Third-year B.PAPM student Graham Shonfield is living in a makeshift tent outside the University Centre for four days to raise awareness about the housing crisis in Attawapiskat. He is also soliciting donations for Shannen’s Dream, an initiative of the First Nations Caring Society.
“Shannen Koostachin was a girl from Attawapiskat who had a dream to have a school in her community,” Graham says, “so the money I raise will be going towards providing safe schools and adequate education for all First Nations children.”
Donations to the First Nations Caring Society can be made at: http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=s93001
To donate to the Red Cross Attawapiskat Project, visit: http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=41676&tid=001 and click ‘Donate Now’ on the page.
“My experience living outside the University Centre has been quite a good one,” Graham says. “People are very generous. One man has loaned me his parka, winter boots and mitts. Without him I think I would have frozen! My friends have supported me with tons of food and hot drinks and blankets, and I even had three friends help fix my tent. People are very willing to help out and they really care about me, which has filled me with such happiness and strength to keep staying out here. ”
While a second-year student, Graham made the documentary Life on the Reserve, about the Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek community (Gull Bay First Nation) and the challenges they face. Watch a trailer for the film at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evw-jXLczlo