My journey to being a helper - Shkabekwe
I remember community feasts, games, hunts and bush camps. I remember large community summer gatherings, winter gatherings, fall and spring gatherings. I come from a celebrating people of feasts, prayers and giving. From helping strangers to helping one another in our community, I remember always being taught first and foremost to be a helper, to help others and give back. From early years, I received the message of the importance of obtaining an education in order to help not only my people, but all of the people, whether Cree, Mohawk, Inuit, or Metis.
With this understanding, I also remember the challenges of being a First Nations. From being apprehended because my mother was ill and my dad was thought to be incompetent by western social service practitioners, to watching police abuse positions of authority over the decades, I learned to mistrust persons of authority. It was in my professional years as a community helper that a turning point occurred in my life. I had been helping a family through the traumatic experience of social services and courts when I realized how very little authority or respect I as an Aboriginal professional was given because I did not hold their paper which awarded me "expert" or "competent" knowledge. No matter how much my families respected me, or how skilled I was; I realized without a degree, I would never be accepted, recognized or respected at their 'professional tables' for the knowledge I did hold and the experience I did have. I would later learn, it was a common experience for us, and remains a common experience for many Indigenous peoples in Canada and the world over. Frustrated and determined to do something about it, I committed to returning to school and to come back to resume the work I was trying to do. I had a dream that one day, my people's knowledge, my parent's knowledge, and those like my parents, would have their knowledge and ways fully accepted, recognized and respected for equal to PhD.
I entered into Nechi's Addiction program and from there decided I would attain a Bachelors because I knew that's what it would take to have an advocating voice at certain tables. While in school, I worked part time in various positions from research assistant to leadership training and it was in my work as a research assistant that my eyes opened to the need for me to pursue higher education. From witnessing the enduring negative attitudes and stereotypes toward First Nation, Metis and Inuit people to the lack of awareness and concern for Indigenous languages, knowledge and cultures, I recognized that change needed to start within me. I could do this not only in my ongoing journey of healing, but by getting a higher education. I committed myself to obtaining a Masters and then move on to a PhD. Before I graduated from my Undergrad, I applied to University of Calgary and was accepted.
With this understanding, I also remember the challenges of being a First Nations. From being apprehended because my mother was ill and my dad was thought to be incompetent by western social service practitioners, to watching police abuse positions of authority over the decades, I learned to mistrust persons of authority. It was in my professional years as a community helper that a turning point occurred in my life. I had been helping a family through the traumatic experience of social services and courts when I realized how very little authority or respect I as an Aboriginal professional was given because I did not hold their paper which awarded me "expert" or "competent" knowledge. No matter how much my families respected me, or how skilled I was; I realized without a degree, I would never be accepted, recognized or respected at their 'professional tables' for the knowledge I did hold and the experience I did have. I would later learn, it was a common experience for us, and remains a common experience for many Indigenous peoples in Canada and the world over. Frustrated and determined to do something about it, I committed to returning to school and to come back to resume the work I was trying to do. I had a dream that one day, my people's knowledge, my parent's knowledge, and those like my parents, would have their knowledge and ways fully accepted, recognized and respected for equal to PhD.
I entered into Nechi's Addiction program and from there decided I would attain a Bachelors because I knew that's what it would take to have an advocating voice at certain tables. While in school, I worked part time in various positions from research assistant to leadership training and it was in my work as a research assistant that my eyes opened to the need for me to pursue higher education. From witnessing the enduring negative attitudes and stereotypes toward First Nation, Metis and Inuit people to the lack of awareness and concern for Indigenous languages, knowledge and cultures, I recognized that change needed to start within me. I could do this not only in my ongoing journey of healing, but by getting a higher education. I committed myself to obtaining a Masters and then move on to a PhD. Before I graduated from my Undergrad, I applied to University of Calgary and was accepted.