Susan Aglukark's Conversation Leaves Challenge

Susan Aglukark is challenging Indigenous youth to do something pretty simple: talk.

The Juno-winning Inuk musician shared a new challenge for youth called the “Conversation Leaves Challenge” in a post on Facebook earlier this week.

“The goal behind this challenge is to give our youth a place and a safe method/outlet where they can ask questions both of themselves and for others,” she wrote.

So how does it work?

First, draw a stem and three leaves. Then colour in the drawing. After that, fill in the sides of the stem and leaves with some thoughts and ideas or things that need some answers or resolutions, about your life. The challenge itself is to forward this drawing (snap a photo of it and send via FB messenger, text or email or even just sit down in person with a few friends) and begin a conversation about what you’ve written on the leaves.

You can leave the conversation when you’ve resolved at least one of the comments or questions.

Aglukark provided an example to help us out. One of the comments on her leaf was: “You don't have to have all of the answers all the time” and the answer she came up with served as a kind of release.

“This statement released me of trying to be everything to everyone but in reality,” she wrote “I am only as good as I am any given day, I realized I can't be perfect everyday so I have learned to tell people; ‘this is me, this is the best I have right now but I commit to trying to be better tomorrow. Don't judge me when you don't know what kind of a day I have had or am having’.”

And her resolution: “I am only as good as I am today for myself.”

Take the challenge and let us know what your resolutions are!