Anonymous

“When I began my healing journey on the red road, I had a lot of questions of why. Why me Creator? Why were these experiences brought to me? Why am I HIV positive?

In the beginning, I was faced with fierce resentment and deep shame. I couldn’t understand what the pain was trying to teach me. It was when I began to journey to the light of hope and resilience that I was given opportunities to share my life and use my experiences as tools to empower Indigenous communities. ​

Presenting my work on international platforms, bringing young people into ceremony, taking the darkest parts of my life and using them to educate others – it was these awakenings that began to feed my spirit. In these moments, my eyes were opened to see that everything I had endured and survived was for a purpose. In these moments, I felt the power of my ancestors as they whispered to me, “This is why”.”