Kyle Clarke

Kyle Clarke

Education Coordinator

Kyle is of Ukrainian, Irish, and Métis ancestry who grew up on the W̱SÁNEĆ territory. Recently, Kyle graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Environmental Studies. He is excited about utilizing his skills and knowledge of land stewardship to promote ecosystem restoration, protection, and education as a way to heal the places that shaped his adoration for the natural world. He has designed an Indigenous Foodplant garden in Sylix territory (Okanagan) that promotes food sovereignty and reintroduces culturally significant food plants to communities. Kyle has run outdoor elementary programs for two years and focuses his work around developing deep relationships with the students. He hopes that his knowledge and passion for nature inspires the students at the PEPÁḴEṈ HÁUTW̱ Native Plant Nursery and Garden to generate a deeper connection to their land and culture.

Esther Morris

Esther Morris

WSANEC School Board, Executive Assistant

Hi, I’m Esther Morris from Tsartlip First Nation, and I work with the WSANEC School Board as the Executive Assistant. My role with Living Lab is to help coordinate the WSANEC School Board engagement; we are currently focused on the new Indigenous Education and Resurgence Research Project. This project will re-connect our WSANEC peoples to Salish Sea relatives, such as Lekwungen and Lummi, supporting our community priorities for education, land rights and culture.

My interests are being at home in this pandemic (sarcasm); remaining culturally active in our Coast Salish culture and traditions; keeping my children engaged in education and culture, and passing along teachings that have been passed on to me from my parents and grandparents.

Living Lab is a great project coming alive that will be used for generations. My late grandfather, Ivan Morris Sr, was a key knowledge keeper and with the SENCOTEN language and education – being a part of this project has significant meaning to me. I’m excited to see it all unfold for our learners to use for many years. Once this project is complete and utilized in the curriculum, it will have even greater meaning to the Coast Salish people.

Sarah-Jim

Sarah Jim

Stewardship Coordinator

I am a member of the W̱SÁNEĆ nation from the Tseycum village and have been working with PEPÁḴEṈ HÁUTW̱ since 2018 and with the Living Lab Project since 2019. Living Lab and PEPÁḴEṈ HÁUTW̱ allow me to work in a culturally significant place called SṈIDȻEȽ; the first W̱SÁNEĆ village site. Working on the land and being with community members and knowledge keepers has allowed me to learn ancestral plant knowledge and traditional ways of being. I also hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Victoria and have merged my two loves; art and plants. Creating place-based artwork of my homelands and waters allows me to educate others about the importance of native plant food systems and coastal medicines concerning the ecosystem and W̱SÁNEĆ culture.

sarahjimstudio.com

Judith

Judith Lyn Arney

PH Ecosystems Director

I grew up in the beautiful forests, beaches, and meadows of the W̱SÁNEĆ homelands. I‘m an ethno-ecologist of British ancestry doing ecosystem restoration work. My role with Living Lab is supporting “on the ground” work, especially organizing restoration activities for youth and the community. I’m deeply passionate about the healing work of restoration and building community-based capacity for long-term and widespread ecosystem restoration with a core foundation of indigenous land sovereignty.