b'NATIONAL GATHERING KEYNOTEthing? Are people going to like them? All those things are going through their head and every employee on campusfrom security, staff, faculty and the presidenthas an opportunity to help grow that flame, orinadvertently dim it by not paying attention.STRENGTH FROM MENTORSHIP When recalling her story to date, Campbell is quick to share her love and appreciation for the mentors she got to know who walked alongside her. They include supervisors, coworkers and Indigenous scholars she has encountered throughout her studies and teaching positions. They also include her Auntie Maria Campbell, with whom she reconnected after finding her birth family. Auntie Maria still works in post-secondary education, besides community work and all the other things she does. And in the work that I do, I always ask, If Auntie heard about this, what would her response be? says Campbell.Among her many teachings, Campbell says her Auntie Maria was influential in convincing her how powerful Indigenous ceremony could be when it came to fostering physical and mental fortitude. She helped me see that going to those ceremonies takes so much of our physical, mental, spiritual and emotional energy, says Campbell. She helped me see how they can push us to our limits and how that prepares you to be strong in other spaces in your life. Campbell feels blessed to have found her birth family and to have had an opportunity to meet many people FEELING SEEN who inspire her to be a strong and resilient Indigenous Campbells journey has not been without its challenges.voice for others. Having those mentors really makes Being both queer and Indigenous resulted in her feelingme be cognizant of making sure I respond to people compelled to hide aspects of her life on numerouswho see me as a mentor, and how lucky I am to have occasions, and initially there were few places where shethat responsibility, she says. felt comfortable sharing her authentic self. These feel- While she has been proud to mentor and teach ings of isolation and a longing for community, however,students within FNUniv and in her community, it wasnt eventually shaped her teaching philosophy. until she began leading at the Shatitsirtha Waterloo Its been important for me to be that person whoIndigenous Student Centre that Campbell fully real-helps somebody feel seen and recognized, Campbellized she had become an Auntie herself. It eventually says. Sometimes, being Indigenous and being queer,occurred to me that Im Auntie material now, she that feeling of invisibility is more prominent or accentu- laughs. That took a bit of a transition, but when I ated, or we internalize it more in that way. So, I try tostarted thinking about the Aunties in my life and how say Hi to everyone in the halls and do what I can toinspiring and important they are, the way I felt about make them feel welcome. that became less about me feeling old versus realizing this was a beautiful gift to give.These connections are immensely important in educa-tion, Campbell emphasizes. Every student walksIf young people are now seeing me as an Auntie through the door with a little flame in their eye. Theyreperson, continues Campbell, I want to tend to that excited. Theyre nervous, notes Campbell. Theyrein a good way. My students make me want to do also wondering things like, Are they good enough? Arebetter in my leadership so they can feel more safe and classes going to be easy? Are they wearing the rightbe themselves.16indspiration2023'