Bridge Builders: Relationships key, Lisa Primavesi says

Superior Morning3:40Building Bridges - Lisa Primavesi

We'll meet another one of our cross-cultural bridge builders and find out how a teaching experience in a remote community helped one Thunder Bay woman change her perspective on First Nations.

After more than two decades as an outdoor educator in Thunder Bay, Lisa Primavesi headed north to get an education about life in remote First Nations. 

When she returned to the city, the 48-year-old built on the relationships she made in the north, to create cross-cultural bridges in Thunder Bay.

"I didn't know what I didn't know about First Nations communities and cultures. I was incredibly ignorant and naive and the community was very welcoming," Primavesi said. "I learned an immense amount and when I came back to Thunder Bay to continue working some of those relationships have stayed with me."

'Relationships are true and real'

Primavesi said she maintains ties with a number of her former students, some of whom have also moved to the city.

"I take some of them to hockey with me, and so they've become part of my social fabric and its really extended their social connections in Thunder Bay," she said.

The strong connections she witnessed while teaching in the First Nation are a model for Primavesi.

"My experience was in complete juxtaposition with a lot of media representation, a lot of what you see and what you hear about relations and I thought: 'I know what's true and real and the relationships are true and real'," she said.

 "That's what I'm interested in pursuing and that's what I'm interested in encouraging in others, is to find out what is true and real about Indigenous people, Indigenous culture. That is the foundation for change."

'Cultural immersion'

Primavesi encourages other non-Aboriginal people to do some form of  "cultural immersion" such as taking part in Indigenous cultural events in the city.

"Any time that an Indigenous organization or community is reaching out and saying 'come all', they really mean come all," she said. "It's a great opportunity to learn about the culture and meet people and you'll start to realize the warmth of the people in the culture."

You can meet Lisa Primavesi and other cross-cultural bridge builders at CBC's community forum, taking place Oct. 1 at Confederation College. Join the discussion about building bridges across the racial divide in Thunder Bay, beginning at 7 p.m.