A virtual film screening Thursday, Nov. 19, will mark local observance of Rock Your Mocs, a social media event celebrating Aboriginal cultures. During Rock Your Mocs, people wear their moccasins, take a photo, and share them online with the hashtag #ROCKYOURMOCS.

Kat Pasquach, the University’s Aboriginal outreach and retention co-ordinator, will moderate a discussion with Jessica (Jaylyn) Atsye, a co-founder of Rock Your Mocs, and Charlene Moore, director of Moccasin Stories, one of the films available for viewing.

The “We are not a phase” series of screenings is a partnership of the Turtle Island Aboriginal Education Centre, St. Clair College Indigenous Student Services, VUCAVU and the Arts Council Windsor & Region. The organizers assert that in this time what comes to mind is the connection to the land and the responsibility to the past and future generations.

The films are grounded in the concerns of communities, pride, resiliency, and memory, and will be accessible free from 9 a.m. Nov. 19 to 9 a.m. Nov. 21.

The live discussion begins at 7 p.m. Thursday. Register on the Zoom platform.

As a special bonus, those who attend the panel session or who use the #RockYourMocs519 hashtag on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram will be entered to win a pair of homemade sweetgrass mini-moccasins.

Pasquach adds: “You don’t need to have moccasins to enter. Slippers are fine too!”