A former teacher, Natalie's Master's thesis in Education looked at bringing social justice issues into the classroom to foster active, engaged citizens. She brings this passion for education and human connection with her to CPJ and looks forward to building collaborative learning communities that foster solidarity, compassion, and justice. Natalie is grateful for the influence of many different Christian traditions on her journey of faith. She envisions a church united in God’s call to love our neighbour, living in faithful witness of the gospel of reconciliation and renewal.
Poverty in Canada is a crisis that needs to be prioritized. The fact that we do not see it this way betrays some of our deeply held beliefs about who is poor, why people are poor, and what (if any) are the responsibilities of governments and citizens to do something about it.
For much of my journey of faith, walking in the way of Christ was discussed largely on the individual level (i.e. your personal relationship with Christ). Several years ago, however, I began exploring a more communal vision of our calling and witness. I was also engaging more with social justice issues and was learning to take a more systems approach to change. In both my faith and the pursuit of social justice, I began to see the power of the collective. And perhaps more importantly, I became more aware of those ahead of me who were already well into the work.
From the Catalyst, Summer 2018
Engagement Organizing: The Old Art and New Science of Winning Campaigns
By Matt Price
On Point Press, 2017
Reviewed by Natalie Appleyard
The let’s-do-this-together organizer in me had many a great a-ha moment while reading this book. I had to stop taking notes because it was essentially turning into copyright infringement. This is an excellent book for anyone who loves bringing people together for a common cause, not only because of its smart and strategic insights, but because of the integrity of its practices.
After nine years of calling for a national anti-poverty plan, we have finally been told that the government’s Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy (CPRS) will be released this year. With this in mind, the Dignity for All (DfA) campaign took advantage of a critical moment. From May 14 to 18, supporters were asked to meet with or call their MPs with a united message: pass legislation that will set us on a course for dignity for all!
This month, CPJ and the Dignity for All campaign released Living in the Gap: A Snapshot of Precarity in Canada. This report includes six infographics highlighting households across Canada struggling to make ends meet. These profiles represent compilations of typical people’s experiences, with numbers drawn from the actual communities in which they are situated.
The main message of the report is that if we are serious about ending poverty, we need more than piecemeal programs and siloed approaches.
