b'YOUTH PROFILEYouth Profile:Amelia FoxReclaiming the place of Two-Spirit people in northern communities BY ASHLEY ALBERTS elf-acceptance and a sense oftalked about how Indigenous youthfrom the Youth Opportunities Fund, belonging are important to allliving in northern remote commun- they are required to have an organ-youthespecially if a youth isities often lack the support to fully beizational mentora role fulfilled by struggling with their identity.themselves, and how they face differentthe Chiefs of Ontario (COO)to Living in a community that lacks mentalbarriers like discrimination and a lackprovide administrative support, handle health resources and role models canof access to mental health services andfinancials and provide Amelia with be hard enough without factoring insupport due to inadequate funding.project mentoring. other barriers faced by Indigenous youthDuring this discussion, Amelias dadWhen Niizhaayek Alliance first living in remote northern commun- asked, How many youth did we lose tostarted, Amelia didnt know how the ities. Helping to reduce the stigmasuicide that are like you?organization would work during the around being a part of the 2SLGBTQ+The question left a mark on Amelia,COVID-19 pandemic. Her step-mother (Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans- and is one of the reasons why she issuggested a podcast, and the resulting gender, queer, questioning) community ispassionate about the work that theIn-Between People Podcast became a important for these youth.Niizhaayek Alliance is doingshe wantspoint of pride for Amelia. With every The Niizhaayek Alliance is a non- to help battle the stigma surrounding theepisode, hosts Amelia, Leslie and Lucille profit organization that aims to help2SLGBTQ+ community and reduce theseek to uplift the stories of their guests, reduce the stigma and risk associatednumber of suicides by raising awareness.amplify 2SLGBTQ+ voices and reclaim with being part of the 2SLGBTQ+Having suffered from her own mentalthe place of Two-Spirit people in community. This is done in varioushealth issues in the past, Amelia feltnorthern communities. ways, including the engagement ofcompelled to do something about the youth through workshops, the ampli- struggles that 2SLGBTQ+ youth face.In her part-time role as lead coordin-fication of youth voices and, eventu- She notes that having a supportive familyator for the Niizhaayek Alliance, Amelia ally, through hosting an Ontario-widehas been integral in her self-acceptanceoversees financials, program planning 2SLGBTQ+ gathering.as a Two-Spirited person. and all of the initiatives the organization Amelia Fox is the founder and leadundertakes. While her role is similar coordinator for Niizhaayek Alliance.Amelia is currently working towardto what a manager would do, there is As a Two-Spirted young person livingearning her masters degree. She alsoalso a manager that oversees everything in Thunder Bay, she has had her ownjust finished a graduate diploma infrom COO. mental health struggles in coming tobusiness from Queens University, terms with her identity. Amelias dadand she is proud that she was ableMeet the Teamis from Bearskin Lake First Nation onto persevere through the course andAt time of writing, the team working Treaty 9 Territory, and her mom is fromelevate her understanding of businessalongside Amelia at the Niizhaayek Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg on the uncededadministration to better manage theAlliance includes Lucille Atlookan, territory of the Algonquin. It was throughNiizhaayek Alliance.Leslie Spence and Alec ONabigon. Amelias vision that Niizhaayek AllianceAmelia wrote a proposal in 2019 forLucille, Niizhaayeks youth outreach became a reality.the Youth Opportunities Fund at theworker, is a Two-Spirited artist from Ontario Trillium Foundation. WhileEabamatoong First Nation responsible Support Key to Self-Acceptance Niizhaayek was approved for the grant,for creating the Niizhaayek logo. Lucille Amelia first got the idea forthe original intent of the proposalanis also the founder of Neechee Studio, Niizhaayek Alliance after a conversationOntario-wide youth gatheringfellan arts programming initiative that with her dad about 2SLGBTQ+ identi- through due to COVID-19. Sinceservices young Indigenous people in ties. Through their discussions theyNiizhaayek Alliance is receiving supportThunder Bay.22l I ssue2 2021/22C hIefs ofo ntarIoA dvocAte magazIne'