My name is Roxie Defant: I am from the Skidegate Band of the Haida Gwaii First Nation, I am of the Eagle Clan, my family name is Brown, and we are represented by the houses of the Moon and the Killer Whale. I was born and raised in the inner city of East Vancouver, it is my home. I am a fourth year social work student who believes I can accomplish absolutely anything I set my mind to; I have a laundry list of what I plan to pursue after graduation: I will achieve my PhD, I will teach, I will work front line on the Downtown East Side, I will go into Psychology, I will be a free-range social worker, and so much more. Getting to this time and space of my life has been long and arduous; I never planned on attending post-secondary, it was something that simply happened organically through a series of challenges and moments of growth. I am honoured to be a part of this incredible opportunity that is Knowledge Makers. I do not know what lessons Knowledge Makers has in store for me, but I do know that its teachings will unfold throughout my life for many years to come. I live my life with intention, with mindfulness and critical self-awareness; I believe that Knowledge Makers will further help to cultivate a deeper sense of self in me as I near the end of this leg of my formal educational journey. I believe that the more I understand myself, the more capable I am of understanding the world. The world in which we live is fragmented. Through opportunities like Knowledge Makers I choose to find the connections; from there I am capable of bridging my lived experiences with those Creator sends across my path so that we may all build up ourselves, our people, and our communities. Háw’aa.