September 30th marks the third annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. For the past two years, we have taken the time to reflect on the tragedy of residential schools as a nation. Whether you’re wearing an orange shirt or donating to Indigenous-led organizations, every gesture counts.

Here, we’re spotlighting 10 Indigenous people who inspire us, from standout designers to passionate advocates.

Justin Jacob Louis

 

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Justin Jacob Louis is the Creative Director and Founder of streetwear brand SECTION 35. A member of the Samson Cree Nation, Louis launched the brand in 2016 to capture Indigenous stories through art and fashion. Along with being one of last year’s CAFA finalists, the designer debuted his namesake label, Justin Jacob Louis, at New York Fashion Week this fall.

Tia Wood

 

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Tia Wood is a 24-year-old advocate, R&B singer and creator. Originally from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, the LA-based artist boasts over 2 million followers on TikTok, where she posts Indigenous educational content with a touch of her signature humour.

Lillian Eva Dyck

 

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With three degrees from the University of Saskatchewan and a Ph.D. in biological psychiatry, medical pioneer and Canada’s first female First Nations senator Lillian Eva Dyck is a shining example of Indigenous excellence. During her time as senator, Dyck’s work included proposing bill S-215, which addresses the violence against missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Vina Brown


Artist Vina Brown is the owner of jewellery label Copper Canoe Woman Creations. Coming from a family of beaders and weavers, Brown draws inspiration from her Heiltsuk and Nuu-Chah-Nulth First Nations roots to blend her heritage with modern aesthetics.

Logan Staats

 

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You’ll probably recognize Singer-songwriter and activist Logan Staats from CTV’s The Launch. After winning the show, Staats’ single “The Lucky Ones” hit number one on Canadian music charts and even landed him an Indigenous Music Award for Best Radio Single. Fun fact: He’s also opened for Indigenous music legend Buffy Sainte-Marie.

Jewel Charles

Jewel Charles is a 20-year-old Woodland Cree artist and author from La Ronge, Saskatchewan. In 2018, Charles was awarded the Sasktel Indigenous Youth Awards in Fine and Performing Arts and became a published author the following year (she was 17 at the time!)  Her book, Kihci-Kimotan, A Special Street, tells the story of two children on an imaginative adventure through a series of poems translated into Cree.

Evan Ducharme

 

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Evan Ducharme is a Métis designer who launched his namesake clothing label in 2012. His brand showcases Indigenous history and iconography, sparking dialogue on gender, queerness and environmental ethics.

Shayla Oulette Stonechild

 

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As the host of APTN’s Red Earth Uncovered, Shayla Oulette Stonechild explores Indigenous links to major archaeological moments in history, bringing a new perspective to the table. Stonechild also founded the non-profit organization Matriarch Movement, which is committed to amplifying Indigenous voices through story, movement and medicine.

charlie amáyá scott


Creator of the blog Diné Aesthetics, charlie amáyá scott is a non-binary scholar, educator and advocate. Born and raised within the Navajo Nation, Scott strives to inspire joy and justice through their content creation, speaking at colleges and universities and working with various organizations to support the Black and Indigenous LGBTQ community.

Dr. Nadine Caron


Dr. Nadine Caron is an educator, community leader, and Canada’s first female First Nations surgeon. A Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation member, she received the Dr. Thomas Dignan Indigenous Health Award from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She is currently a faculty member at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine and a general and endocrine surgeon at the Prince George Regional Hospital.

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