Yellowknifers hold march of hope for addictions awareness week

“Hope isn’t about just crossing your fingers, but showing up with calloused and love-filled hands.”

Christina Moore, an Indigenous youth worker at Yellowknife’s Tree of Peace Friendship Centre, brought that message – written on a poster – to Monday’s wellness walk through the city’s downtown.

Organized by the Tree of Peace, this year’s walk recognizing National Addictions Awareness Week had a theme of “anchoring hope.”

“It’s always so important to raise awareness about addictions but take a strength-based approach, and really focus on this year’s theme,” Moore told Cabin Radio.

“People don’t need shame or judgment. They really need hope, support, kindness, culture and community.”

A few dozen residents walked through the snow on Monday lunchtime carrying signs and placards that declared support for people going through mental health crises or navigating addictions.

“People, when they get together and they’re a collective, they’re stronger. And we’re stronger that way,” said Trevor Kasteel, a former business owner who came through his own mental health crisis and is now a community wellness worker at the Tree of Peace.

Byrne Richards has been involved with the Tree of Peace in various roles for more than 20 years. He jokes that he has tried to retire four times, only to find himself back at the friendship centre.

“Really, we need national addictions awareness year,” Richards said, as opposed to a mere week. But he believes the Tree of Peace is making a difference, in part through programs like Crackbusters, which is designed to help people get through addictions involving crack cocaine.

“It’s not a physical addiction, it’s a psychological addiction, which is far more powerful,” Richards said, “but there are things you can do to find your ways through it.”

Moore runs programs like beading circles, cooking, gardening and a variety of land-based activities, all targeted at youth. The aim, Moore said, is for the Tree of Peace to “use culture as a protective factor” in its work with young people.

“Anchoring hope is something that takes time,” Richards concluded. “But boy, oh boy does it ever have a positive result.”