The issues I feel most passionate about are gender justice and climate justice. I believe these issues are more relevant than ever and are connected to all global issues that impact our world today. How can we address poverty or access to food, water, and good health without addressing gender inequality or climate change? These issues are at the forefront of many crises we face. Fighting for gender justice and climate justice empowers us to better address other issues related to human rights, peace, and sustainability with an intersectional lens. I am privileged to be able to work with a group of inspiring leaders at VIDEA and many Indigenous youth leaders across Canada whose power, resilience, brilliance, and strength constantly drive me to work harder and take action. Their passion fuels my passion, and their commitment to create change and make the world a better place inspires me to do the same.

I feel fortunate to be part of different communities that continue to shape the path I’m on, the choices I make, and the actions I take. My home community here on Treaty 6 Territory—including my family, friends, and teachers—has nurtured my passion for social justice and human rights and continues to teach me every day how to drive this passion and fuel it into creating change. In their holistic lifestyle and how they show care for one another, my community inspires me to be a better person, to work hard in driving change, and to follow my passions. The global community at VIDEA, who I work with and learn from every day, has empowered me to use my voice to take action and to create spaces for others to do the same. They have cultivated my knowledge on the issues that we work on—such as ongoing colonial violence, climate change, sex trafficking, lasting impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, the disproportionate effect many of these issues take on Indigenous communities, etc.—while constantly motivating me to continue my learning and always apply an intersectional lens to my work.

To me, partnership and collaboration mean creating, building, and strengthening relationships that are rooted in respect, reciprocity, and trust. Solid relationships are the foundation of change-making—strong collaboration and partnership will follow naturally, allowing for progress towards a common vision of equality and sustainability. Our actions have the power to shape lives seven generations from now—let’s work together to build a more just, equitable, and sustainable world for these future generations.