b"YOUTHallows that youth voice to inform the workWhen I think of youth representation innot get support or their voices have not that ONWA does, but also to be front andthese spaces, I think we could always dobeen heard.centre [with] the reforms and changebetter, Gomes says. I dont have any chil-ONWA is advocating for, Robert says. dren yet, but I bring my nieces or I bringSomething I am really proud of, that I talk Robert says the opportunity to witnesspeople who are younger than me intoa lot about, is when we were the co-chairs, and participate in the GIYC has beenthis space, because when I think of why Iwe led with horizontal leadership in terms really transformative. know how to do certain things or ways ofof we were all walking hand in hand and being in certain situations, its because Iit was all about how do we leverage the Youre surrounded by these otherwas walking and observing either my dadplatform and the power to each other and Indigenous youth around the world whoor my mentors, my teachers, not just into our communities, Gomes says.are fighting such similar fights that youthe political sphere but in our Ko-'ula and are, and uniting together to share yourdance practices, our healing practices. Both Roberts and Gomes journeys prove knowledge and to share your visions forGomes says the GIYC is doing an incred- the importance of uplifting youth voices in the future is so powerful, Robert says.ible job, adding that they continue topolitical fields: when youth are given a seat When you realize that in this work, whenpush themselves to be more inclusive,at the table, there is no limit to what they we do it in our own little corner of theespecially to regions where the youth docan achieve.country, its often so isolating and chal-lenging and overwhelming, and it can feel like youre alone and it can feel like its very difficult to continue with some days because it is so hard and you do experi-ence so much loss. [But] when you come together with other youth, you realize that the work you are doing is so much bigger than yourself, and its really for the collective future of Indigenous people, not only in Ontario or in Canada but around the world. And you gain strength from that and motivation and inspiration from that, knowing you are part of this global movement of youth who are relentlessly advocating for a better future and proud to be taking up their inherent roles in doing that.Gomes, one of three former co-chairs of the GIYC and a Ka-naka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) Filipina storyteller, land and water defender and emerging healer from Hawaii, says she was raised in a political environment as her father was involved with politics.I was raised around campaigns and that environment, Gomes says, noting that although her parents dont consider themselves activists, she was supported and encouraged to stand up for her beliefs. I believe activism is political, and our lives as Indigenous people, especially Indigenous young people, is activism in and of itself. Part of my experience or observation isONWAs Indigenous Housing partnerthat, for so many of us Indigenous people, the plan was always erasure, so the factServing the housing needs of Indigenous women, girls, that were still here and our people are2SLGBTQQIA+ people, their families, and their communities.still here and our culture, our languages, our knowledge systems, our food systems1-866-391-1061still exist and we still exist is really an actOntarioAboriginalHousing.caof revolution.Gomes says she served with the GIYC for three years and was elected for two consecutive terms as one of three sister@OntarioAboriginalHousing @OAHSSCco-chairsthe first time that three young women served together as co-chairs.Ontario Native Womens Association47"