Speaking Our Truth

Holding each other up with respect, dignity and kindness.

A comprehensive guide for teachers using Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation, a nonfiction book for middle readers, in the classroom.

Encourage children to show love and support for each other and to consider each other’s well-being in their everyday actions. Consultant, international speaker and award-winning author Monique Gray Smith wrote You Hold Me Up to prompt a dialogue among young people, their care providers and educators about reconciliation and the importance of the connections children make with others. With vibrant illustrations from celebrated artist Danielle Daniel, this is a foundational book about building relationships, fostering empathy and encouraging respect between peers, starting with our littlest citizens.

Drawing from the Aboriginal Healing Foundation¿s three-volume series Truth and Reconciliation¿which comprises the titles From Truth to Reconciliation; Response, Responsibility, and Renewal; and Cultivating Canada¿acclaimed veteran broadcast-journalist and host of The Next Chapter on CBC Radio Shelagh Rogers joins series editors Mike DeGagné and Jonathan Dewar to present these selected reflections, in reader format, on the lived and living experiences and legacies of Residential Schools and, more broadly, reconciliation in Canada.

A collection of powerful, deeply moving testimonies from men who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse shares their stories and adult experiences, outlines stages in the healing process, and offers hope, inspiration, and guidance for other survivors. Original.

In Speaking Your Truth you'll find 43 individual stories written by women for women. Their stories provide inspiration and heartfelt truths, some of which have never been shared before. Self-Discovery, Family Matters, Surviving to Thriving, Grief and Loss, Finding Your Path, and Faith and Spirituality are the topics covering Volume II of Speaking Your Truth."Speaking Your Truth provides a profound glimpse into the extraordinary internal lives of ordinary women we interact with every day. This book provides a compelling look into the heart of what it means to be human and opens up a new level of compassion for and interest in those around us. Not only do we recognize ourselves in these stories, but we learn to acknowledge the insightful and inspirational power of life living in every human being." Jesi-Grace Dobosz, clairvoyant healer and owner of Energetic Creations Life Coaching"Each story in this collection is a gem sparkling with truth and authenticity. Together, they comprise a kaleidoscope of inspiration that opens the heart and touches the spirit."Ashley Davis Bush, author of Shortcuts to Inner Peace and Transcending Loss"Real women sharing real issues offering REAL solutions that are both powerful and practical. A touching and inspiring must-read for any woman on the path to personal empowerment!"Debra Gano, CEO of BYOU "Be Your Own You," award-winning author of the Heartlight Girls series, and women's/girls' self-esteem expert"Reading Speaking Your Truth feels like each story is one told by a close friend. The book depicts the fragility of life and how our inner strength, faith and courage enable us to overcome all obstacles and help others do the same. Truly inspirational!" Becky Gl�ck is a daughter, a sister, a friend and an import manager"A brave and enlightening work that should be required reading for everyone. Each contributor has an important story to tell and does so with courage, honesty, and hope." Alice J. Wisler, author of Rain Song, How Sweet It Is, Hatteras Girl, A Wedding Invitation, and instructor at Writing the Heartache Workshops

"Notably centering Indigenous families and characters of color in personal and communal activities—and encouraging readers to evaluate their actions toward others.”—Publishers Weekly When We Are Kind celebrates simple acts of everyday kindness and encourages children to explore how they feel when they initiate and receive acts of kindness in their lives. Celebrated author Monique Gray Smith has written many books on the topics of resilience and reconciliation and communicates an important message through carefully chosen words for readers of all ages. Beautifully illustrated by artist Nicole Neidhardt, this book encourages children to be kind to others and to themselves.