For many Indigenous youth, community is tied to shared interests, and they have found community in places like sport, providing them with a sense empowerment and acceptance with their teammates.
It’s allowed me to find who I am,
Native TikTok has helped connect me “
Community is subjective.
It depends who you engage with and who you value. My community is my family, my friends, my Nation, my fellow queer folks, fellow Indigenous people. To me, if we share a common interest or goal, you are my community.
-Barometer 2024 Survey Participant
“ ”
allowed me to accept who I am and where I come from. I can truly say I don’t think there is a place I feel more proud and confident then getting to be in my element on the ice.
-Jayden Draney, Métis professional hockey player (on playing hockey as an Indigenous female athlete)
-Barometer 2024 Survey Participant
by the vision, own by their ed under the ec Agreement, y of treaty rights, vernment Their and empowered ards a better
“ ”
They gave us, they provided us with the tools so that we can sustain that.
We
can sustain our land and practices and our language.
-Tanisha Bear usly they
For Tréchelle Bunn, the youngest and first female chief of Birdtail Sioux Dakota Nation, the support of her community and Elders was pivotal throughout her entire journey.
It’s always been a dream of mine to step into that role, “ ”
and a little more than a year ago, I was approached by Elders and community members to put my name forward.
-Tréchelle
Bunn
Indigenous youth feel uplifted when they are empowered to lead, share knowledge, and deepen relationships with their Elders. At a digital storytelling workshop hosted at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, youth guided Elders in using technology while Elders shared life stories and wisdom in return.
You have the elders learning from the youth on how to use the iPad, but “
Indigenous youth are being supported and uplifted in their identities in many ways by the communities they are a part of. In the Barometer 2024, we asked Indigenous youth about what they feel are the strengths of their communities, and their answers were full of pride, warmth, and connection. Indigenous youth appreciate the sense of belonging that they feel in their communities, where youth spoke about feeling accepted, supported, and uplifted by those around them
then the youth are learning from the Elders about this important knowledge that they’re sharing about their life.
-Jessie Curell, Hands on Media Education
I
The biggest strength of my community is the acceptance. “ ”
am around people all the time who treat me as an equal regardless of my indigenous blood and my sexuality.
-Barometer
2024 Survey Participant
Through our Barometer 2024 project, we asked Indigenous youth what they would like to see their communities look like in the next 5-10 years. Indigenous youth said they are envisioning thriving, sovereign communities with Indigenous-led programs, education, health care, and other opportunities for their communities’ futures.
-Barometer
2024 Survey Participant
I want my community to keep growing and to “
-Barometer 2024
Survey
Participant
Indigenous youth also want to see their communities continue to uplift everyone. They want to see 2SLGBTQIIA+ folks accepted and celebrated in all spaces and want to see everyone encouraged in connecting to their culture, regardless of where they are in their journey. They want to see the people in their communities proud of and connected to all aspects of their identity.
Indigenous youth also see themselves and other youth leading the way in making the changes they want to see. They want to see themselves represented and want to see their priorities included in all aspects of decision making in their communities.
I
would like to see 2-spirit youth thriving with access
to culturally relevant and accepting mental health support; jobs and opportunities to share their experiences, as well as more social services that can help navigate medical transition related barriers to help with gender affirming needs such as surgery, access to supplies and space to be accepted.
-Barometer
2024 Survey Participant
5-10 years from now I would like to see more money and more power in the hands of Black and Indigenous youth “
to lead community work and organizations in order to make changes that are for us and by us.
-Barometer 2024 Survey Participant ”
