I grew up in a small Kootenay town, so I knew what community meant from a young age. When I was in Kindergarten, we hatched butterflies and learned about how they support ecosystems. In grade one, we raised chickens and learned about how local farmers support our food community. In grades two and three, we started leaning into the science of things; we raised salmon and learned about their significance in the ecosystems around our school. I think that’s when my passion for the world began; in small moments surrounded by nature and my classmates.
My passion for people, places, and parks has always been cultivated because of my proximity to everything; so coming into this masters program, I knew I wanted to find ways to connect my love of ecosystems to my curiosity of cultures. After completing my Bachelor of Arts at TRU (2021-2025) I knew that diving straight into my masters was the best decision for me. I carried over my passion for environmental justice into my first year of my masters and learned a great deal about the importance of community both globally and locally.
Deciding to complete my post-secondary studies at Thompson Rivers University was a no-brainer for me; after building a relationship with the people and communities here I knew I wanted to integrate myself more meaningfully into the spaces I occupied and to further educate myself on the history of T’ekumlups to better support the Indigenous community.
During my first year in this masters program, I threw myself into finding ways where the environment intersected with human rights– and more often than not I was led back to Traditional Ecological Knowledge as a solution to climate mitigation. I researched local issues relating to climate change within Kamloops and expanded into Canada, but I challenged myself to change my lens in some classes. In the Winter 2026 semester, I challenged myself to research how climate change impacts smaller countries and found intersections with violence against women. This is a masters program that pushed me to evolve my thinking and understanding of the world, and through this I have learned the importance of mental balance and understanding my capacity as an individual to create impact.
This understanding of impact was further cultivated during my practicum with the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism at Thompson Rivers University. In this position, I was able to situate myself within not only the TRU community but with Kamloops as a whole. I participated in events, completed institutional projects, and wrote newsletters to highlight not only our office, but the community of exceptional people around us.