b'As far back as Iwhy I had to fight so hard to belong? I dontToday, as the Chair for Truth and Rec-can remember,think I ever really did understand, but Ionciliation at Lakehead University, I am the drive behindlearned to see beyond the hurt and to lookfulfilling a lifelong desire to change the everything Ito the horizon. Like so many other Indige- face of Aboriginal Canada to a positive. have ever done,nous kids growing up in the dark shadow ofI am committed to teaching, reminding, was a need toIRS, I knew I had to find a way to get frommodeling and supporting every single understand. As Ihere to there, wherever there was going toperson I come in contact with by sharing was growing up,be. I learned to use every opportunity asa powerful message on the beauty and I really wantedleverage, as a way to walk, and sometimesvalue of Indigenous knowledge, ceremony to know whyrun, towards something better. It took aand wise practices. We are alive today Cynthia people aroundreturn to formal education to settle in andbecause someone cared, someone fought Wesley-Esquimaux, me behaved thefind people, knowledge and experiencesand someone believed we had a right to be Ph.D. way they did. Atthat would clarify many of the whys I had the time, we reallycarried forward for so many years. here. Every time we overcome hurt, loss, knew nothing about what had happenedfear, shame, and rise up, we honour our behind Indian Residential School (IRS) doorsI made learning my life, and because of this Iancestors, and we give every Indigenous unless we had been forced to attended our- made better decisions, I found better ways,child following us a bright path forward.selves. Those were interesting times, andand I chose to live with a good mind. I can sometimes absolutely terrifying for a littletell you as a woman who has lived manyI am grateful for the opportunities I have girl. I attended many public schools acrosslives in her lifetime, that finding a reason tobeen given, I encourage each one of you Toronto as my family moved from place tosmile, to care, to share, support and love hasto find the joy in everything you do. We all place, outrunning the negative effects ofmade the walk forward infinitely easier andknow what anger will do, what frustration their own childhoods spent in the care ofmore fulfilling. We all have to forgive our- will do, and what fear will do, ask yourself strangers, far away from their own homesselves every day, reach higher, speak louderwhat love would do, and do that, every and families. As I grew up, I wanted to un- and love harder. We can do this, becausesingle day.derstand why I was treated so very differ- overcoming the past is required, and living a ently from my non-Indigenous peers, andgood life is always the best revenge.Miigwetch, Cynthia'