New Pathway for Learning and Conversation

This spring, 135 people gathered in Penticton, Vernon, and Kelowna for introductory Table Talks sessions co-hosted by Kelly Terbasket of IndigenEYEZ / kinSHIFT and Kim English of the Community Foundation.

Designed as an entry point into deeper learning, the gatherings invited participants to explore reconciliation, relationships, and community through storytelling, reflection, dialogue, and connection-building activities.

Kelly Terbasket of IndigenEYEZ reflected on the deeper purpose of Table Talks:

“For me, Table Talks is about coming together in community. In a time when many people are feeling so isolated or overwhelmed, the act of gathering around the table to share stories and listen to one another becomes a powerful form of change-making. It is through relationship — not information alone — that we build the conditions for trust, understanding, and collective action.”

Participants arrived with different experiences and reasons for attending, but a common theme emerged across all three communities: a desire to continue the conversation. Many expressed interest in learning alongside others and exploring how reconciliation connects to everyday concerns such as belonging, community, land, water, and caring for place.

To support participants in taking a next step, the Community Foundation is now offering Table Talks micro-grants for small, relationship-based gatherings, including shared meals, learning circles, film discussions, creative reflections, and community conversations. Grant recipients will also have access to the Table Talks toolkit, a curated resource list, and practical tools to help guide thoughtful conversations in their own circles and communities.

Kim English of the Community Foundation also noted the importance of staying with the learning:

“What stood out most was people’s willingness to stay with the learning — to listen, reflect, and keep showing up in relationship. This isn’t about having the right answers. It’s about how we continue, together, in a good way.”

The introductory sessions may have ended, but the conversations — and the relationships growing from them — are just beginning.

Join the conversation or start your own and apply for a Table Talks ReconciliACTION grant. Learn more and apply here.

For more information about Table Talks grants, contact Kim English kimenglish@cfso.net.