This month’s blog is the story of a New Initiative grant recipient, Angelique Bulosan. When Angelique first contacted The Circle Way about a grant, they met via Zoom with the grant stewards (affectionately dubbed the ‘granties’) to share their intentional plan of involving Black, Indigenous or People of Colour (BIPOC) artists in a project called Colour Theory: Anti-Racism Art Exhibit. The New Initiative grant from The Circle Way supported Angelique to attend an online training to hone their circle facilitation skills, as their intention was to involve the artists in a series of facilitated Circle discussions that explored experiences around racism. The grant also provided honorarium funds for the eleven BIPOC artists involved in the Colour Theory project. We’re grateful to Angelique for sharing their reflections with the ‘granties’ for this month’s blog post.
The Circle Way + Colour Theory: Anti-Racism Discussion Series & Art Exhibit
In my regular work where I often facilitate provincial government meetings, I sometimes observe a lack of social and emotional safety for some team members to speak out. I've observed a hierarchical, patriarchal way of thinking that can perpetuate a colonial mentality. This can result in a lack of equity, specifically for the Indigenous communities that my work affects. Since participating in the Circle training, I gathered the courage to disrupt the flow of colonial thinking by offering a circle discussion in one of my projects. This is a huge deal because I'm proposing this to people who are quite higher than me in the hierarchy. I successfully co-created the circle discussion with a colleague and was the main facilitator.
As a result of the training I see that Circle is in all of our histories, and allows everyone to claim their seat in the shared leadership of the Circle as an equal. I’ve broadened my practice of using the Circle as much as possible, and the lens I look through is now: “How can I use The Circle Way to enrich everyone's experience?”
The Circle Way is the foundation of my social justice work. In 2021, I produced an art based anti-racism empowerment program, accompanied by public workshops.
My project was “Colour Theory: Anti-Racism Discussion Series & Art Exhibit”, showcased at three art galleries between September to December 2021 in Vancouver and Victoria, Canada.
Colour Theory is an art based anti-racism empowerment program at the intersection of art and racial justice. Eleven BIPOC artists participated in a series of facilitated Circle discussions that explored experiences around racism. The artists created visual art and personal written pieces inspired by these discussions. The Colour Theory artists collaboratively created a safe space for these conversations to happen with the intention for the exhibit to empower the public to self-reflect on the topic of racism.
In my circle facilitation, I particularly drew on the circle components of agreements, check-in, check-out, and the principle of shared responsibility to care for the circle. I also used the book Embers by Richard Wagamese to evoke questions for the circle.
The intention of the project has been to support BIPOC artists to build community, express themselves, and inform the public in a non-blaming, non-shaming way. The purpose is to empower each of us to self reflect and offer insights to each other and the public through our stories and art. This is about caring for and nurturing the community we live in. This is about collective healing, and I'm so proud of what all the artists and I accomplished together.
Left to right: Kristy Crawford, Angelique Bulosan, Matilde Cervantes, Rowan Hynds, Robyn Jin, Jade Anais, Leting Cai
My name is Angelique Bulosan (they/she). My ancestry is Filipino and I was born and raised on unceded, stolen Lekwungen Territory - colonially known as Victoria, BC. During the day, I'm the Manager of Inclusion & Diversity for the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. In the evenings and on the weekends I'm an artist and social justice facilitator.
I endeavour to learn more about Indigenous Reconciliation and have supported the integration of the Aboriginal Policy & Practice Framework at my work since 2017.
I proudly support safer spaces for BIPOC as a member of the steering committee for the BC Public Service BIPOC Employee Resource Group, and leadership team for Sweet Refuge, a BIPOC mindfulness meditation group. In 2022, I will be leading two separate youth initiatives at the intersection of art, social justice and racial justice.
I’m a cat-lover, paddleboarder - and I’m genuinely energized by meeting new people and making connections! Learn more at AngeliqueBulosan.com