Open to: All are welcome! You must have a BCIA or a Guest account to register. Only one participant per registration is permitted.

Dawn Morrison’s two-part series on the Introduction to the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Toolkit builds on previous BCIA hosted workshops with Janis Brooks of Salishan Solutions and insights from Jacob Beaton and Tea Creek’s Indigenous-led food sovereignty work. Indigenous communities have faced significant loss of access to traditional foods and lands, and Indigenous food sovereignty offers a restorative, community-led framework for reconciliation, health, and sustainable, equitable food systems.

During these sessions, participants will explore the From the Ground Up Toolkit as a framework connecting Indigenous food systems to Agrologists’ areas of practice, from land and resource management, environmental restoration, and community engagement. Dawn will discuss ideas that encourage participants to move beyond awareness toward deeper understanding, tying Indigenous ecological knowledge and values of reciprocity, balance, and stewardship to the scientific and applied principles that guide professional agrology. Participants will reflect on how Indigenous-led food systems strengthen community, culture, and sustainability.

Over these sessions, you’ll explore how to access and respectfully engage with the Toolkit, reflect on cultural safety and positionality, and prepare for a deeper immersion in Bundles 1- 4 in 2026. This event offers a meaningful step toward aligning agrology practice with reconciliation, relationship-building, and sustainable land-based approaches.

Each session is $30, or grab both for $50, saving you $10, which you could potentially invest in something delicious to snack on during the sessions. Maybe a box of doughnuts… or one really fancy doughnut🍩. _{(BCIA does not offer financial or dietary advice. This is merely a serving suggestion. For investment or nutritional guidance, please consult your financial advisor or nutritionist.)}

Session 1: Orientation & Learning Objectives (Dec 9) - Register separately HERE

This session will serve as an intake and orientation session for participants interested in a full immersion experience in the From the Ground Up Toolkit.

The session will cover:

• Overview of Bundles #1–4 (Included in learning materials after sign-up)

• Learning objectives and participant expectations

• Discussion on maintaining the integrity of the Toolkit materials

• Introduction to the values of interdependence, reciprocity, and ecological sensibility that guide Indigenous food systems

Session 2: Relationship Building & Cultural Safety Assessment (Dec 10)

This session will focus on relationship building, cultural safety, and positionality, including:

• Understanding how to access and respectfully use the Toolkit

• Guided discussion on participants’ positionality and their work’s relationship to Indigenous food sovereignty

• Completion of an intake questionnaire to support future learning

About the Toolkit

The From the Ground Up Toolkit was developed through the Indigenous Food Systems Network as a resource for individuals and organizations seeking to engage respectfully in Indigenous food sovereignty planning. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of land, health, culture, and economy, rooted in values of respect, reciprocity, and ecological balance.

The toolkit explores four core bundles of knowledge, each representing essential aspects of Indigenous food systems, from land stewardship to cultural revitalization.

Download HERE

Why It Matters

Since colonization, Indigenous communities have experienced loss of access to healthy, traditional foods and lands. Indigenous food sovereignty provides a restorative framework for reconciliation, health, and sustainable community development, uniting all who care about equitable food systems and ecological integrity.

As Secwepemc Elder Jones Ignace reminds us, - “Food will be what brings the people together.”

Presenter

Dawn Morrison, of Secwépemc ancestry, is the Founder and Curator of the Working Group on Indigenous Food Sovereignty. For over 16 years, she has been a leading voice in advancing Indigenous food sovereignty through her work in horticulture, ethnobotany, adult education, and land-based healing. Internationally recognized as a published author and advocate, Dawn’s work bridges Indigenous knowledge with social justice, climate action, and regenerative food systems. Her initiatives, including the Wild Salmon Caravan, Indigenous Food and Freedom School, and Dismantling Structural Racism in the Food System, reflect her lifelong commitment to decolonizing food systems and fostering cross-cultural understanding.

Additional Information

Further details on how to access the Toolkit and related resources will be provided after registration.

For more about the Indigenous Food Systems Network, visit: Indigenous Food Systems Network  

If you register for both sessions (each session is a separate registration), please use the discount code "DOUGHNUT".