Four community-university projects co-led by Arts students and faculty members have received funding from the Spring 2024 Partnership Recognition and Exploration Fund (PRE Fund).
The PRE Fund offers up to $1,500 to address small resource gaps and facilitate reciprocal relationships between community partners and the university. Since its inception in 2017, the fund has invested $597,647 in 396 community-university partnerships, with about 50% supporting IBPoC-led (Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour) community organizations.
Learn more about the PRE-funded projects below.
Documenting Vocabulary in the Muskeg Seepee Dialect
- Community partner: Catlind Delorme, Environmental Assistant, Mountain Metis Community Association
- UBC partner: naskwâw Laframboise, Undergraduate student, Faculty of Arts
This project seeks to preserve the nêhiyawêwin dialect of Muskeg Seepee Coop by documenting flora and fauna vocabulary through traditional storytelling, songs, and academic methods. It unfolds in three stages: preparation (May-June), primary documentation (July), and data processing (August-October). Key collaborators include Caitlind Delorme and Elder Louis Joachim, with plans to involve more community Elders. The project aims to reconnect the community through language preservation and address social issues like poverty and depression while providing data for linguistic studies.
Empowerment Through Education: Bridging Cultures and Supporting Communities
- Community partner: Beverly Ho, Operations Manager, Yarrow Intergenerational Society for Justice
- UBC partner: Isabel Chen, Undergraduate student, Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory
This project empowers volunteers with workshops on sexual violence, harm reduction, and the cultural and social experiences of Indigenous and Black communities. By providing specialized training and fostering dialogue, it aims to create a respectful, inclusive environment. Activities include workshops on consent, bystander intervention, trauma-informed care, and non-judgmental support for sex workers. The project enhances cultural competence and promotes healing, empowerment, and equity within the UBC community and beyond.
Intertidal Kinning – Connecting to the Fraser Estuary
- Community partner: Sunshine Frere, General Manager, Other Sights for Artists’ Projects Association
- UBC partner: Ihomehe Agbebaku, Graduate student, Fraser Estuary Research Collaborative (FERC) – UBC Sustainability Scholars, School of Creative Writing
This project celebrates the Fraser Estuary with a two-week series of community events focused on environmental stewardship. It brings together community members, scientific experts, artists, and local eco-non-profits to foster a connection with this vital watershed. Activities include workshops, nature walks, and a symposium featuring UBC Fraser Estuary Research Scholars. The project aims to raise awareness, promote conservation, and involve Indigenous Elders and storytellers. All events are free, open to the public, and some will be live-streamed.
Palabras Madres/Mother Words: Bridging Peoples and Territories Through Poetry by Contemporary Indigenous Writers in Translation (Argentina – Chile – Canada)
- Community partner: Carolina Testa, Founder and Director of Inspirad@s Collective
- UBC partner: Dr. Maria Carbonetti, Lecturer, Department of French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies
This project will produce eight video capsules featuring Indigenous Mapuche and Canadian poets reciting their poetry and discussing their languages. Funded by the PRE Fund, the videos will include English and Spanish subtitles and be part of the “Palabras Madres/Mother Words” series. They will be shared on social media, in the media, and used as teaching resources. The videos will also be featured at Feria Internacional del Libro de Buenos Aires, supported by the Canadian Embassy, to connect Hispanic-Canadians and Spanish-speaking audiences with contemporary Indigenous poets and provide educational resources globally.