I was born and raised in Kispiox, BC, a rural town located in Northern British Columbia. It is a beautiful place to grow up, but it is not without its struggles. Many families here still struggle with the aftermath of residential schools, because of this many of our people, especially our youth, suffer from depression or suicidal tendencies. It is a sad reality here and we have lost many because of this, I myself have lost friends to suicide. Reports have stated that in a year we average 1 suicide a month in our community of 6000, with an annual average of 111 actual suicide attempts as reported by our local hospital. The numbers are staggering.
Once I complete my Bachelor in Education, I plan to continue my education and pursue my Master’s Degree specializing in Counseling. I plan to dedicate my working years to working with our youth, and helping them to reach their potential, achieve their dreams, and become venues for change. That is my dream. I believe it is in our way to naturally teach others and share our sacred knowledge, our Gwalx Ye’insxw. I take my role as knowledge keeper very seriously. I understand that our ways and our knowledge have been passed down generation to generation since time immemorial. I feel the weight and responsibility to ensure our next generation knows of our ways and the importance of learning all that they can. I am so fortunate to reside in an area that shares knowledge so freely. With my community supporting me, I know that I will make my dreams a reality.