Featuring:

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  Cheryl Bear

  Cheryl Bear, from Nadleh Whut’en First Nation, is well known as an important and respected voice on behalf of Canada’s Indigenous peoples, a speaker and teacher who has travelled to over 600 Indigenous communities in Canada and the United States sharing her songs and stories. She also visits non-Native communities (schools, government, churches and businesses) holding workshops to raise awareness and understanding of Indigenous issues.

  Cheryl is a multi-award winning singer/songwriter who shares stories of Indigenous life through story and song. She has released three albums: Cheryl Bear (self-titled), The Good Road, and A’BA. Cheryl’s albums have received three Indigenous People’s Choice music awards, two Covenant Awards and a Native American Music Award.

  Cheryl is a founding board member of NAIITS, an Indigenous learning community. She is also an Associate Professor at Regent College in Vancouver, BC. Cheryl has an earned Doctorate from The King’s University in Los Angeles, and a Master of Divinity degree from Regent College. Her doctoral work presents an approach to First Nations ministry from the foundations of Indigenous worldview and values. She believes that leaders who are more fully informed about Indigenous worldview, culture and values will see a dramatic increase in their effectiveness in ministering to Indigenous people in North America as well as the practical missiological and theological principles explored can be implemented in any cross-cultural ministry context.

  Cheryl served two terms (4 years) as a band councillor for her community of Nadleh Whut’en First Nation from April 2014 to April 2018.

  She is currently serving as a Strategic Associate as the Indigenous Relations Specialist with Canadian Baptist Ministries.

  Follow Cheryl on Facebook and Twitter.

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  Brian Doerksen

  Brian Doerksen is a songwriter, recording artist, author, conference speaker and pastor, but most of all he loves spending time with his high-school sweetheart Joyce (they have been married for 35 years.) Brian & Joyce have 4 daughters and 2 sons with Fragile X Syndrome. His songs are known and sung internationally in churches of all kinds including ‘Come now is the time to worship’, ‘Refiner’s Fire’, ‘Hope Of The Nations’ and ‘The River.’

  Follow Brian on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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  Anu George Canjanathoppil

  Anu has 13 years of leadership experience with International Justice Mission (IJM). In South Asia, she served as the Director of Operations, the Director of National Interventions and the Director of Legal. During her time with IJM, Anu has worked extensively to impact justice systems by collaborating with state and local governments in South Asia.

  Anu initiated and led IJM’s first ever partnership program and oversaw the training of more than 17,000 police officers, government officials, and NGO’s on the rescue and rehabilitation of individuals trapped in slavery and bringing criminals to justice. As a result of Anu’s leadership, more than 10,000 individuals have been rescued from forced labour slavery.

  Anu holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Edith Cowan University, Australia and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Eastern University. She successfully completed her B.A., B.L. from Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College and acquired a special diploma in Intellectual Property Law.

  Anu has used her creative communications skills to bring social issues to the public’s attention by writing and producing radio dramas and street theatre with social messages. Her dedication to the empowerment of people who are vulnerable to poverty and violence, her vision for social change, and knowledge about international issues, have all led to Anu being awarded several honours; one of which was being recognized as a Sauvé Scholar by the Canadian government. She represented South Asia as a Youth Ambassador to Dhaka in 2003 through the National Cadet Corps, with the status of a Diplomat as a Cultural and Military Attaché.

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  Jeremy Johnson

  Jeremy Johnson is Executive Pastor of Creative Ministries and Lead Pastor of Village Church Surrey. In his roles, he has a unique ability to consider how to use media to bring issues of justice to life and connect people to the mission to see God’s justice brought to every area of the globe. Jeremy is also closely connected to the IJM field office in Kolkata, India through church partnership and has visited the team three times. He has a heart for the church to understand how participating with the justice work of Christ in the world is a key part of their own discipleship and spiritual formation.

  Follow Jeremy on Twitter and Instagram.