CITAP program aims to break down barriers

By Alexandra Noad - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on October 30, 2024.

Herald photo by Alexandra Noad Faith Wanjiku, operations officer for the Centre for Public Safety Applied Research, and criminal justice student Sierra Stumborg are part of the Community Integration Through Art Pissatsinaskssini (CITAP) program.

Members of the Centre for Public Safety Applied Research (CPSAR) at Lethbridge Polytechnic are hosting a weekly arts-based, social recreation, peer support program to encourage friendships as well as education of Blackfoot language and culture.

Community Integration Through Art Pissatsinaskssini (CITAP) is a research study which will plan, develop, implement and evaluate an arts-based social recreational peer support program in partnership with the Ninastako Cultural Centre.

Jami Albright-Tolman, lead researcher for CITAP and an instructor in the Criminal Justice program at the Polytech, says the end goal of the research is to not only make CITAP a permanent part of Lethbridge’s community but also to break down barriers between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

“One of our big goals is to get Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the same room together, so we can start to break down some barriers and really sort of contribute toward the goals on reconciliation here in our city,” said Albright-Tolman.

While these events are open to everyone, there is a focus on people who feel marginalized.

Faith Wanjiku, operations officer for CPSAR, is an immigrant from Kenya and says she believes many immigrants would be able to connect with Indigenous history as many of them have endured similar situations with colonialism in their own country.

Wanjiku says before she came to Canada she was sent to a boarding school and was forced to speak English, instead of her tribe’s language. Because of this she finds it difficult to speak with her grandmother since she no longer knows the language.

Sierra Stumborg, assistant researcher and Criminal Justice student, says she plans on taking the conversations she has with her when she enters the policing field.

“There’s been a lot of disadvantages because of systemic racism and going into the field as a young person, I want to definitely change that, so knowing the background and knowing what can help the (Indigenous) population is definitely to my benefit,” said Strumborg.

Stumborg says she decided to go into policing because she wants to be able to help as many people as possible, before she dies, especially those who are facing the worst days of their life.

Before Albright-Tolman became an instructor at the polytechnic, she spent almost two decades as a federal parole officer for Correctional Service Canada and has seen how poorly Indigenous people have been treated in the criminal justice system.

Albright-Tolman says she is optimistic about the people who are entering the criminal justice field, especially those who are coming from the polytechnic.

“We have a really good crop of students coming through. We’re seeing much less of the ‘oh it’s going to be exciting’ and ‘I’m going to kick down doors’ sort of reason for coming into policing these days,” said Albright-Tolman.

CITAP is free to attend as is held weekly with the location alternating between the Sunflower Room at Lethbridge Polytechnic and the Public Library’s Main Branch downtown.

Refreshments are also served at each gathering.

More information on CITAP can be found on their website at citapprogram.com.