From moccasins to the Green Party
November 12th, 2020
A member of the Ktunaza First Nations of the Columbia and Kootenay Rivers region of British Columbia, Earl Einarson, formerly a foster child, wrote and illustrated a story for children about an Aboriginal foster child who has a positive experience when his foster mother gives him a gift of moccasins and encourages him to take pride in his Indigenous heritage.
The Moccasins (Theytus, 2004) was illustrated by Julie Flett in Penticton and purchased in an order of 600 copies by Alberta Family Services. It received a nomination for a 2005 B.C. Book Prize. Fast forward fifteen years and Earl Einarson ran as Green Party candidate in the 2020 BC provincial election in Richmond-Queensborough with a campaign budget of $400.
“That laptop really is my campaign headquarters,” he said. Having worked as a Student Advisor and AABE Aboriginal Adult Basic Education Instructor at the NEC Native Education College in East Vancouver, he became Director of Indigenous Innovation and Development at the First Nations Technology Council – a B.C.-based, Indigenous led non-profit that creates and delivers technology sector training for Indigenous Peoples throughout B.C.
Einarson is a graduate of the Royal Roads MALAT program, offering an MA in Learning and Technology.
“My worldview is informed by my Indigenous belief that all is connected; including all of us. Inclusiveness is important to me. We are all connected to the lands and we need to all work together to ensure that we do all that we can do so that the next generations are able to enjoy fresh air, clean water and regenerative soils. Indigenous Peoples speak about the seven generations to come, and we are all responsible to speak out and act on behalf of the lands for those coming generations. We can respect these lands as we rebuild from the pandemic. Economic recovery can be responsible in its approach, and can be fully inclusive. No person should be left out of the advantages of the recovery to come.”
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