Honouring stories, deepening reconciliation: VCC welcomes Indigenous Story Booth
At Vancouver Community College (VCC), our commitment to equity, inclusion, and reconciliation guides our work and shapes the spaces we create for our community. Grounded in the values of respect, belonging, and lifelong learning, VCC strives to ensure that all members of our community feel seen, heard, and empowered. The new Indigenous Story Booth, created in partnership with Coast Salish artist Shain Níniw-ém Salepem Jackson of the shishálh First Nation, embodies these values by offering a dedicated space for reflection, learning, and connection.
Housed in the VCC Library on the Broadway campus, the Story Booth is more than an art installation, it is a living vessel for Indigenous knowledge, culture, and community voices. Open to both the VCC community and the public, the booth invites visitors to engage with Indigenous teachings in a deeply personal and immersive way.
What is the Story Booth?
The Story Booth is a cedar-clad, sound-insulated structure that invites visitors to step inside and listen to Indigenous stories and teachings. Inside, a built-in screen and sound system play curated video and audio content, offering a quiet, immersive experience. The design draws inspiration from traditional Coast Salish art and architecture, creating a space that feels both sacred and welcoming.
Initially, the booth will feature content from Indigenous communities across the region. Over time, VCC will contribute its own content, including stories, teachings, and creative works from Indigenous students, staff, and Elders. This evolving archive will serve as a bridge between past and present, tradition and innovation.
A space rooted in respect and reciprocal relationships
The Story Booth’s arrival at VCC reflects the college’s ongoing commitments to decolonization and reconciliation. These commitments include creating spaces that honour Indigenous knowledge, worldviews, support Indigenous learners, and foster respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
The booth itself is a powerful expression of these values. While named after a modern-day invention, Shain styled the Story Booth on a First Nations longhouse. It is both a physical and symbolic container of stories that have been passed through generations, and stories that are still being written today.
Partnership with artist Shain Níniw-ém Salepem Jackson
VCC has a long-lasting partnership with the artist, whose work can be found throughout the Broadway campus. Installations include Birch Bark Biting Waneska Wake Up (Pat Bruderer with framing and lighting by Shain Jackson), Cedar Salmons, and Our Salish Sea Waterways (Pamela Baker and Shain Jackson). Shain describes the Story Booth as “a place where stories can live and breathe.” His vision is to preserve Indigenous teachings in a way that is accessible, respectful, and enduring.
Learn more about VCC’s indigenous artwork collection.
A step forward on the path to reconciliation
The Story Booth’s presence at VCC is a living symbol of the college’s dedication to truth, reconciliation, and decolonization. It complements other initiatives such as the Indigenous Gathering Spaces, on-campus Elders, Indigenous Medicine Garden, and Indigenization of Teaching and Learning efforts.
“This Story Booth is a place to share truths, to listen with open hearts and open minds, and to heal together. It honours our responsibility to hold space where Indigenous voices are not only heard, but uplifted.”
— Jessie Williams, VCC Indigenous Education and Community Engagement
As VCC continues to deepen its commitments to Indigenous communities, the Story Booth stands as a reminder that reconciliation is not a single act, but a sustained commitment to listening, learning, and changing.
We invite you to visit the Story Booth at the Broadway campus library to experience this powerful space firsthand. Come listen, reflect, and be part of the ongoing journey toward reconciliation. Your story and presence matter.