Vancouver AI Meetup #20 – Indigenous leadership and philosophical framework
Speaker: Carol Ann Hilton, CEO Indigenous Institute
Event: Vancouver AI Community Meetup #20 – BC AI Ecosystem Association Launch
Date: August 2025
Context: Board member introduction & ceremonial community opening
Significance: Establishing Indigenous philosophical framework for nonprofit governance
Carol Ann stepped to the mic after Gabriel George’s Eagle song ceremony, carrying forward the sacred space set through traditional opening. This was the official launch of the BC AI Ecosystem Association as a nonprofit, coinciding with her board membership announcement.
The Question: “How are you showing up tonight?”
— Not small talk, but a guiding inquiry from Indigenous Genomics Institute, now brought into AI community governance.
“When we do that and we can be real with what that answer is, then we can relate to each other and we can bring the best out of humanity itself.”
Not abstract—practical guidance for how 250+ diverse participants connect beyond surface networking.