and community facilities available to all residents. Providing both supportive housing units and affordable housing units within the same building offers residents the opportunity to move from supportive housing to an independent living situation while remaining within their existing community. “This facility gives its residents a stable, supportive environment to call home, so that they can continue on a road which improves all aspects of their health,” said Jill Kelland, director of young adult and cross level services for addiction and mental health in AHS Edmonton Zone.