Funnies/Ask Amy

Residential School Shame Needs Action Response

Dear Amy; I am a 22-year-old white Canadian who comes from a long line of settlers—colonizers?— and I was of course heartbroken with the recent news about the Residential Schools. But what do I do about it besides feel bad? How can a well-intentioned white girl be an ally or even more?
– Ashamed Canadian

Dear Ashamed: Being ashamed is a good start. Unfortunately, being sad and feeling bad isn’t an action; there is a lot white settlers can do and learn. “Canada” has been pretending to be something it isn’t— we are not the good we were trained to believe. Everyone needs to read the Truth and Reconciliation report. Indigenous peoples have been telling us about the atrocities of residential “schools” (prison camps) for years. “These horrors should come as no shock,” they have told us loud and clear. This is genocide and should be called so by our governments.

We have to listen to Indigenous leaders, one of whom, Cindy Blackstock is asking us to “hold Canada to account for its legal obligations and STOP fighting residential school survivors and First Nations kids.”

Write daily letters to your MP asking what they are doing to stop these court cases, and demand they fulfill the calls to action in the report.

It needs to be repeated, by mail and with phone calls, that they will not get your vote unless you see them make these changes.

Set aside a percentage of your income, and give money to Indigenous causes—there are many.

Buy Indigenous art, jewelry, books, movies, music: there is depth of culture, so much to learn, so much beauty within it to witness.

Listen and make space: there are so many incredible activists and artists to follow on social media.

With gratitude, these are just a few of the leaders I am listening to and learning from—Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, Tanya Talaga, Angus Anderson 900, Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, Naomi Sayers, Robert Jago, Christi Belcourt, Ryan McMahon and so many more…

Full-Time Crisis From Part-Time Creativity

Dear Amy: I have a full-time job and work as a freelancer in a creative field. As an artist yourself with multiple outlets (Stars, BSS, NEXT) how do you balance your time between projects and keep the creative juices flowing?
– Frustrated Freelancer

Dear FF: Nothing blooms all year round. There are periods where we must lay fallow. It’s something I remind myself if creative juices are not flowing. Trying every day to do something is something enough, sometimes. The roots will grow and the blooms will come eventually.

I admit juggling all the projects (and two kids!) works a certain part of my brain that has laid dormant this past year. It is a muscle that gets stronger the more I do it. Now that we are picking ourselves back up and planning shows, that part of my brain is coming awake again, but boy it feels like a potato trying to run a marathon.

Lastly, once I relaxed into the notion that one can’t actually have it all, it made losing some aspects of certain projects less stressful. It comes down to making choices, and sometimes that means we have to let go of the feeling that we must accomplish every ask and every task.

Sad To Go Solo, Friends a No Go

Dear Amy: Live music is back on in my city—Vancouver—and I want to go see new shows but my friends don’t feel ready to be in crowds yet, given COVID. I don’t really want to go alone… what should I do?
– Lonely Live

Dear Lonely: Many sweet fans have showed up to a Stars show alone but then left that same show with lifelong friends. You never know what kismet friendship might come from venturing solo!

One of my favourite memories is buying a solo ticket to Joel Plaskett and moving around the room by myself and having an experience that was just for me. Then I was lucky enough to say “Hi” to Joel. It lead to drinks with his band, and then somehow I ended up on a Ferris wheel!

You never know what can happen when you only have yourself to find adventure. Kickstart the party! When you tell your friends what an amazing time you had, surely they will be envious and join you the next time.

Let’s get back to music, singing together and dancing!!! Go vaccines!!!

Intern Yearns for Oregon Answers

Dear Amy: I recently got accepted for a great paid internship working for a Portland, Oregon- based shoe company. Turns out the job is mostly remote and I could do it from my home In Calgary. Should I save the money and work from home, or pay the extra cash and have an “American experience” living in Portlandia, even if I don’t really have to go to their office?
– Pondering Portland

Dear Ponder-er: Go! Even if it’s just for a few weeks, months?! You don’t have to commit—you could start slow by staying in an Airbnb. You will get to meet the people you work with, even if it’s not necessary to be around them every day. Go see the sea! Seaside Oregon is gorgeous.

Calgary isn’t going anywhere. Put a bird on your suitcase and have an adventure!

Amy Millan is a Canadian indie rock singer and guitarist. She records and performs with Stars and Broken Social Scene and has a successful solo career.

Have a question for Amy? askamy@nextmag.ca