Halito! chokma chinchokma. Salhochifoat Lakna’ Hatalhposhik. Chikasha saya. Iksa’ loksi’. My name is Alyssa and I am mixed heritage, Chickasaw Nation and Austrian. I am Turtle Clan and my spirit name is Lakna’ Hatalposhik, which was given to speak to my role as a bringer of change, a listener and a mediator. I was born, raised and live in Dish with One Spoon Territory.
Over the past 10 years I have done front-line work in community providing wellness, health and cultural services to youth. I am an advocate for the reclamation of traditional governance systems and support other youth to reintegrate these knowledges into our practices. I sit as a member of the Toronto Indigenous Health Advisory Circle’s Youth Council, the Toronto Indigenous Youth Collective and the Toronto Urban Health Fund’s Indigenous Advisory Council. I have a strong background in program development, implementation and evaluation. I am passionate about community and youth-led initiatives that provide Indigenous youth the space to make decisions about their own wellness and future.
