The Jeffrey McNeil-Seymour Legacy Fund is an initiative that wishes to support and lift up Two-Spirit peoples, as a way to continue the rich work and vision of our beloved brother, friend, and comrade.
The fund embodies Jeff’s spirit and values and wishes to uplight Two-Spirit people through all of their endeavours – be it academic, artistic, community-driven or spiritual – as well as initiatives that bring Two-Spirit people safety, comfort, healing and joy.
The fund wishes to continue Jeffrey’s work of offering guidance to those who seek it, providing opportunities to connect grant recipients to their culture and identity, and support the rebuilding of relationships with the land, water, air and all living beings.
The Jeffrey McNeil-Seymour legacy fund is a journey that understands that Two-Spirit communities are innate leaders and hold ample amounts of ancestral knowledge for decolonizing Turtle Island and re-establishing balance between the cosmos, Mother Earth and all living beings.
When we first started organising around the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women almost 20 years ago there was no hashtag yet. No More Silence has always strived to centre the most vulnerable and call attention to the community members experiencing the highest rates of violence. We learned quickly that we needed to centre sex workers and folks involved in street economies, along with Two Spirit people. We included a Two Spirit big drum at our February 14th feast. Now, some years later, many others involved in this work have expanded the hashtag they use to MMIWG2S (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two Spirit People) and understand as we do that along with folks with disabilities, Trans and Two Spirit people experience the highest rates of violence and premature death by murder and suicide in the Indigenous community.
Here’s what the fund will aim to do:
- Jeffrey was a fairy godmother to a lot of people. The fund will reflect that.
- Recipients of the fund will have access to our Hummingbird Healing Lodge, spiritual guidance and support.
- Jeff supported several people connecting to their Two Spirit identity. The fund will support endeavours to provide such mentorship and guidance.
- Jeff loved to dance and to have fun. The fund will encourage such activity and energy.
- Jeffrey was an artist. The fund will also go towards people creating artwork.
- Jeffreys’ medicine was bringing people together, regardless of where that person was at “We can’t judge people on the medicine that they need”. Projects with a harm reduction approach will be supported.
- All bodies are valued and all circumstances are valued.
- We will avoid creating hoops for applicants to jump through. There will be no barriers like age for what they are doing.
- The recipients will be Two Spirit people, the focus will be what that Two Spirit person needs.
- We hope in time that the fund can include an element of mutual aid and provide for what individuals need in times of scarcity..
- The selection committee will be composed of Two Spirit community members.
- There is iniquity in the healthcare system that created some barriers for Jeff. That will be considered in the fund/recipients.
- The fund could support Indigenous people reclaiming their identities. There are folks out there who have indigenous ancestry and a yearning to connect but don’t know how.
- Jeff was a land defender and Two Spirit initiatives in land protection and defence will be supported.
Our goal is to have raised at least $100,000.00 over the next year. We hope to announce the first recipients at the gathering in T’kemlups on June 26, 2024 in ceremony with his loved ones.
We are asking that you help us by donating if you can to the Zeffy fundraising platform or sharely widely. It is hosted by No More Silence and Zeffy takes no percentage or fee. In time, we will consider incorporation to enable the provision of CRA receipts and/or working with a partner institution to this end. We intend to reach out and gather support in the many worlds that Jeffrey walked in. We will hold fundraisers and seek the guidance of philanthropic organisations experienced in such work. Your input is appreciated! You can reach us via email at nomoresilenceorg@gmail.com or via our FB page No More Silence.
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/5e38b181-ead8-480e-9879-fcf9dcd865fb
All Our Relations in Support of the Jeffrey McNeil-Seymour Legacy Fund so his Force #CarriesOn!
Audrey Huntley
Co-Founder, No More Silence
