Charlene Adsit, Indigenous Success Coordinator
Tlingit & Tahltan Nation

From my experience as both Tlingit and Tahltan, connection is everything: people, community, and land. I am learning that respect and truly listening aren’t just values. It is a way of being by shaping how we build trust, strengthen relationships, and show up for one another.

Jordon Muldoe, Emergency Response Coordinator
Gitxsan Nation, Chiefs Name Wii Alax, House Group Frog, Lax Seel

Being First Nations is a big part of who I am and how I carry myself every day. I was raised to have respect for the land, for our people and for our traditions. I believe in walking beside people not ahead of them working together and supporting each other.
I take pride in looking after our elders from the past and present, and listening to what they have to share, because that knowledge is important. At the same time, I feel a responsibility to help guide and teach the younger generation so they can carry those traditions and teachings forward. For me, it’s about staying connected to where I come from and making sure those values keep moving forward.

Carmen McPhee, Community Relations Specialist
Tahltan Nation

My name is Carmen McPhee. I am Tahltan, I am from the Ch’iyone Clan and Goodzama Family, from Telegraph Creek.
Growing up there, I was surrounded by a life rich in culture, tradition, and connection to the land. I grew up learning about our songs, language, dances, cultural practices and pass what I know on today as well.
One of the teachings that has been instrumental in shaping me is Tahltan dancing. I have been dancing since I was four years old, and I was fortunate to be taught by some of the best: Eva Carlick, Rosie Dennis, and Johnny Frank. I am deeply grateful to Eva Carlick’s family for allowing me to share this with our people. Eva Carlick was a keeper of our traditional songs and a powerful Tahltan woman who carried and protected traditional knowledge. Because of her strength, dedication, and love for our culture, our songs remain alive today. Without her, so much of our culture would be lost.
Through dancing, I was taught to always be proud of where I come from, to be proud of my clan, and to show that pride every time I step forward. I was taught not to be afraid to lead, because the lead dancer carries not only themselves, but the people behind them. Since I was four years old, I have carried those teachings with me: be strong, lead with pride, and honour the ones who came before us.
For these teachings, I am deeply grateful. They are instilled in me in a way that can never be taken away. They are gifts that can continue to be shared with those who are willing to listen, learn, and honour our Elders. My culture, my land, my clan, and my people are at the heart of who I am, and I carry that pride with me in everything I do.

Cassandra Puckett, Manager, Social Performance
Tahltan Nation

I do my best to live by values I learned through ceremony: love, respect, honesty, bravery, humility, wisdom, and truth. I believe these values are a gift and a guide for how each of us can show up for each other, with the land, and for future generations.

Kayla Layton, Environmental Manager
Oneida Nation

I am a part of the Oneida nation which is part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. 
The idea and way of being that we call the “Good Mind” (kaʔnikuhli·yó in the Oneida language). It’s a teaching that is meant to be more than just a way of thinking but is also a way of existing and through stewardship that is unified, respectful, mindful and acts with intention when it comes to community and the environment. The earth is not just land, water isn’t just a resource, animals are not just wildlife; everything is interconnected, equal and related in a shared system of complex relationships. 
Good decisions emerge from a Good Mind, and this is possible through listening, patience, and collective wisdom. That’s what this project is about at its core, and I see this in practice daily here from people from all cultures and backgrounds.