Thriving Thursdays

Neechee Studio is a free art program for Indigenous youth aged 14-30, led by Indigenous people in Thunder Bay. Neechee aims to empower the health and well-being of Indigenous youth through artistic expression. A group of people came together to create a space for Indigenous youth to access art workshops through the hiring of professional and emerging artists in the community. Every session is hosted by these artists who provide support and education on their specific art form. Through Neechee’s work they hope to learn, educate and uplift community members. Some examples of different workshops have been mitt making, film and animation, cutting and sewing patterns, stencil art, print screening, drawing illustration and much more! 

 The Nimkii Youth Collective started in 2019 with the goal of lands-based language and cultural revitalization. They work towards and pursue our goal by learning with and on the land with numerous traditional knowledge holders, elders, language speakers and lands-based practitioners. The Nimkii Youth Collective host lands-based cultural camps throughout the different times of the year and according to the natural cycles of the land. They also have a special focus to learn and document the Anishinaabemowin vocabulary of specific traditional skills, bush craft and harvesting activities that are not spoken in everyday conversations and are at risk of being lost. This vocabulary is one that cannot often be found in Ojibwe dictionaries and resources so their hope is to document, preserve and share their findings and learnings with others. 

 Tyler Tabobondung Rushnell (21yrs) is a member of the Beaver Clan from Wasauksing First Nation, currently living in Parry Sound, Ontario. "Being raised off reserve and not really being close to my community and not knowing my traditions and ceremonies was hard for me".

Tyler shared that he was often looking for something to grasp onto to learn from and felt a connection to Native Studies, "I felt it in my spirit to learn, it was definitely a calling for me; especially my mother not knowing about her culture, I was able to shed light and share our traditions with her. Growing up, trying to find myself and my purpose was challenging to say the least".

Tyler's journey with art started in late 2018, it began with doing an Anishnaabe style of artwork, where he received much inspiration from Norval Morrisseau. Tyler donated a painting of his called "Nature's Beauty" to a children's foundation, in doing this, he hoped it may spark children's creative instincts and inspire them to participate in the arts. Tyler is motivated by inspiring those around him and connecting to the world around him. "My message is to be kind and inspire others, no matter what you are doing"  
 

 Edie and Jacquelyn Assinewe are 22-year-old twin sisters who were born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. They are members of Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation (located north from Sudbury, Ontario). Both are full-time students studying Business and Fashion at Ryerson University and Humber College. They both worked on Ryerson University’s first ever virtual Pow Wow over the summer as Social Media Lead and Event Logistics and E-Commerce Lead. They are currently bringing their passion to life with the creation of Assinewe Jewelry! As Co-Founders of the company, their passion is to reconnect with their culture and create jewelry for all to wear!
 

Bianca is a mixed Huron Wendat and Scottish woman with ancestral ties to Wendake. She is a mother to her 2-year-old son, Ogichida. Bianca is a recovering addict, after over a decade of drug use, she has been sober for 4 years. She is a kidnapping and human trafficking survivor, which is part of the reason why she has become a strong advocate on addictions and MMIWG in Indigenous communities. Since having her son, she has made it her goal to teach her son about their culture and make sure that Ogichida is armed with the ancestral knowledge that she didn't have in her childhood. Bianca is also a gifted writer and content creator; she has her own blog called 'A Tribe Called Beauty', and uses her platform on Instagram to share everything from Indigenous literature and authors, Indigenous owned businesses, language revitalization, teachings, traditions, and everything about Indigenous lifestyle and beauty.  

Sophia (Ne'tata'suaqan) Sidarous, an incredibly strong kwe,  is an Indigenous rights and environmental activist. Her activism has brought her traveling throughout Canada and even on the international stage at the UN headquarters for the International Day of the Girl at the Speak Out event. She often explains the importance of the land and Mother Earth in relation to Indigenous women/girls. She has been recognized by many grassroots organizations for her determination to bring justice and empowerment to the 7th Generation in prophecy times. Sophia is in her third year of Conflict Studies and Human Rights with a minor in Environmental Studies at the University of Ottawa. She is also one of the 15 plaintiffs suing the Canadian Government for inaction on the climate crisis in the LaRose vs. Queen case.

Casey Desjarlais is a Nehiyaw and Anishinaabe womxn. She is originally from Fishing Lake First Nation in Treaty 4 territory but currently lives in unceded Coast Salish territory, known as Vancouver. She is the co-owner of the online clothing store, Decolonial Clothing Co (Decolonial Clothing), all while raising two children. Living a well-balanced lifestyle is crucial when juggling being a mother and a business owner, so she relies heavily on regularly attending ceremonies and practicing cultural grounding. 

Shaylene  Scarrett-White Eagle is a Siksiká Aakíí (Blackfoot Womxn) of the Siksika Nation in Treaty 7 Territory. She is a first-generation student studying Psychology and Indigenous Studies at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. She is breaking barriers and cycles in her immediate family by living a life of sobriety (7.5 years), healing, and reclaiming her Indigenous identity. Shaylene is the Vice President of the newly established non-profit Foundation for Rural Youth Empowerment (FRYE), where FRYE's focus is on organizing to make postsecondary accessible for rural-background students through advocacy, outreach, and support. She also sits on the Calgary Child and Adolescent Mental Health Committee for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre as well as the Youth Addiction and Mental Health Provincial Advisory Council with Alberta Health Services.

Scott Wabano is a 2Spirit Cree from the Cree Nation of Waskaganish in Northern Quebec. As a child, he was raised in the Moose Cree First Nation territory, but relocated throughout his high school years around Northern Ontario. Scott was a former student at Humber College studying Fashion Arts & Business but now currently works as a Freelance Fashion Stylist, while also managing his own brand, WABANO. His fashion work has so far been published in FASHION Canada Magazine, Complex Canada, CTV’s The Social, Style Canada and the Marilyn Denis Show. Aside from his work in fashion, Scott also serves as an Ambassador of Hope for the We Matter Organization, an Indigenous-youth led organization focused on providing Indigenous youth support, life promotion and mental health awareness.

Throughout his life, it’s always been a passion of Scott's to motivate youth to strive for their dreams. He always does his best to provide them with the confidence and resources to achieve them through the use of social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and TikTok. With this, Huffington Post Canada listed Scott as one of the 5 Indigenous TikTok Accounts to Follow. Whether you are Indigenous, Queer, 2Spirit, etc. It has always been important for Scott to be that representation amongst mainstream media he never saw growing up

Jade Roberts, a Woodland Cree woman from Lac La Ronge Indian Band, is an educator, artist, and podcaster. She currently resides in Treaty 6 Territory in Saskatoon, SK. Roberts graduated from ITEP at the University of Saskatchewan in 2018. She went on to teach a Cree culture program for the Saskatoon Public School Division. She currently classroom teaches part time and spends time focusing on other projects such as the podcast she created and hosts, titled Still Here Still Healing in which she brings awareness to the impacts of residential schools, shares survivors stories, and features discussions with youth on topics such as culture, language, identity, and community. Jade is a recent CBC Saskatchewan Future 40 Award winner. Her podcast was nominated for a Canadian Podcast Award in 2020, and her artwork has been published in SAY Magazines 100th edition and The Polyglot. 

 Clementina (they/she) is a multi-disciplinary artist, environmentalist and consultant currently residing on the Halimand Tract pertaining to the Haudenosaunee people. Their parents immigrated from Uruguay and they honour their ancestral lineage by drinking yerba mate and dedicating themselves to decolonization and rematriation. As a trauma survivor and someone who has lived with depression and anxiety for many years, Clementina intimately understands the importance of readily accessible mental health resources and connection to land/culture/spirit as tools for healing.

As a consultant, their focus is on environmental and Indigenous health, and they are currently working with Canadian Virtual Hospice to provide culturally-appropriate palliative care resources to Indigenous communities. With this project they hope to connect Indigenous youth to their elders through conversations about spiritual transitions, grief, and traditions.

Theland Kicknosway is an Indigenous youth who uses his voice to spread his message and showcase Indigenous culture. He is wolf clan from the Potawatomi and Cree Nation and is a member of Walpole Island, Bkejwanong Territory. He is a traditional singer, grass and hoop dancer, who helps in ceremonies and enjoys sharing his gift of song and dance with all. Theland is a student who lives in the Ottawa region on Algonquin territory and is currently finishing his final year of High School virtually.

At the swearing in of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet In 2015 at Rideau Hall, Theland, also known as the Cree Drummer, led the procession by singing an honour song on his hand drum. Theland also sang at both of the opening and closing of the Truth and Reconciliation events held in Ottawa in 2008, where he was 5, to the closing in 2015 where he was 12. Finally, in its 25 year history, Theland is the youngest Indspire award recipient under the category; Culture, Heritage and Spirituality. 

Kairyn Potts (or simply Kai) (he/him) is Nakota Sioux from the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation in Treaty 6 Territory. He recently moved and has now made his home in Tkaronto, Dish with One Spoon Territory. He is an advocate for youth; he currently works as a youth programs developer for an Indigenous non-profit organization in the GTA that focuses on providing supports and services to the Two-Spirit/IndigiQueer community. He is currently a national mentor for the Enchante Network, a former board member of the Edmonton 2 Spirit Society, and is currently a team member of the 4Rs National Learning Collective. At any given time he has a lot of exciting projects on the go and devote his time to those initiatives that he believes in and that his spirit is called to. He attends many conferences, panels, and speaking events where his goal is to not only educate but to advocate for better service delivery for some of our community’s most vulnerable. He is a former four-year youth-chair for the Alberta Health Services’ Wisdom Council and has dedicated three years of his time toward being a youth representative for the Government of Alberta’s Indigenous Youth Suicide Prevention Task Team. A majority of the work Kai does in the community revolves around life-promotion, gender, and identity education as well as Two-Spirit resurgence. In his free time, Kai shares he is a lover of video games, and a total nerd, he live-streams gameplay regularly on Twitch. He enjoys creating content online for people to make them laugh, inspire them, and educate them. 

Seqininnguaq Qitura (they/them) is an Inuk from Greenland. Seqininnguaq is an artist and Indigenous Rights Activist. For the past three years, they have actively worked with Global Indigenous Youth Caucus as an Arctic Focal Point, where they collaborated and published a book on Indigenous youth issues called Global Indigenous Youth: Through Their Eyes. Seqininnguaq and the other youth who form the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus have and continue to work very closely with the UN, especially during the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous issues. Additionally, Seqininnguaq works closely with the Inuit Circumpolar Council and has done a lot of activism work on the side related to decolonization, mental health, and Indigenous knowledge. 

 Pihêsiw (They/Them) is a queer disabled Indigenous full spectrum birthworker, youth leader, and housing support worker. They are from Samson Cree Nation, Maskwacis, and they currently live in Amiskwaciy-Wâskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta). Pihêsiw grew up in the child welfare system while also navigating the medical system as a disabled Indigenous person, and is the daughter and granddaughter of residential school survivors.

Pihêsiw works with NYSHN as a social media coordinator, Youth Leader and sexual reproductive health educator. They are a part of Indigenous Birth of Alberta as a birthworker and do independent work as a full spectrum birth worker. They are currently creating a pilot project for Native Counselling Services of Alberta which works with the youth housing first sector, and the project they are creating is implementing traditional Indigenous birth practices, teachings, and ceremony for pregnant Indigenous youth.

Please also consider donating to Pihêsiw's GoFundMe to help reach their funding goal to get a service dog! Please click Pihêsiw's GoFundMe link in our bio to donate. 

Chelsea Currie. Chelsea is a Cree 2 Spirit person originally from Montana First Nation, living in Amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton) in Treaty 6 Territory (Alberta). As a child, she was raised in northern Alberta. She lost her late Mother at a very young age as one of the MMIWG2S, and had lived experience in foster care. She grew up playing sports, and volunteering in community, and did not have much cultural integration. These experiences eventually facilitated her passions for mental health awareness, Indigenous wellness, and seeking cultural grounding.

Currently, she is a student in Indigenous Social Work at Yellowhead Tribal College in Edmonton, Alberta. She does work with several different organizations, including Office of the Child and Youth Advocate of Alberta, 2Spirits in Motion, Edmonton 2Spirit Society, and 4RS Indigenous Youth National Learning Community. She enjoys creating art, writing poetry, and is a soon-to-be yoga instructor, hoping to integrate Indigenous framework into wellness practices. She is honoured to be recognized in the different communities she is a part of and be a change-maker. 

Kendra's spirit name is Cedar Woman and she is a Cree and Ukranian woman from Sucker Creek First Nation in traditional Treaty 8 territory. She is a fancy shawl dancer and an advocate for Indigenous culture, health and wellness. She is a Bachelor of Sports Management Honours student completing her final year at Brock University. Furthermore, Kendra is an athletic trainer, freelance model, activist for Indigenous rights, and sobriety advocate. Much of her work is done to educate people on the true history of Indigenous people as well as to empower Indigenous youth to be proud of their culture and take care of themselves in a good way.

Beatrice Nicholas is from Oneida Nation of the Thames. Bea’s Haudenosaunee name is Yako:niku’lotshanit and she is part of the wolf clan society. Bea grew up in a small community known for its strong family values and knowledge of ceremony and traditions. Growing up in a household with a strong sense of family, respect, inclusiveness, hospitality, and compassion are traits that she has adopted from her family members and play an important factor in how she carries herself. Bea knows firsthand how it feels to face trauma/adversity head on. She is extremely passionate about all things wellness and her goal is to learn as much as possible in and outside of the workplace by collaborating as a team and meeting with allies in order to strategize and implement different ideas to translate them into opportunities for FNMI people both in and outside of rural communities. She believes it’s a part of her life journey to help her people and what better way to do so than to use her knowledge and life experiences to help create the reality that she wants to see for future generations to come. She wants to support initiatives that are aiming to eradicate poverty, intergenerational trauma, and confront environmental and social issues that her people face, head on. Bea plans to do so not only in the workplace but rather, as a lifestyle. "Our people need to heal and there’s no time like the present."

Bea is currently focusing on creating a youth council in Oneida and one In Chippewas as well. She stays active via Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, and weightlifting. She is also developing a business idea and plans to be a successful entrepreneur as a restaurant owner one day. 

Kamisha-Rattle Woman- Alexson is a 2Spirited Nehiyaw (Cree) artist, poet, and drum carrier from Kahkewistahaw First Nation. Though she is currently occupying Saskatoon, SK, on Treaty 6 Territory, she has found her chosen community in Tkaronto.

She was a founding member of Ogichidaa Kwe, a Toronto based Indigenous women’s hand-drum circle that focused on hope, healing and exploring culture while empowering womxn, 2spirits and Indigiqueers. Since then, she has found a deep connection to the hand drum and found her inner power singing for the people.

Her story comes from the experience of being raised an Urban Indigenous woman reclaiming connection to the land, which has connected her to other people trying to do the same work to find themselves despite being urban Indigenous. Her work involves 2Spirit femme identity, mental health and decolonization through the art of healing from intergenerational traumas by practicing traditions that were once almost lost.