Kelli Wiebe
- Home Community:
Peepeekisis First Nation & Winnipeg - Cultural Identity:
Nehiyaw - Current Position:
Indigenous Education Support Teacher in St. James Assiniboia School Division - Education/Training:
U of W – B.A/B.Ed. - Roles/Responsibilities:
Supporting teachers by building capacity to infuse Indigenous perspectives across the curriculum.
Model Culturally Safe – Anti-racist Pedagogy.
Celebrate Indigenous brilliance and support Elder Engagement.
“Never underestimate the power of intergenerational love that carries us.”
What obstacles did you face and how did you overcome them?
I think an obstacle that I have faced and continue to face as a Cree woman is being part of a Western education system. I have always loved learning but felt the way that I received education wasn’t congruent with Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing. I couldn’t put it into words when I was younger, but I now see that the education system was and continues to perpetuate colonial violence toward Indigenous Peoples. This tension has manifested for me in not having the financial means to attend post-secondary at times and being on the receiving end of a lot of racism. I have and continue to overcome these obstacles in the same way that so many of my Indigenous kin have, by standing strong in who I am and through the support of community.
What or who inspired you to really go after the profession you are in now?
My family – especially the beautiful matriarchs that raised me. My aunties and mother who constantly told me who I was and what I could accomplish. My siblings - who have all went into helping professions. My grandma, Marie Antoinette Desnomie Diffey, who survived residential school and who has prayed for me even before I was welcomed into our family earth side.
What critical choices or decisions did you make that helped you get where you are today?
Reconnecting with my culture through attending ceremony and sitting with Elders who have helped me to understand what it means to live Mino-Pimatisiwin and the strength of leaning into my identity as a Nehiyaw Iskwew.
Message of Encouragement:
Never underestimate the power of intergenerational love that carries us. We are not alone on the journey, our ancestors and relatives stand with us, sharing their strength, love, and gifts.
