Katie has a natural talent for translating dialogue into graphics. “Our Indigenous culture is more aligned with oral communication and storytelling, so I think graphic recording is complementary,” says Katie Laronde from Temagami First Nation, one of the 13 participants who completed CIER’s graphic recording training program. The above image is Katie’s graphic recording of a Wolverine workshop, which she created for her recently completed internship project with CIER.  

Katie Laronde currently performs graphic recording for her First Nation and other organizations on a contractual basis. “The graphic recording training I attended through CIER and ECCC was a huge game changer for me!” says Katie. “I started the training not knowing what graphic recording was and now I am obsessed. 

The national Species at Risk Act Consultation, Cooperation and Accommodation Project—SARA-CCA for short—is a partnership between CIER and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). This project helps facilitate Indigenous Nations’ participation in the listing and recovery planning processes for terrestrial species at risk as part of implementation of the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). 

The SARA-CCA project uses graphic recordings in the reporting of species-at-risk engagement sessions with Nations. Graphic recorders listen, synthesize, and draw conversations in real time to capture the ideas and knowledge being shared within a group. Graphic recording can be used to increase community engagement by fostering diverse learning styles (namely visual), promoting creative thinking, and encouraging collaboration. 

The CIER team is thrilled that Katie has been able to use the training to help her community and support herself while in school. “The training was so enjoyable, and the teachers were kind and took away the fear of drawing,” says Katie. “Since the program finished, I receive a new referral every week and enjoy providing graphic recording part-time while I attend school. It’s a great source of income and a great creative outlet!” 

In 2022-23, CIER invited members of Indigenous Nations involved in the SARA-CCA project to apply for a free graphic recording training program, with Drawing Change to deliver the training. The program occurred over five separate three-hour virtual sessions throughout the winter. The trainees had the opportunity to attend additional species-at-risk engagement sessions throughout the training program to practice their skills and observe how professional graphic recorders captured a session.  

Once training was completed, CIER provided opportunities for four of the trainees to participate in paid internship projects with CIER and Drawing Change to help the trainees hone their skills, receive ongoing mentorship, and build their portfolios. CIER has received excellent feedback from the program participants, as well as inquiries from partners who are interested in contracting Indigenous graphic recorders. 

For more information on CIER’s graphic recording training program, please contact Rachel at [email protected]