Isadore Charters-Artist’s Story from Jef Gibbons on Vimeo.

I’ve been reading a book about “influence” – how to effect change in people’s behaviour. It’s fascinating – as a parent, as a partner, as a person who writes marketing and community outreach stuff – to hear about what it takes to inspire people to be their best selves. One of the most effective ways is through story, which plays to my biases, for sure.

The news has been full of headlines and opinions this week about First Nations and title claims and OCPs. Litigation. Adversarial kind of stuff.

It leaves a lot of room for more story.

Luckily, Isadore Charters has one to tell. And he’s going to be offering it at the Xetolacw Community School in Mt Currie tonight at 4pm, as a guest of the Pemberton Christian Fellowship.

Isadore Charters is taking his Healing Pole to schools and churches around BC to speak about who he is and what he has been through – it’s part of his healing journey as a person who was sent to Residential school.

It’s being billed as a Reconciliation and Friendship event. And that strikes me as a beautiful invitation to accept.