Each year, we get to work with the most incredible group of young people. They all have rich stories, have shown resilience and fortitude and they are worth getting to know. As part of their work with us, we ask the staff, in their own words, to share the parts of the stories they feel comfortable with others knowing - and the parts that reveal more of their depth. It's not an easy thing, to be vulnerable in your own words, and we commend each one of them for digging deep to share these beautiful bios. Please read with care and understanding.
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MarshyHello, my name is marshy. I am 16 years old. I was born in BC, but I grew up in Australia for most of my childhood until I turned 10. Although no matter where I may move, I feel at home when I’m with my family. I am an artist, and I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. That skill has evolved into a separate job for me, and allows me to express my emotions and gender identity freely. A defining trait for me is how assertive I am when it comes to defending myself. I love to experiment with my gender expression which also may make me stand out in a crowd!
I’d love to finally start becoming more independent as a teenager. Getting my driver’s license, having a stable source of income, working on finishing high school and preparing for university too of course. Being able to start transitioning into being a young adult feels extremely thrilling! I absolutely adore everyone working at Roots to Harvest. I feel so comfortable to express myself as who I am without the fear of judgement. Having so many resources available for us makes me feel very supported. |
KiaraMy name is Kiara. I was born in Thunder bay, lived here since I was born. The place that feels like home to me is my home because it has my mom, brother and my fat cat. I have a few hobbies. I like doing photography, mostly landscapes. I have my own instagram for my photography. I game out on COD3 and GtA 5 and I also draw sometimes. I am mainly the quiet and keep-to-yourself kind of person. I like to believe I am charismatic and thoughtful, and a very good listener. I hope to continue my education. I want to attend college next year to join the digital photography program and hopefully go to school in a new city! Since I’ve never left the Thunder Bay. I like working at Roots to harvest because it is teaching me all kinds of skills, from handling cash to communicating with people.
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AmarahMy name is Amarah, and I am 17 years old. I was born in the city, at McKellar. I grew up in Webequie until I was 2, then lived in Fort Hope until I was 6. After that I moved to Thunder Bay with my mom and my sister. I had 3 more brothers since I moved to the city. For me, where I feel most at home is Fort Hope because my grandma lives there. She still has a room for me at her house.
It takes me a bit to open up to people, which is why when people first meet me they might think I am unapproachable. But once they get to know me, I can be really nice and likeable with those I am comfortable with. I like being with people who make me come out of my shell. Something fun that I can do is make a really good loon call using my hands. My grandmother taught me that. I also like to paint and I like using watercolours. I used to play basketball in elementary school, and I would love to be able to play again sometime. Right now, I want to focus on building my resume, and work at different places. I am also going back to school and after that go to college. My family, especially my grandma has inspired to me to do that. I want to have the skills to go to work, and Roots has allowed me to do jobs that make me feel calm. I like things like granola packaging and labelling with stickers, but I also enjoy jobs that are more mentally challenging, I like working here because I can do both. |
KayinMy name is Kayin, I am 17. I was born here in the city, and I live with my parents. I grew up in the Port Arthur area, and I like that it’s quiet and peaceful. I especially feel at peace in my house where I have a sense of familiarity. I like passing the time playing video games, and reading. Right now I am going through the Percy Jackson series. After I graduate I want to go to college. I have already looked at some courses and I think I am leaning towards the Dental Hygienist program, although that may change. I was offered the position at Roots to Harvest by my guidance counsellor to help me get some credits. I like the work that I do here and the environment that we have all created. I enjoy tasks like weeding and harvesting, and especially working with the bees. I have made some connections here at Roots and with time maybe the connections will become stronger.
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KiarenBoozhoo, my name is Kiaren. I was born in Thunder Bay. I grew up in the city but I went back to my reserve when I was 5. I stayed there till I was 8. It was nicer in Fort Hope when I was young. There wasn’t much to do but I had fun. When I came back it was pretty hard to acclimate, I wasn’t used to the city life. I made some friends pretty quickly though. My family moved around quite a bit when I was growing up, and I learned to become self-sufficient from a young age. I learned to deal with my own problems, and don’t like relying on people. I have always focused on the people around me, and spend a lot of time trying to understand my friends. I think what people like about me is that I can be blunt with them. Writing is one of the things I like to do in my free time. I like writing fictions about high fantasy, and the love craft genre. I also like exploring new places, and going on walks. This year I hope to find a new place to stay with my friends, and finally finish high school. I also hope to go on a trip along the shores of Lake Superior for a month at some point. I also work at The Sovereign Room part time, so I am hoping to save up some spending money. At Roots to Harvest, I like working with the land, and the simple labour. It’s easy to do. I really like the market, working with other people and selling vegetables. All in all, I am a genuine Anishinaabe.
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AustinHi my name is Austin, and I am 15. I feel like I grew up all over this city. I like it most when I am at my sister’s place. She has two kids and I spend time with them, and I can talk to my sister pretty openly. I think I stand out because of my personality. I can be outgoing, even a risk-taker sometimes. I tend to get along with people who are supportive. I like talking to my friends about animals. I love animals, and right now I have two dogs, two snails and two fish. I also like playing video games, and listening to music. Sometimes I take my bike to parks and enjoy alone time sitting on the swings. I am hoping to get my drivers’ license when I turn 16. Eventually, I would like to be in a career working with animals, or with children who have special needs. I knew about Roots to Harvest thorough my high school, and I got signed up for the program. I like being in the garden because it gives me a reason to be outside. I like harvesting, weeding and being at the market. I built a raised bed for the medicine garden, and I really enjoyed working with the tools. One thing I want to take away from Roots is improvement on my communication skills. I have already overcome some of the barriers, and I hope to continue getting better at it.
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AngelineI am Angelina. I go to Hammarskjold high school. I am 18 years old, soon to be 19. I have a son named Iris, who is 2 years old. I am from Grassy Narrows. I only lived there for a year though. I was born in Kenora, I lived there on and off till I was 7. After that I moved to Thunder Bay and have lived here ever since. This is the place where I call home, I grew up here. My boyfriend and his family also live here and I am very close with them. My mother used to take me to Pow Wows when I was young and the music always made me want to dance. I am a dancer, and I do Shawl Dance at Powwows now. I have been to many Pow Wows, and I was going to take my son to several more this summer and dance there before Covid happened. I also like to play games online with my sister. I like to spend time with my son and I often go on walks with him exploring the trails in the city. I like mornings when I can wake up early and have some time to make and eat breakfast with Iris. I hope later in the year I will be able to get my son into a daycare. I want to graduate high school, and continue working part time. I hope to get a house for me and my son. I heard about Roots to Harvest from my school. I initially thought I wouldn’t really like it, but I actually do. I like the outdoor work, and taking care of the garden. I like knowing that I am accomplishing something here.
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