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School District No. 43 (Coquitlam)
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TD Commercial Banking donation to the Two Sisters Legacy Project at École Kwayhquitlum Middle School

May 20, 2022

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On Wednesday, May 17th, Grade 6/7 students from École Kwayhquitlum Middle School invited representatives from TD Commercial Banking to join their drumming circle to thank them for their generous support.

TD Bank provided a $5000 cheque to support the Indigenous drumming program at Kway called the Two Sisters Drumming Legacy Program, led by Madame Ledoux.

Thank you to our guests from TD Commercial Banking!

Doris Bear - Vice President at TD Bank Group, Head of Indigenous Financing Canada
Kevin Hamaoka- Senior Vice President, Business Banking
Zachary Lord, BBA, CFSA Area Manager, Business Banking at TD
Stephen Reid, CFA- Business Development | Relationship Management | Corporate Finance | Credit & Market Analysis
Eugene Lam, CFA- District Vice President - TD Commercial Banking

Thank you to the following guests who made this event more meaningful!
Christine Pollock, Trustee
Gerald Shong, Assistant Superintendent
Stephanie Maki, Principal of Indigenous Education
Ryan Williams, Indigenous Support Worker ​

The Two Sisters Drumming Legacy Program:

My name is Anika Ledoux. I am a status Saulteaux First Nations woman, drum keeper, and storyteller who currently teaches French Immersion at Kwayhquitlum Middle School. I started drumming with my students 3 years ago after I lost my little sister to addiction. As little girls, we use to drum proudly, but our experience in the schooling system was a traumatic one. Because we did not feel safe or supported at school due to the racism and prejudice from peers and teachers alike, we stopped drumming. It was a tough time to be Indigenous.

However, now that I've become a teacher in that same system, I've vowed to create the school community that myself and my sister needed as little girls. And so, I started the Two Sisters Drumming Legacy Program and promised my sister the following:

"To my most beloved sister, I work with our drums to teach our songs. I will work with our drums to create a school community in which Indigenous children find safety in their Allies. I know this will happen because the drum represents our mother's heartbeat. And it is with this teaching that I will create a language that will bring Indigenous children and teachers together with their much-needed Allies."

School District No. 43 (Coquitlam)

1080 Winslow Avenue, Coquitlam BC
V3J 0M6
604-939-9201 604-939-7828