Leadership for Life Promotion: An Indigenous Approach to Suicide Prevention

Join Teacher in Training (Ozhiitaa Jig) Connor Lafortune for a 45 minute overview of Feather Carriers and their approach to life promotion.

Life Promotion is an approach to suicide that focuses on root causes and appealing to the spirits of individuals. Instead of reacting in the moment to suicidal ideation, life promotion builds those motivations to live that help individuals overcome painful and hopeless times in their lives. These teachings are drawn from many cultures and points of view; Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, Mi’kmaq, Michif, and others. Rather than treating the crisis of suicide in isolation, we see suicide as one of many outcomes, (including addiction and unhealthy relationships), that occurs as a result of loss of meaning in life and connection to others. The way to address this is through developing a sense of identity and knowledge of one’s spirit. This will give us the anchors needed to weather the storms of life.

"Life promotion from an Indigenous worldview speaks to our core belief that all life is a sacred gift from our Creator. As such all life is meant to be respected and treated with equal reverence. At the same time Indigenous beliefs and values promote and respect the free will that Creator has gifted to all... In short life promoters are encouraged to use all of their gifts to support all life forms to live life to its fullest potential as our Creator intended". -Dr. Ed Connors

About the Facilitator

Connor Lafortune is from Dokis First Nation on Robinson Huron Treaty territory of 1850 in Northeastern Ontario. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree at Nipissing University with a Double Honors Major in Indigenous Studies and Gender Equality and Social Justice. He is currently in the Masters in Indigenous Relations at Laurentian University. Connor is Anishinaabek, Queer, and Francophone. He works primarily in Life Promotion, harm-reduction, mental health, and Indigenous education through organizations such as the Feather Carriers: Leadership for Life Promotion, School Mental Health Ontario, Cannabis and Psychosis Canada, and the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Above all else, Connor is a poet, an activist, a shkaabewis (helper), and a compassionate human being.

About Feather Carriers

Feather Carriers is an Indigenous-led grassroots, national organization, born through the shared vision of their founders in response to the needs of families, communities and organizations asking for something more regarding the issue of suicide. The movement of life promotion is to cultivate inherent life promoting Indigenous knowledge while nurturing community sovereignty on a personal, local, national and international level. You can learn more about Feather Carriers on their website, here: https://feathercarriers.earth/.

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, July 10, 2024
• Time: 6:00pm-6:45pm AST
• Location: Online (open to everyone)

This event is proudly supported by the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia and is being offered as part of Healthy Minds Cooperative's Circle of Support, a network for queer, trans, 2Spirit people and their educated allies to learn and share on topics of suicide prevention and life promotion within the community. For more information about the Circle and to join for more events like this one, fill out the interest form on our website: https://www.healthyminds.ca/2slgbtqia-suicide-prevention.