I am a proud Indigenous woman of Inuit descent, with family roots with the Nunatsiavut community in Goose Bay, Labrador. Although I have lived many places throughout my life, I now call Kamloops, British Columbia my home. Growing up, I often struggled with understanding what it meant to be Indigenous. There is the legacy of the residential school system that my maternal grandparents attended which resulted in the loss of language and cultural knowledge, thus leaving gaps in my identity in which I spent many years trying to understand. As I completed my courses in this program, I made it a personal commitment to learn more about Indigenous history in hopes of reconnecting with my own.
My academic journey began in nursing, The more I worked as a nurse, the more I realized that advocating for my patients was where my passions were. A coworker suggested once that I might be better fit for social work, and although I initially thought social works only worked in children’s services, I soon discovered that the field was much broader and aligned deeply with my values. In 2014, I made the decision to leave nursing and pursued an undergraduate degree in Social Work. I initially worked in disability services but soon returned to the medical field, where I found my place as a medial social worker. This became my calling. I loved advocating for my patients and providing education to nurses and physicians.
This path is what led me to the Human Rights and Social Justice program at Thompson Rivers University. While I originally thought of a Master of Social Work, I found this program and felt drawn to it. I intended to strengthen my foundation in social work through this program. What I didn’t expect was that the program became a journey of self-discovery, helped me learn, and honored my heritage. The growth I have experienced is something I owe to the many professors who guided me along the way.
Going forward, I hope to honor what I have learned and one day work directly within an Indigenous community.
