Currently pursuing a Master’s in Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia, Desiree focuses on Indigenous community planning. Her robust academic and professional background, complemented by her lived experiences, has endowed her with essential skills in community engagement, policy analysis, and communication. She has held various positions centered around Indigenous relations, further honing these abilities.

Throughout her career, Desiree has actively engaged with Indigenous leaders across Turtle Island, teaching workshops on traditional ecological knowledge and spearheading economic development initiatives. She champions inclusivity, empowering individuals to embrace their unique identities and cultural backgrounds.

I have my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree and am currently in the process of obtaining my Masters Degree in Human Rights and Social Justice.

Through my current studies, I have been focusing more on the MMIWG crisis, by learning about both municipal and federal policies and procedures. The goal is to look for different solutions and what is working, as well as where the system is failing our Indigenous sisters.

I have always been involved with working alongside youth and our younger generations, as I truly believe that that is the best place where we can begin to make a difference.

My other passions lie within recovery, and helping those suffering from substance abuse to find a new way to live by making second-stage housing and detox facilities, more accessible.