Harriet always makes me laugh and I love her free spirited nature. You never have to wonder what she is thinking because she will tell you if you take the time to ask, and frankly, I find that to be a breath of fresh air!
I've enjoyed working with Harriet closer the last 3 years, since I began to work regionally, and even more closely together since I began coordinating the program and had to organize interpretation for all the presentations we run each year. She works hard and is straightforward so that you know you can count on her to make things happen.
Through our travels for meetings or workshops, I've had a few chances to hear her own story of her youth and how education took her away from her home and family. Her story is a powerful one, that opens your eyes to the impact of government policies that didn't always give students a say in what they wanted in their lives. Despite challenges she faced, she is a strong, resilient and brave woman. I respect her and love it when I have the chance to hear her perspective on things that we sometimes take for granted. She's not afraid to challenge people to think and change if necessary.
I'm glad I can call Harriet a friend. She is brave and thought provoking. I was really touched in a recent workshop that we had for front line professionals. During a discussion about creating safer spaces in our schools for youth in Nunavik, she brought a challenge to all of the participants for them to self-examine their views and possible lack of acceptance of youth, who are questioning their sexuality. It was a tough topic to bring up since there are many strongly opposing views held by the church goers in many communities. As a result of her bravery to bring up the topic, which still has many taboos around it in the region, we were able to have a productive and open sharing about what we can do and ow we can support youth better, who might be struggling to find a place to talk about how they are feeling. I think we all benefit from her willingness to push people out of their comfort zone.
Song of the Moment: My Style by Black Eyed Peas
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