Next Up

The first thing you’ll notice about Erika is her love of life! She grew up on the basketball courts in Masset, Haida Gwaii. Erika is very connected to her Haida culture and celebrates it though traditional singing and dancing. Erika recently finished a Community Herbalist program from Pacific Rim College that focused on integrative health and traditional medicine. She is proud to be currently taking the Indigenous Studies program at Camosun College. She is passionate about learning the histories and current issues of indigenous people across North America. Erika is also taking leadership in her community and connecting with the land and the elements. In the future, Erika hopes to develop a progressive, culturally-based school system. Travel is another one of her passions. Erika has had a number of different opportunities to share her awesomeness with people internationally. She participated in an elder and youth council in California, she lived in Tanzania as part of the International Aboriginal Youth Intern program through Canada World Youth, and she spent time in Guatemala on a cultural exchange with Mayan people. She is looking forward to returning to Guatemala this December to reconnect with the friends she met during the exchange. In January, she will travel with the Old Masset Youth council to New Zealand for a cultural exchange with Maori people. Erika is keeping BC Ferries afloat by commuting from Victoria to participate in Next Up 6!