Crystal Lewis has been busy figuring out––what do Indigenous youth in the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) need most, and how can those needs be met?
For Lewis, who was elected BC Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Youth Representative at 29, answering these questions means addressing systemic issues like mental health, homelessness, and cultural loss.
Over the past year, Lewis has participated in discussions on provincial and national levels, focusing on youth policy recommendations and cultural heritage.
Advocacy and leadership roles
Lewis began her work in governance as an intern on Parliament Hill, assisting former for Nunavut Member of Parliament Mumilaaq Qaqqaq and contributing to the development of the Indigenous Youth Parliamentary Internship Stream through GreenPAC.
She has since expanded her focus to “include advocacy on international platforms, presenting policy recommendations at the United Nations in New York and Geneva.
“I went on to work in the BC Provincial Government, becoming a new generational speaker of my language, working on my Nation’s Senakw Project, speaking at the Senate, and almost running in this year’s provincial election,” Lewis said in an email to The Squamish Chief.
Her contributions included proposals on cultural safety, anti-human trafficking prevention, and youth care protections.
A legacy of systemic challenges
According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, Indigenous youth in Canada have long faced systemic inequities rooted in colonial history.
Residential schools, introduced in the late 19th century, forcibly removed Indigenous children from their families, stripping them of their languages, cultures, and connections to their communities.
The last of these schools closed in 1996, but the intergenerational trauma remains.
Today, Indigenous youth disproportionately experience higher rates of poverty, mental health challenges, and involvement in the child welfare system according to a report by Statistics Canada.
Indigenous youth make up 44 % of the total Indigenous population in Canada, according to Statistics Canada’s 2021 National Household Survey.
Sḵwx̱wú7mesh youth and policy focus
As BC AFN Youth Representative, Lewis’s role has included attending Special Chiefs Assemblies and hosting the annual BC AFN Youth Forum.
Statistics Canada reports that Indigenous youth are disproportionately affected by mental health challenges, with nearly 36 % reporting experiences of suicidal thoughts compared to 12 % of non-Indigenous youth.
Lewis has also advocated for the importance of culturally relevant mental health initiatives in her role.
“I have been travelling non-stop and speaking at different events advocating and bringing forward youth voices,” she said.
Efforts in language revitalization
As a first-generation Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language speaker, Lewis has prioritized the use of her language in her advocacy work.
A graduate of Simon Fraser University’s Indigenous Language Proficiency Program (INLP), she describes her journey as both “fulfilling and ongoing.”
“Since graduating, I have been actively speaking my language as much as I can, especially in my role as BC AFN Youth Representative,” Lewis said.
“It has touched a lot of people to hear the language, and it gives hope for the future.”
Lewis shared that speaking her language fosters a profound connection to her ancestors. “From what I have been told and reminded throughout our teachings, our ancestors are always in the room when we speak,” she said.
“No matter where we are with our language learning, or if we stumble upon our words, our ancestors know what we are trying to say, and they are immensely proud of us.”
While Lewis is considered fluent, she emphasizes that language learning is a lifelong process. “Learning and ‘hunting’ for new Sḵwx̱wú7mesh words is a commitment,” she said. “I am hopeful for the future as we see more speakers emerge.”
She also expressed gratitude for the INLP program and its founders. “I owe a lot of thanks to our chair and leader Khelsilem, whose innovation started the INLP Program at SFU along with our instructors Chen̓áx̱wtn Swo-wo Billy, Myia Antone, Char George, Danzel Baker, the Where Are Your Keys Foundation, and many more for their passion and dedication to continue this work and run these programs for our community members,” Lewis said.
“I am also extremely grateful to our ancestors and elders who put so much love and dedication into leaving us as much language as possible before they passed on.”
Data from the First Peoples’ Cultural Council indicates that only 5.1 % of B.C.’s Indigenous population are fluent in their languages.
“The INLP program at SFU has been very successful and brings in new speakers to each program,” Lewis said.
“Depending on class size, it often results in a number of new speakers, so our numbers are growing. I highly encourage all our members to apply for it. The deadline is Dec. 9, 2024.”
Message to the community
Reflecting on the importance of language revitalization and youth engagement, Lewis emphasized that these efforts require collective support from the community.
“I continue to advocate that we are all a part of the solution,” she said.
“We are all a piece of the puzzle, we need all our strengths and gifts to help make a difference in this world, especially our youth.”
Bhagyashree Chatterjee is The Squamish Chief’s Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
