YAIJ Team Supporters

I love roller skating, camping, hiking, and all things tennis. 

I'm a mom, author, educator, Registered Nurse and education researcher. 

I'm also a PhD candidate at Simon Fraser University in the lower mainland. My area of research is special education. My PhD thesis examines how race and dis/ability impact teacher praxis. 

I'm here to trouble the tensions. 

I am curious about life, I'm passionate about cars (I race gokarts), love science and animals. I just graduated from high school and plan to go to college to study auto technology (makes sense, right?).

I'm autistic and don't have a lot of places I can go where I feel comfortable, safe, and accepted and can just be myself. I hope we can be that place for young people like me. 

When I'm not trying to solve mystery novels or devouring any form of potato, I love spending time with my fluffy dog, Marlowe, and my husband, Jamil. 

I teach high school English in British Columbia on the ancestral and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, and Musqueam Nations. 

In addition to being a teacher, I recently graduated with my Master’s degree in Education from Simon Fraser University. 

I'm passionate about social justice and work hard to better understand how I can help to make systemic changes in the education system.

I'm an educator, PhD student, and researcher. I've taught as a middle school classroom and learning services teacher in the K-12 sector and a Faculty Associate teaching Inclusive Education in higher ed. 

 My own learning has been a path of understanding teachings, gifts and stories that have been shared with me in many different places, not limited to the academic spaces within which I have been privileged to teach and learn. Inclusive education practices have driven my schooling and teaching path. I completed my BEd in Special Education from UBC and continued my graduate studies at SFU, completing my MEd with a focus on Supporting Diverse Learning. I am currently a PhD Student in Equity Studies at SFU.  

When I don't have a book in my hand I'm usually running around outside playing with my three kids! 

 I am autistic black female Community Service Worker, Early Childhood Educator, a community builder, and I have a BA in Digital Studies. 

I specialize in mental wellness within Education, Employment, and Family fields, and author of the book Exceptionally You (amazon.com). I personally found working in these fields unproductive due to micro aggressions, and unknown bias towards people with exceptionalities. 

Conversations about an individual’s aspirations in life or well-being should include that of the individual, not left solely to an institution alone. Hello my name is Natasha and I’m here to create change

Hi, I’m Jayden I’m a full time high school student in west Vancouver on the ancestral and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples, and work and live in the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw Nation. 

I enjoy reading and hanging out with my dog. And spending time with my hiking all around my home town.

I’m so excited to be apart of something that brings people of all different backgrounds together, and help create safe spaces for anyone to feel accepted.

 Hi, I'm Shane.

I'm in high school in Toronto and would like to work as a plumber, or an uber driver when I graduate (maybe I'll do both).

I love everything related to cars. That's my hobby. 

I want people to see me for who I am and not my labels. 

I'm friendly, and like to meet new people.

Please listen carefully to what I have to say.

I love getting out on the track to race karts and cars. My favorite season is summer - I can work out outside, enjoy the sun and go camping. 

I'm finishing up high school, which was difficult. I plan on going to college (Mohawk) to study automotive technology. 

YAIJ is important to me because I matter, youth like me matter, and we should be able to feel safe, accepted and feel like we belong. Being invisible and rejected is not ok. I'm ready to make waves to get justice for youth like me. 

Hi Im Gurnoor, Im a high school student. i really enjoy spending time with my peers and going on walks in nature which I am very grateful to have around me in beautiful British Colombia. I also enjoy being at camp and spending time with my big family. 

I am very grateful and happy that I get to surround myself with like-minded individuals who want to make an impact, 

and further grow my passion. I am also looking forward to making new connections and seeing new opinions.

Hi my name is Jared and I am currently working in Higher Education as a High School Representative that markets and recruits students from the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Before coming to Canada, I grew in the Caribbean specifically the Cayman Islands until I moved to Canada in 2017. Whilst being in Canada I went to Trinity Western University to complete my Bachelors in Business Administration. I graduated in 2020 and since then I have garnered experience working in long term care and higher education. However, the key three things that I like doing are hiking, politics and travelling. 

Hi I'm Aaron, I live on unceded territory of the Musqueam and Coast Salish People in BC, where I grew up. And I teach science in secondary school in unceded Squamish territory.

I like being active, but I also like relaxing. I’m into cooking, listening to podcasts about music and movies, and hiking with my wife. In my twenties I lived in Japan for 6 years. That’s where I met my wife and became fluent in Japanese. To this day, I love travelling.

I am a lifelong student with three degrees; a Bachelor of Science with a major in Marine Biology from UBC, a Bachelor of Education with a specialization in secondary science from UBC, and a Master of Education with a specialization in Equity Studies from Simon Fraser.