Students in Victoria learn about reconciliation through Monique Gray Smith's book Speaking Our Truth
Author Monique Gray Smith's latest book Speaking Our Truth is a young person's guide to reconciliation. On Oct. 12, 2018, a group of young people in Victoria met with Smith to learn about the concept firsthand.
The nonfiction book is one of five titles nominated for the $50,000 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award and features reflections from young people on the theme of reconciliation. One of these youth voices is a student at Victoria's Selkirk Montessori — the school Smith visited as part of one of a number of TD Kids Book Clubs taking place across Canada.
At the school, Smith spoke about the overwhelming response to her search for young voices to feature in her award-nominated book and the lasting impression that one Selkirk student made on her during a previous visit.
Participating students were invited to ask questions about the book, about Indigenous-settler relations in Canada and about the concept of allyship. They were joined by CBC Radio's North by Northwest host Sheryl MacKay, who has also been asking schools across British Columbia to share their own stories about actions they're taking to promote reconciliation in the classroom.
