Spirit Statement

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I’m Jakson, a proud member of Aamjiwnaang First Nation, but have always lived off-reserve in Sarnia, Ontario. My family has a lot to do with where my spirit comes from.

 

My great-grandmother was a residential school survivor, so, like so many other indigenous peoples much of that traditional knowledge was lost or suppressed. My mother, having spent most of her life without this traditional knowledge, made a concerted effort to revive those sacred traditions and customs with my sister and I through ceremony and reconnecting us with family. 

In 2023, I graduated from Western University with a Bachelor of Arts Honours Specialization in Politics and International Relations. What resonated with me throughout my education was how damaging and enduring the effects of colonialism are for groups and individuals globally. This piqued my interest and propelled me to reflect on the struggles of my own people as it relates to colonialism and analyze it through a political lens. 

Following university, I had the incredible opportunity to travel and work in Europe where I interacted with people from all over the world. Through human interaction, diverse landscapes, cities, and institutions around me, I furthered my learning on the struggles of many other colonized groups and ethnic minorities in other countries.

 

The one that resonated most with me, was the Irish struggle for independence, which bore a strong resemblance to the struggle of indigenous peoples in Canada. 

This sparked something inside of me: a passion to work for and alongside indigenous communities in Canada.

 

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