Provincial Lead – Indigenous Health

Layla is a nehiyaw iskwew, (Cree woman), from the Onion Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 6 Territory and is a mother to 14-year-old daughter. Layla was born and raised in amiskwaciy waskahikan (Edmonton) in Treaty 6 and is a guest now on the unceded, traditional territory of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) peoples.

Layla is the Provincial Lead – Indigenous Health and is supporting Child Health BC in their work to eradicate Indigenous specific racism and hardwire Indigenous cultural safety and humility across operations, projects, and initiatives.

Layla has had the honour to learn from many gifted Elders and Knowledge Holders who continue to guide her on her journey. She was called to action in this work in 2011 through her involvement with a national initiative that supported teachers across “Canada” to bring truth about the histories and ongoing legacies of residential schools into their classrooms. Through this work, Layla had the honour to both witness and support survivors as they shared their testimonies at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission gathering in Edmonton. Since this time, Layla has advocated for the diverse needs and strengths of Indigenous women, children, and families in different capacities. In all of her work, Layla focuses on educating others about the history and ongoing legacies of colonization, guiding conversations about our individual and collective journeys in the worth towards truth, reconciliation, and decolonization, and bringing forward Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing to support organization wide changes to meaningfully support Indigenous women, families, children and communities.