Congratulations on graduating! Tell us a little bit more about yourself and what encouraged you to study psychology?
Thank you! I mostly grew up in Fort St. James, my family is from Takla First Nation and we’re part of the Bear (Likh ji bu) Clan there. In my free time, you’ll mostly find me spending time with people or animals.
I started General Studies as I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. When I took a 100-level course in psychology, I found something I’m really interested in, so I decided to go for my psychology degree.
How does it feel to officially be a CNC graduate and what is coming next for you?
It’s very exciting to be recognized as a post-secondary graduate. I’ll stay around in the Prince George community for a bit longer as I’m continuing my studies at UNBC this fall.
My end goal is to have a master's in psychology, with a minor in First Nations health. The approaches in psychology and Indigenous practices don’t always fully agree with each other. I’m hoping to find a way to bring traditional practices into a field that is originally really structured.
Anyone who has drummed, sung, or participated in any kind of ceremony knows how much better it makes them feel. We know there’s such a health benefit to cultural practices, but it’s not something scientifically studied.
What is your favourite memory from your time at CNC?
I actually learned how to bead at CNC. I now beaded my own eagle feather that I’m using for smudging. It’s become a big hobby of mine that I hold pretty dear. I like that you can do it by yourself as a peaceful grounding exercise at the end of the day or do it together with friends and have fun at the same time.
Eventually, I’ve been able to show and teach others during beading workshops in the Aboriginal Resource Centre (ARC). I also found that it’s helped me connect to my culture and Elders coming in. It gives you a good starting point for a conversation and, in a way, it bridges a gap between generations as many Elders still bead or have beaded in the past.
While you were a student at CNC, you played a major role in the CNC Pride Club and Indigenous Collective. Why were those initiatives so important to you?
For me, it’s always been about creating a safe space for people to come together, share their experiences, and talk about things that can be implemented in the school and classroom.
I was Vice President of the Pride Club for about one and a half years and joined the Indigenous Collective more recently. We’d hold drop-in meetings, organized scavenger hunts with fun facts, and held movie nights with specific storylines to create more awareness and connectedness for students from 2SLGBTQ+and Indigenous communities.
Especially if you grew up in a small town, which isn’t always easy, it’s nice to have a place where you can go to and you know that you’ll be accepted; that there’s going to be people who truly get you.
You also volunteered at CNC’s Aboriginal Resource Centre and the Students’ Union and were active for the Women’s Memorial March and the PG Humane Society. How have these experiences contributed to your educational journey and your future career path?
Fun fact: I was considering becoming a veterinarian for a while. Being able to volunteer with the PG Human Society and work with the animals is very soothing. That’s something I really do for myself as I just love animals.
For the other organizations, it really goes back to the same principle of creating a safer environment in workplaces, schools, and public places. Going to different marches and attending Indigenous and Women's Centre events in Prince George made me realize that I want to focus on those groups in my future career. I felt both touched and encouraged by seeing how many people showed up for the different campus and community events and advocated for human rights.
When I worked as a Student Research Assistant in the Dementia Guidelines project this year, we hosted different workshops in the CNC region to talk with people about the needs and concerns for dementia awareness in their region. The conversations we had and the interest that people showed made me realize that I want to do more with community-based work in the future.
At convocation you were recognized with the Lieutenant Governor Medal for Inclusion, Democracy, and Reconciliation for all your work in the community. What does this mean to you?
The more I think about it, the more it means to me to get this recognition. When I reflect on the two years at CNC and all the causes I’ve volunteered for during that time, it’s like: “wow.” I’m happy I made such a big difference for the different organizations and events I helped at and the people I met along the way.