Growing up, I moved frequently between communities across the province of Quebec and, later, between Calgary and Quebec City. While these transitions were sometimes difficult, I experienced them as new chapters in my life, supported by my family and the opportunities each place offered me.
This experience starkly contrasts with the forced displacement that many Indigenous children and families have endured, particularly through colonial systems such as residential schools and the Sixties Scoop. I recognize that my mobility was a privilege, not a hardship imposed by systemic injustice.
I also acknowledge that the places I have lived and grown on are situated on the ancestral and traditional territories of many Indigenous Nations, including the Anicinape (Algonquin) peoples of Abitibi, the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk), and the Huron-Wendat, Innu, and Abenaki Nations of Quebec, as well as the Blackfoot Confederacy, Tsuut’ina Nation, Stoney Nakoda Nations, Ktunaxa Nation, and Métis peoples in what is now known as Calgary.
These lands have supported me, shaped me, and allowed me to grow into the person I am today. I offer this acknowledgement with gratitude and as a commitment to continue learning, reflecting, and engaging in more respectful and reciprocal relationships with the communities and lands I occupy.
In addition to the physical lands I have lived on, I also recognize that much of my work takes place within digital spaces. These environments are not neutral and exist within systems that shape access, ownership, and representation. I acknowledge the importance of Indigenous data sovereignty and the responsibility to approach digital design with care, respect, and accountability, in alignment with the OCAP® Principles.
Each image reflects a moment and a place that have grounded me across the lands I’ve lived on.
Warmth and care from my grandmother’s home,
Peace and belonging I find near flowing water,
Growth, memory, and sustenance shaped by the land,
Relationships with all living and non-living beings,
Time, change, and continuity across seasons.
Peace and belonging I find near flowing water,
Growth, memory, and sustenance shaped by the land,
Relationships with all living and non-living beings,
Time, change, and continuity across seasons.