Before It’s Too Late: Let’s Turn Words Into Action
by Broden Halcrow-Ducharme
Talking about change is easy. Action takes work. That’s why we call it a call to action. Awareness is an important step, but what matters most is what we do next.
Across the country, Indigenous families, youth, and communities are showing what real action looks like. Patrol groups, safe spaces, and support networks are being built from the ground up by people who refuse to wait. These aren’t big organizations, but everyday people helping each other, walking someone home, offering rides, checking in, and listening. Each small act adds up, and together they make a difference. Community patrols like the Bear Clan, for example, were started because families wanted safer streets and faster responses when someone needed help. They show what community care looks like in action.
Teaching respect, consent, and relationships through culture and community helps young people understand their value and how to protect one another. Land-based learning, language, and ceremony remind them who they are and where they come from, building confidence and belonging. For many Indigenous youth, these cultural teachings fill a gap left by colonial systems that disconnected families from traditional roles, guidance, and safe spaces to learn about identity.
Training also plays a major role in prevention and safety. Workshops on crisis response, first aid, mental health, and trauma-informed care help prepare people to act when needed. Training should reach everyone, including community members, teachers, health workers, and first responders, so that care and awareness are shared at every level. When more people are trained and confident, fewer moments of danger turn into loss. Training doesn’t always mean classrooms or certificates. Sometimes it’s learning from Elders, teachings, and lived experience, the kind of knowledge that saves lives. These programs not only build skills but strengthen trust and connection across generations.
Technology has also become part of this work. Text groups, social media pages, and community alerts help spread the word quickly when someone needs help or goes missing. These tools save time and connect people faster. In many regions, community-run pages have stepped in where official systems are slow to respond, proving how strong and connected local networks can be.
Everyone has a part to play. For individuals, it starts with small actions such as listening, reaching out, and speaking up when something feels wrong. Families can keep communication open and support each other through hard times. Communities and organizations can create safe spaces, offer training, and back Indigenous-led programs that protect and empower. Governments must move from talk to real action by funding Indigenous-led safety, housing, and mental health programs. Leaders need to listen, be transparent, and stand with the people they serve. Real action means long-term support, not just pilot programs or one-time funding, but consistent partnerships that let communities lead their own solutions.​
