Learning from Eco-social Approaches to Public Health
What is your main role in relation to the LEAPH-Lab?
I became involved with the ECHO Collective while attending Nechako Valley Secondary School, in Vanderhoof in 2018. In 2019, I became a Research Assistant with Koh-Learning in our Watersheds while supporting the ongoing development of the Nechako Portal and the Nechako Watershed Roundtable as the Youth Engagement Coordinator.
What brought you to this role?
As a high school student, I was incredibly well supported to pursue interdisciplinary studies by educators in School District 91. Through an independent study focused on documenting stories of community learning and environmental conservation, I became involved with Koh-Learning in Our Watersheds as I attended UNBC. I had the opportunity to support youth connections through the ECHO collective by attending annual meetings and collaborative learning sessions, including those organized with elementary school students from the Cocange Watershed in New Brunswick. Through my roles with the Nechako Watershed Roundtable and Koh-Learning in our Watersheds, I helped support the development of the Nechako Portal and facilitated youth engagement in activities promoting ecological approaches to health, including the annual Nechako Youth Canoe Trip.
How are you committing to reconciliation/upholding Indigenous sovereignty?
As someone of settler ancestry, I am deeply aware that my connection to place is only possible because of the contemporary and historical Indigenous stewards of this land, from time immemorial. It is with this mindset that I approach reconciliation and decolonization efforts within my work and find opportunities to uphold UNDRIP within my personal and professional practice.
What is something you are passionate about?
I am incredibly passionate about finding, realizing, and building connections. For me, being a lifelong-learner means that I get to find ways for different systems to talk to each other, to build connections and relationships between others, to find ways that our health as humans is connected to the health of our society, cultures, and environments.
What is your secret superpower?
Pattern recognition.
In an effort to encourage reciprocity and collaboration within the Nechako Watershed, the Koh-Learning Program has underscored the importance of sharing back lessons and insights with communities we’ve worked with.
On October 4th, 2024, we celebrated the achievements of the Koh-Learning in our Watersheds program with members, founders, participants and champions as they look forward to the Koh 2.0 future.
The Pulse focused on the training and capacity strengthening aspects of ECHO, with an emphasis on profiling the work of past and present ECHO trainees and connecting past and emerging themes.
