Indigenous Innovators

Mark Rutledge, CGD™ talks with Jen about his career as a graphic designer and the journey of how he ended up at Animikii. From attending school in Seneca College to working in Yukon, Mark provides a unique perspective on the difference between supporting and celebrating Indigenous design and appropriation using Indigenous cultural art for personal gain. He also discusses strategies for Indigenous youth interested in becoming an illustrator or graphic designer in today's tech industry. Guest...

Darian Sampare, Website Developer Intern at Animikii, talks with Jen and Dakota about the challenges and benefits of entering the tech sector as an Indigenous person. Even today, there are substantial barriers for Indigenous students and young people who are thinking about entering the tech sector. We discuss these barriers and also explore some of the benefits of technology for Indigenous communities with this episode's guest, Darian Sampare, who, as an Indigenous Computer Sciences student...

Jace Meyer, Lead for Indigenous Entrepreneurs at Shopify, talks with Jen about the benefits, barriers, and tools available for Indigenous entrepreneurs on Turtle Island. Through technology, entrepreneurs can now sell their creations from anywhere in the world to a global audience using online platforms. This shift to online commerce is something that this episode's guest, Jace Meyer, is intimately aware of from her role as the Lead for Indigenous Entrepreneurs at Shopify. Guest Bio Jace...

Denise Williams, CEO of the First Nations Technology Council, has an in-depth discussion with Jordyn about some of these issues of Internet access and technological literacy in Indigenous Communities - particularly as it relates to job creation. Technology jobs in British Columbia are expanding and will continue to do so as we move further towards a knowledge-based economy and no one understands that better than this episode’s main guest, Denise Williams. Denise Williams is the Executive...

Trina QaqqaqIn, Inuit Activist, talks with Jordyn and Dakota about what it means to be an effective ally to Inuit Peoples. They discuss issues of identity and belonging, particularly as it relates to being a Northern Inuit person living and working in the Southern Canadian context. The trio takes a deeper look at Trina’s motivations for joining the activism space and talks about what she hopes to accomplish with her growing projects. Trina speaks clearly and passionately about issues that...

Ginger Gosnell-Myers, Vancouver's first ever Aboriginal Relations Manager, talks with Jordyn about issues of identity and belonging. Ginger is Nisga’a and Kwakwaka’wakw and now lives on the traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Peoples in Vancouver. Before joining the City of Vancouver, Ginger was a key advocate for Indigenous youth; she was an Action Canada 2004 Fellow, a former Co-Chair to the Assembly of First Nations National Youth Council, and a former...

Michael Kusugak, renowned Inuit storyteller and children’s book author, talks with Jordyn and Dakota about his career in Storytelling. Michael, originally from Repulse Bay, Northwest Territories, has been a legendary figure looming in Canadian children’s literature now for decades. He debuted his career in children’s literature by co-authoring A Promise is a Promise, with the great Robert Munsch in 1988, and has been entertaining and educating Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth in Canada...