September 30th: The Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2025

As the organizations core leadership team, The ARIDO Board and staff are constantly working to identify how ARIDO levels up its’ commitment to ongoing learning related to Canada’s history with its Indigenous peoples and communities, by engaging in meaningful education, dialogue, and workshops that deepen our understanding and guide our path forward in reconciliation.

Workshop with Two Row Architect: Embracing Indigenous Values in Design

ARIDO was proud to invite Two Row Architect, an indigenous-led and owned architectural firm, to facilitate participants for a full day workshop. We were joined by Luciano Bonini, Marketing Director – Canada at Shaw  Contract Canada, our Truth and Reconciliation partner.

The focus of the workshop included:

• Understanding indigenous design values and how they are integrated with interior spaces.
• Learning Two Row Architect’s indigenous leadership approach to design, with projects showcased as examples.
• Facilitation by Two Row Architect to assist in uncovering what role participants, as leaders in the design community, can serve to further Truth and Reconciliation in Ontario and Canada, and how does this role support and further their leadership roles and responsibilities within their own organizations.

ARIDO will work together with Two Row Architect to develop a white paper that documents this workshop as a case study, to be published within the design industry.

Brian Porter of Two Row Architect – speaker at the 2024 ARIDO Summit & AGM

Brian Porter, an Indigenous Architect and owner of Two Row Architect presented to the members on Indigenous led-design about connecting design to the earth and designing for 7 generations from a sustainability and visionary perspective – in-person at Haworth Showroom.

The session looked to explore the ways in which the natural history of a place, including its relationship with Indigenous peoples, can be woven into the very fabric of a project’s interior design.

A virtual tour of the Woodland Cultural Centre and Education Session with Métis  educator Sheila Grantham

Members of ARIDO’s Board of Management, staff and the team at Shaw Contract had the opportunity to participate in a virtual tour of the Woodland Cultural Centre, a former residential school site as part of the association’s recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

This was part 2 of our recognition of the day and in advancement of reconciliation.

Part 1 took place during a meeting of the Board of Management where Sheila Grantham, a Métis Educator and Indigenous Pedagogy and Curriculum Consultant, held an education session on her work with Indigenous students.

Part 3 took place during a sharing circle where participants shared their experience and takeaways.

Fire Side Chat with Chief Joseph presented by Matrix 360

The Board of Management, Equity, Diversity, Advancement and Accessibility Committee, and ARIDO staff had the opportunity to listen to Chief Joseph as he shared his experience as a boy in the residential school system, his journey as a survivor, and leadership within his community of Gwawaenuk First Nation and beyond.

Chief Joseph encouraged everyone to explore the small steps we can each take to advance reconciliation and to integrate these steps in daily life.⠀

As ARIDO’s journey towards advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility continues, the leadership, Board and staff within the organization will continue their individual and collective education and development.