Date: 2023
Location: Edmonton
Profile: Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, a Cree and Mohawk member of the Michel First Nation, grew up in Onoway after industrialists and settlers pushed her family off the land. Early experiences on the trapline with her grandfather encouraged her university studies on biodiversity. Her father’s involvement in business and community introduced her to the world of work and workers, where she also encountered hate and racism. She learned about the harmful physiological and psychological effects of colonialism on her people, in particular abuse and violence encountered in residential schools. She employed that knowledge as a Community Rehabilitation worker for Indigenous people in Morley, Alberta. Stonehouse argues that the legacy of harm explains the resignation and trauma experienced by some Indigenous people today. Stonehouse studied Indigenous legal theory in Victoria, later earning a Master’s Degree in Science and Resource Economics at the University of Alberta, where she also explored theories of women’s knowledge. She has participated in varied initiatives, including hosting a First Nations radio show, founding a production company, organizing festivals that exhibit First Nations’ skills and artifacts, and serving as Executive Director of the Yellowhead Indigenous Education Foundation. In May, 2023 Stonehouse was elected as the NDP MLA in Edmonton Rutherford.
Keywords: Colonialism; Cree; Enfranchisement; Michel First Nation; Mohawk; New Democratic Party; Residential schools; Yellowhead Indigenous Education Foundation.
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See also: Indigenous Labour in Alberta; Systemic Racism in Alberta; Women and Work in Alberta