WLUIndigenous

What does it take to become a lawyer? How can you set up your university experience to excel and stand out on a law application? Kyle Laplante, an 18-year-old Metis student from Mississauga, is working tirelessly to achieve his goals and open up opportunities of success for his future.

Step 1: Get an undergraduate degree. Kyle is currently pursing a double degree in Political Science and Communication Studies. He is also learning about the world of governance, and tying these lessons into his passion of understanding how the world connects and builds relationships. Choosing Wilfrid Laurier University as his outlet to learn, Kyle fell in love with the small-school feel and close-knit relationships. He has dedicated his first year to helping other students, staying involved and developing his career!

Step 2: Get experience. Did you know that law schools, along with multiple other post-graduate studies, highly value research experience? Did you know how difficult and competitive it is to gain that experience? NSERC positions are generally only given to approximately 30 students in the university, per year. Additionally, NSERC positions look great on a resume and could help you stand out among your peers in job applications, school applications or even volunteer opportunities! The Aboriginal Student Centre, in partnership with the Laurier Research Office, helped matched Kyle and many other indigenous students to a selective NSERC positions and helped achieve their goals. Learning how to collect, analyze and evaluate data; utilize excel; and to do administrative work are valuable skills that law schools appreciate and highly recognize. Additionally, Kyle didn’t know how much a psychology placement, and this would teach him about observing others, physical and emotional developments and human behaviors – which are all useful tools for a lawyer!

Teagan is a 21-year-old BBA student, going in to her 4th and final year of university at Laurier. She’s completing her minor in psychology, and has a placement in an NSERC position as a research analyst for the 2016 spring-summer term. At her NSERC, she’s learning about psychology under Dr. Jeffery Jones, which is the very basis of consumer behaviour and marketing. Her position has given her real-life experience and has taught her the fundamentals of how information is collected, interpreted and applied in studies.

Most excitingly, Teagan will be travelling to France in the fall for a four-month exchange in September 2016, and hopes that all of these experiences combined will make her a marketing expert in the works. Foreign exchanges are a great way to learn new cultures and languages, meet new people from around the world, and develop yourself by working through challenges. She believes that by travelling through France and Europe, she’ll gain insight on how marketing affects the world, varies from culture to culture and is applied to different demographics.

When Ethan Loft first visited Wilfrid Laurier University as a young high school student, he instantly fell in love with the feeling of the small campus, the connections the university had with his family; and his dream of wearing a purple and gold Golden Hawk football jersey. Ethan, a Tyendinaga Mohawk student who is entering his 5th year in the Kinesiology co-op program, is not unaccustomed to adversity. Since joining Laurier in 2012, he has overcome multiple health concerns, including a scare with a bladder tumour in his second year and recently tearing his ACL in his knee for the third time. These circumstances eventually led to him being unable to pursuing his football career dream, and directed him to a challenging route of rewriting his own future and developing a new pathway to success.

           This summer Ethan is working on campus in a lab and has since decided to embrace challenge to carve out a new career goal. He utilized the resources of Melissa Ireland (Aboriginal Student Centre) and Krystal Goulet (NPAAMB Waterloo) to secure a position as a Research Assistant under Dr. Pam Bryden, which he held for the previous two summers as his kin co-op placement. He hopes to walk away from this last summer with additional kinesiology experience under his belt, along with behind-the-scenes experiences of how studies are made and conducted in order to make him a better future chiropractor. He intends to apply to Life Chiropractic West College, achieve his chiropractic degree, and one day open his own chiropractic practice in Tyendinaga; where he hopes to combine both traditional healing methods with medical teachings.

This past winter semester at Laurier University, the Aboriginal Student Centre sponsored a dodge ball team in the intermural league on the Waterloo campus. It has been a while since I played dodge ball (AKA high school), but dodging and throwing a ball is something that comes back pretty naturally as it turns out.   I had an amazing time, each and every week. Looking back, I don’t know why I was so hesitant to get involved in intermural sports in the past.  A little physical activity (a lot of you count the ab workout I got from laughing so much), new friends, and life long memories, what’s not to love?!

Laurier has one of the largest intermural programs compared to other Ontario universities.  If dodge ball isn’t your thing, why not try out something else? They have a variety of leagues: soccer, basketball, volleyball, water polo, rock climbing, two-pitch, ball hockey, and ice hockey. Many offer men, women, and co-ed leagues. Worried that you’re not as skilled as others? Don’t be!  Many of the leagues are divided further into skill level.  Maybe you’re just out there to have fun, don’t worry they have a team and a league for you!  

  On Monday March 15th  Laurier’s SAGE Nest was pleased to host Indigenous writer and scholar Lee Maracle, a well-respected author, for an informal gathering with Indigenous graduate students. The gathering was held at the Aboriginal Student Centre in Waterloo. Maracle imparted valuable advice and guidance for all who attended, particularly in the areas of writing and support from an Indigenous framework.

Are you hydrated? If not, have a glass of water.

Have you eaten in the past three hours?  If not, get some food — there are healthy study snacks such as apples and granola bars available in the kitchen for when you need a boost. You can also request a food package from Laurier’s Food Bank if you are too stressed to buy groceries or feeling financially insecure.

http://yourstudentsunion.ca/food-bank/

Have you showered in the past day?  If not, think about going home to take a shower to help recharge your batteries. Even splashing your face with cool water can help you feel refreshed.

If nighttime: are you sleepy and fatigued but resisting going to sleep?  Feel free to grab a pillow and blanket in the ASC living room and take a nap. Make yourself cozy and plan to close your eyes for fifteen minutes — no electronic screens allowed.  If you’re still feeling tired it might be time to call it a day and head home. If it’s late and you’d like some company then consider calling FOOT Patrol for a walk home (519 – 886 – 3668). They operate from Sunday – Saturday 6:30PM – 3:00AM.

http://yourstudentsunion.ca/foot-patrol/

Have you stretched your legs in the past day?  If not, do so right now.  If you don’t have the time for a run or trip to the gym, just walk around the block, then keep walking as long as you please.  If the weather’s crap, do some laps through buildings on campus just to get your blood pumping. You’ll be surprised how much changing your scenery can do.

Have you said something nice to someone in the past day?  Do so, whether online or in person.  Make it genuine; wait until you see something really wonderful about someone, and tell them about it.

Have you moved your body to music in the past day?  If not, do so — have a dance party! You may find that people want to join you too. Just dancing around the room for the length of your favourite song may help put a smile on your face.

Have you hugged a living being in the past two days?  If not, do so.  Don’t be afraid to ask for hugs from friends, friends’ pets, or even the ASC staff – you’re not imposing on them and you’ll find that they will want to offer their support to you when you need it most. Who knows, they might need it just as much as you do!

Do you feel ineffective?  Pause right now and get something small completed, whether it’s responding to an e-mail, finishing a short reading, organizing your pencil case – you name it. Good job!

Do you feel unattractive?

Take a darn selfie.  Your friends will remind you how great you look, and you’ll fight society’s restrictions on what beauty can look like. You’re fabulous and don’t forget it.

Do you feel paralyzed by indecision?  Give yourself ten minutes to sit back and figure out a game plan for the rest of your day/study period.  If a particular decision or problem is still being a roadblock, simply set it aside for now, and pick something else that seems doable.  Right now, the important part is to break through that hesitancy, even if it means doing something trivial.

Have you seen a therapist in the past few days?  If not, hang on until your next therapy visit and talk through things then. If you haven’t seen a therapist before and think it could be helpful then contact the Wellness Centre to book an appointment (519 – 884 – 0710 x3146 or [email protected]). If you’re uncertain about contacting these services on your own then talk to Melissa about accessing on-campus services including finding a counsellor that is right for you.

http://www.wlu.ca/wellness/mental-health.html

Have you been over-exerting yourself lately — physically, emotionally, socially, or intellectually?  That can take a toll that lingers for days. Give yourself a break in that area, whether it’s physical rest, taking time alone, or relaxing with some silly entertainment.

Have you changed any of your medications in the past couple of weeks, including skipped doses or a change in generic prescription brand?  That may be screwing with your head.  Give things a few days, then talk to your doctor if it doesn’t settle down.

Have you waited a week?  Sometimes our perception of life is skewed, and we can’t even tell that we’re not thinking clearly, and there’s no obvious external cause.  It happens.  Keep yourself going for a full week, whatever it takes, and see if you still feel the same way then.

You’ve made it this far, and you will make it through.

You are stronger than you think and we are rooting for you!

“There is no right or wrong, just lessons to be learned”

Check out the awesome work our Indigenous students are doing!

Allyship? It’s commonly used these days when the discussion is about social justice, dignity and respect. I’m cautious when I use the term, lest it be overused and misunderstood. Language has power and signals to both the explicit and subtle conflicts in society. 

As a non-Indigenous white settler woman of Italian and Scottish background being in an Indigenous social work program and working at Laurier’s Aboriginal Student Centre, I am often asking myself ‘What am I doing here? What’s my place? What’s appropriation and what’s respectful recognition?’.  I don’t have a summation of what an ally means and I don’t think a blueprint can exist…What I have learned so far is allyship is an invitation to understand your relationship to a community or group  that  have been and continue to be colonized. The more honest you are with yourself, the more respectful your relations will be with others. Being an ally is not a state and it’s not a self-proclaiming identity. In other words, don’t call yourself an ally because it is not your call to make.

With the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee’s recommendations, it is not up to Indigenous people to do the reconciliation work, it is the responsibility of non-Indigenous Canadians to take this up. This responsibility of reconciliation requires each non-Indigenous person to educate themselves (however that may look) and engage in humble relations with Indigenous communities and land. Reciprocity is at the centre of reconciliation where it is time for settler Canadians to engage in respectful relations with the First people of Canada.

Allyship invites a deeper reflection of oneself that includes privilege but also goes beyond identifying the ways you benefit from others’ oppression to understanding yourself in relation to others. Colonization places the colonizer’s ways as superior to any other way of knowing or believing and I invite readers, non-Indigenous and particularly white Canadians, to consider how this belief has been ingrained within your own experience. Within this exploration there is significant space to not only better understand our relations with others but also how we are within ourselves. Learning how to have better relations with Indigenous people comes with mistakes and many learning opportunities big or small. However, it’s important to not be paralyzed by not knowing where to begin. As settlers we must not do more harm along the way despite good intentions. If you are respectful people will recognize this and often will help you along your own journey of learning how to come into better relations.  

If you are interested in learning more about allyship in relation to Indigenous communities, I encourage you to check out the Aboriginal Student Centre at 187 Albert Street in Waterloo or 111 Darling Street in Brantford. You will find staff members here who will be able to answer questions you may have or provide resources for you on allyship. Laurier will soon be releasing their “Indigenous Allyship: An Overview” living document for public & institutional use and I would encourage you check it out when it is made available.

Warm ocean breeze, sun kissed skin and RELAXATION. Who would have thought that reading week could be so peaceful!? For me it was everything I have ever wanted in all my four years of University; to escape the cold, stressful student life and get away to a place where all my worries were left behind.

I was fortunate enough to travel to Varadero, Cuba with my boyfriend of five years. Thanks to my parents (who were actually there the previous week), they hooked us up with an amazing room right by the ocean. As a broke university student this was my way of living the dream. I definitely got used to spending everyday on the beach in the nice hot sun and swimming in the ocean. Oh and I cannot forget the all inclusive food and drinks!!

Back home in Waterloo and my hometown Penetanguishene (yes the longest spelling word but the smallest town on the map), I am very in tune with my Metis cultural practices. I love being Metis but it was an amazing experience learning about a totally different culture. My boyfriend and I were so fascinated with the Cubans way of life that we took three out of our seven days to go to town and explore how they live.

Here is what I learned: Cuba is a very poor country; the average Cuban makes only one to five pesos a day (that’s less than ten dollars Canadian!!) but they are the happiest and nicest people I have ever met. There is little class difference and inequality hardly exists. Cubans may not have a lot but they seem so thankful for what they do have. It was nice to get away from a country of constant consumption and social standards to a place where everyone lives the way they feel most comfortable.

Cuba reminded me of the Aboriginal Student Centre here at Laurier in many ways. They are both a place where everyone welcomes you with open arms and huge smiles. A place where you feel comfortable in your own skin and aren’t afraid to be yourself. A place where culture is expressed through music, dance, food and artwork. And a place where everyone makes you feel like you are equal with one another.

Must love classic rock, Ethel’s tacos and history – these sound like features you might find in an online dating profile.

But Lianne Leddy, assistant professor of Indigenous Studies at Laurier’s Brantford campus, and Mark Humphries, director of Laurier’s Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies and Dunkley Chair in War and the Canadian Experience, didn’t require an online dating website to make a connection.

All they needed was Laurier.

Both hailing from small towns in northern Ontario, Leddy and Humphries each sought a university that offered a strong feeling of community coupled with an excellent academic reputation. A friend of the Humphries family recommended Laurier’s history program to the would-be history major, while Leddy chose to attend Laurier because of its reputation as a well-respected school.

Eager to become immersed in all aspects of university life, Leddy and Humphries both found themselves involved in activities at Laurier when they arrived on the Waterloo campus. Humphries wrote for the student newspaper, The Cord, in addition to helping with jam nights at Wilf’s, the campus pub. Leddy worked at the library and was involved with the university’s women’s centre.

Finding love and getting married was the last thing on either of their minds.

In the fall of 2003, a classmate of Humphries and library colleague of Leddy’s introduced the pair in professor Michael Sibalis’ third-year history course.

“It was a hardly a romantic setting,” recalls Leddy.

Romantic setting or not, the two history buffs found common ground and became friends. However, by the spring of 2004, the classmates knew they had found more than just friendship.

Their first date unfolded in a classic rock-meets-Uptown Waterloo kind of way. Leddy and Humphries took in Neil Young’s film Greendale at the Princess Cinema, followed by tacos at the ever-famous Ethel’s Lounge.

Humphries decided to pursue his Master of Arts degree at Laurier in the fall of 2004 and Leddy had her fourth year of her undergraduate degree to complete. The couple, happily committed to each other by this point, embarked on the next phase of their relationship. They call this the “log cabin stage.”

Leddy moved into Humphries’ 250 square-foot basement apartment on Bowman Street, complete with faux wood panelling and aquamarine shag carpeting. Farley, Humphries’ pet rabbit, added to the cozy, seventies-inspired environment the couple now called home.

“If you can live with someone in only 250 square feet, you know you’re going to be okay,” said Humphries.

Surviving the log cabin stage, the pragmatic duo felt that getting married was the next logical step. They skipped over the complicated art of proposing and headed straight for the jewellers. An engagement ring and tickets to see The Who and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cemented their relationship by Thanksgiving of 2004.

The couple was in the midst of their graduate studies when they married in Leddy’s hometown of Elliot Lake in May, 2006. Several Laurier friends and alumni topped the guest list.

The newlyweds had to take a practical approach to their honeymoon. They had been selected to participate in professor Terry Copp’s battlefield tours of Normandy, France – an opportunity they couldn’t pass up. After spending two weeks learning about Canada’s contributions in World War II, the couple put their studies aside for some well-deserved downtime in Paris.

Although their studies and early career opportunities have taken them across the country, Leddy and Humphries have come full circle, returning to Waterloo and Laurier in 2014.

“Ten years ago, we never dreamed we would be back at Laurier, in a city we know so well, near so many of the friends we made during our undergraduate years, and now doing jobs we love,” said Leddy. “Laurier was at the centre of that for us.”

Leddy and Humphries will celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary this May. When asked about the secret to their marital success, the couple cite good communication skills and a sense of humour as key factors.

The rest, as they say, is history.

On a cold February Day, community members, language learners, ministers; and others invested in the future of indigenous languages came together at Six Nations Polytechnic (SNP) to celebrate the new BA in Ogwehoweh Language. Students who attend SNP will now be able to earn a degree in Ogwehoweh languages (Mohawk & Cayuga) not just a diploma. This is the first time that the province of Ontario has allowed an aboriginal institution to offer a degree program.

The day started off with words of welcome in the traditional Ogwehoweh language from Cayuga language instructor, Tom Deer. President-CEO of Six Nations Polytechnic, Rebecca Jamieson then offered her greetings to Ministers Moridi and Zimmer; Minster of Training, Colleges & Universities and Minister of Aboriginal Affairs respectively.

Minister Moridi then spoke about how language is an important as part of our identity as indigenous people and his government is committed to learn from the past and increase its efforts to help aboriginals get the education they need. He said: “Here, we are writing a new chapter in our history”. Minister Zimmer then stood and spoke to the importance of language revitalization, and how recovering the language is a part of the Truth & Reconciliation Report Recommendations.

What stood out most to me on this day of celebration and renewed hope was the story of Fran Henry. Fran Henry spoke after both the ministers and her story was incredibly powerful and moving. Henry is a second year Ogwehoweh language learner, and she began by say she felt shame and guilt because she could not speak her language. Henry then spoke about a story her grandmother once told her. Seventy years ago, Henry’s grandmother as a small girl and was listening to an elder in her community speak about language loss. The elder said that their culture was at a point where colonization had begun to weaken and destroy the traditional Ogwehoweh language. She spoke about the Tree of Peace was beginning to lean and this leaning symbolized loss of language and culture. People were worried that if they lost their language, they would lose sight of who they are as a people; and if the Tree of Peace ever hit the ground, they would lose the Ogwehoweh way of life completely.

Henry if confident and hopeful that with every student that goes through this new language program, the Tree of Peace will stand straighter and stronger. Henry says “I told my teacher — that is us holding that tree up now, and our teachers are standing behind us going — push!”.

I left this event feeling a renewed sense of hope myself, and also an excitement of wanting to enroll in this degree program. As an Ogwehoweh woman, it lifts my spirit to see investment in indigenous language. I look  to the future with great hope and pride in all the good work language learners are doing on Six Nations.

Emails coming in once a day, oh wait… is that a second? “The Aboriginal Student Centre Invites You to ANOTHER Event!?” My first thought: These people are crazy. Don’t they know I’m busy? Starring into the abyss? Dinner with myself? I can’t cancel that again… (Yes, insert hilarious Grinch voice here). These are some of the (too common) thoughts that would cross my mind in my first, second, and even leaning into my third year as a business student at Laurier. The Aboriginal Student Centre (ASC) was a scary place full of people I didn’t know, who probably already had enough friends and didn’t need an extra student hanging out using up their space and resources. My mind was made up.

So what makes us change our minds? Is it a professor telling us how important it is to get involved? A slight jealousy of our friends in clubs and social groups? Maybe a book we read over the summer inspiring us to make a difference? Whatever the individual reason, one day nearing the end of my third year I decided to walk my behind into the Aboriginal Student Centre (metaphorically, this was over the summer) and got involved. To my surprise, what I found was that the ASC wasn’t all soup lunches, social justice issues and never-ending emails (although these are all things they take part in). Instead, I found that they’re about helping, resources and support.

Resources? Support? A couple of vague words that university students hear far too often and frequently take for granted, but they have never been more true at the ASC. When I started spending time at the Centre resources started flowing towards me. I want to start studying 10 hours a week for my LSATS? They’ll find a tutor to help me with that. I’m interested in learning about indigenous world views? They’ll find me a conference to do just that, and most likely hunt down some funding to do it.

My point is, if you can take any wise words from the unwise, it’d be to use the resources at your disposal. Make the friends and connections in your reach. Expand your naïve thoughts; your Aboriginal Student Centre isn’t a scary place that you should hide from. Plus, in the end, the more you invest in your community the more they’ll care to invest in you. I heard a saying about something going around and then coming around? Guess it was true all along.

Until next time,