My name is Shawna Hill from Hamilton, Ontario where I live with my five children. This project is particularly close to my heart because of my own experiences of racism within health care. I strongly believe that health providers need to understand how their care impacts us and can cause long term devastating effects. I hope that by sharing my story, health providers will be inspired to adjust their care and educate themselves on Indigenous history in Canada and on how to provide culturally safe care.

Christena is from Hamilton, Ontario, where she resides with her children. She has been a member of the Indigenous Friendship Centre (IFC) for many years, where she was eventually connected to this project. Christena is passionate about sharing her story, in hopes that it will improve health outcomes for other Indigenous families.

Katie is a proud member of Saugeen First Nation and is currently living in Woodstock Ontario. She is a personal support worker and is a mom of a beautiful five year old daughter. She joined the team in order to share her story with the hopes of empowering other Indigenous moms.

I am a proud mother of 3 and grandmother to 5 grandchildren. I’m from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory of the Bear clan, Mohawk Nation. I am currently employed at the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre is as the Cultural Capacity Trainer where I provide education on Indigenous Worldview, history and impacts of colonization and residential school. I am an Aboriginal Midwife and graduated from the Six Nations Birthing Centre where I provided primary care for Indigenous women with normal pregnancies and secondary care for the newborn. For this project, I shared my knowledge that was related to the health of Indigenous families.

Obtained a Bachelor of Nursing and NP certificate at McMaster University. Presently employed at a Community Health Care Center as a Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner (NP) and clinical lead. Recently obtained a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Fredericton. I was a critical care nurse in an Intensive Care Unit prior to returning to school for the NP certificate. I am a black woman, who experiences challenging life experiences provoked by intersectionality, and inflicted by discrimination. I believe that racial justice is an ethical and moral obligation.

I aspire to be altruistic and to leave a meaningful legacy for racial justice. Diversity threaded into the tapestry of our communities is not only colourful , beautiful, vibrant, and resilient, it is full of inspiration, creative ideas, and successful dreams.

Heather is a member of Saugeen First Nation and is currently living in Hamilton Ontario. She is a registered nurse and PhD student in the Faculty of Nursing at University of Toronto. Heather is a Research Assistant on the project and is excited to help support and advance this important work.

I reside on the Six Nations Reservation and belong to the Cayuga Nation, Turtle Clan. At the age of 18 I became a mother while living with my parents who were in an unhealthy relationship, all while enduring a child custody battle and struggling on Welfare, today known as Ontario Works.  I soon come to realize that I no longer wanted to struggle to provide for my son.   I wanted to continue my education, so I enrolled into a social service worker program, to help individuals who are having the same struggles like me. I had the best support system within my family and they are still there for me today.  

For 18 years I have been employed at the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre (HRIC) supporting Indigenous families living in Hamilton and surrounding areas. I started as a placement student that led to a part time employment. Over the years I followed the lead of many mentors who have shown me to take pride and passion in the work I do for others. Encouraging and guiding my clients towards a greater sense of hope and pride in being who they are and to establish a healthy lifestyle.  As an Indigenous Health Babies worker, I have entered many homes and witnessed a number of families struggling with poverty, a lack of family support, child welfare situations and addiction. Some families just need a friendly face to sit and have a cup to tea. This is what I enjoy most –giving them my utmost attention when they need it most.

As I move into a new role, I hope to continue to create a positive working relationship with our local agencies for our Indigenous community.  I see our partnerships growing stronger, and as our relationships build, we will be better able to work together as a team.  HRIC has grown into a well-established organization with a number of supports and services for the whole family. I am grateful to be part of a team who share the same values as I do.

Dr. Amy Wright’s research focuses on equitable access to health care and positive health care interactions with a focus on cultural safety. Her recent work involves working with the Indigenous community in the Hamilton area to meet their research goals relating to parenting and early childhood. Dr. Wright also works clinically as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at McMaster Children’s hospital. As a settler, Dr. Wright recognizes her unearned privilege and, as such, works diligently to eliminate racism and discrimination, and to support Indigenous community-led goals through research.