I am a proud Indigenous woman of Inuit descent, with family roots in the Nunatsiavut community in Goose-Bay, Labrador. Although I have lived many places throughout my life, I now call Kamloops, British Columbia my home.
I spent much of my life trying to understand what it meant to be Indigenous. My family has a legacy of the residential school system, with my maternal grandparents having attended. It is because of this that our language and cultural knowledge was lost, leaving gaps in my identity. Entering this program, I made a personal commitment to learn more about Indigenous history.
A big part of who I am is shaped by my younger brother. He is autistic and one of the strongest people I know. Throughout his life, he has faced constant judgment by others and was often told he wouldn’t amount to much…told he didn’t belong in a regular classroom, and earning a diploma was not possible. Watching him walk across that stage at graduation with a diploma in hand, was one of the proudest moments of my life. His ability to overcome has always inspired me, and he continues to be the person that I look up to.
My academic journey began in nursing. Although I enjoyed working as a nurse, it never fed my spirit. I found myself more drawn towards the advocacy than anything else. My mother was the one who informed me about social work, and for the first time, I felt connected to something bigger. Something that aligned with my values. After only four years of nursing, I made the decision to leave and pursue a Bachelors of Social Work. I initially worked with disability services because I was inspired by my own experiences with my younger brother, but eventually returned to the medical field to become a medical social worker. I felt this was where I was meant to be, as I loved advocating for my patients and educating nurses and physicians.
This path ultimately led me to the Human Rights and Social Justice program at Thompson Rivers University. Although I originally planned on attending the Masters of Social Work, I felt drawn to this program and believed it would strengthen my social work education. What I didn’t expect was it to become a journey of self-discovery, one that would help me learn, heal, and honor my heritage. This personal growth I have experienced I owe to my many professors who supported and guided me along the way.
Going forward, I hope to carry this knowledge with me and eventually work for an Indigenous community.
As for my photo on my home page, it is of me and my grandfather (pop). He attended residential school, and he is someone who I admire. Including this photo was a way of honoring him and acknowledging the history that shaped my family.
