GZ operates as a modest grassroots organization, presently consisting of five full-time team members whose work is guided by our Stewardship Council.

GZ operates with fluidity, continuously expanding, evolving, and adapting to the dynamic nature of on-the-ground work. In line with this, we anticipate continuous growth of our team in the future.

GZ is presently situated within the Makeway Shared Platform as we actively work towards our goal of establishing ourselves as an independent organization.

Our Team

Meet the folks who are facilitating the work.

Our dedicated staff work closely with the steering committee to execute on-the-ground and behind the scenes initiatives.

A nonbinary Anshinaabe person with light skin, brown eyes, and long black hair. They are wearing a grey toque and hoodie.

Lak is an Indigiqueer artist and advocate from Treaty 3 territory. Born to Anishinaabe parents, Lak developed a close connection with the land from Red Lake to Thunder Bay. Their formative years included exposure to pivotal political movements advocating for Indigenous rights, shaping their worldview and igniting a passion for social justice and community well-being. After studying Sociology and Indigenous Learning at Lakehead University, Lak prioritizes grassroots community work and advocacy. They have dedicated their time to co-organizing, creating, and hosting workshops, keeping the personal motto of ‘community over commodity’ close to heart, evident in their collaborative art projects across Thunder Bay. Lak identifies as nonbinary, uses they/them pronouns, and is from Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation and the Caribou clan.

An Anishinaabe man with brown skin, brown eyes, brown hair, and a goatee. He is wearing a grey toque and glasses.

Quinn Meawasige is Anishinaabe from Serpent River First Nation. He graduated from Algoma University with a Bachelor of Arts in Community Economic and Social Development and a Certificate in Anishinaabemowin from Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig. Quinn became a founding member of the Waterways Collective, an Anishinaabe paddling collective whose work involves bringing Anishinaabe youth out to pictograph sites in their home waters, a wild rice revitalization initiative, and a contaminants testing project. Quinn is an active harvester, fisherman, hunter, gatherer, forager, and outdoor adventure seeker. He is always working to make land and water-based learning opportunities accessible for his family, community, and peoples.

A non-Indigenous woman with olive skin and shoulder-length brown hair. She is wearing a hoodie and baseball cap.

Chico is non Indigenous autistic settler with Italian/English/Icelandic ancestry who settled in Nakina, ON, in Treaty 9 territory. Chico was raised in Ottawa on unceded Algonquin territory. She has a deep connection to the land, learning to forage and fish from a young age and deeply values all her relations with human and non human kin. Chico is a classically trained chef with a background in nutrition, she supports Indigenous communities in reclaiming their traditional rights and self determination, standing in solidarity for land back and autonomy over food systems. Recognizing her and her ancestors’ privilege she actively engages in the continuous process of learning and unlearning. Chico is a self taught artist heavily influenced by graffiti, she contributes designs to GZ’s graphics, publications and does admin work for GZ.

A Cree and Ojibway man with light skin, brown eyes, and dark brown hair. He is wearing a wide-brimmed hat and glasses.

Donny Sutherland is of Cree and Ojibway heritage, with Cree ties to James Bay Territory (Hawley Lake) on his mother’s side, and Ojibway/Cree connections from Morrison River and the James Bay Coast (Hornpayne First Nation/Fort Albany First Nation) on his father’s side. Born in Hearst, Ontario, Donny was raised in Constance Lake First Nation, where he spent most of his life. He is the proud father of two sons, Lance (11) and Kody (7).

Donny has a deep passion for his culture, ceremony, hunting, hide tanning, and food sovereignty. He recognizes that the impacts of colonization, particularly through Indian Residential Schools and Indian Day Schools, have deprived many of the opportunity to learn and practice traditional ways. Through his work with knowledge keepers, Elders, and fellow community members, Donny is dedicated to relearning and revitalizing these traditional practices within his family and community, including the art of hide tanning and the principles of food sovereignty.

An Anishinaabe woman with light brown skin, brown eyes, and dark brown, shoulder-length hair. She has a deer hide wrapped around her shoulders.

Amber Sandy is a queer Anishinaabe artist, facilitator, and auntie from Neyaashiinigmiing (Chippewas of Nawash First Nation). She serves in the role of Project Director at Gaagige Zaagibigaa. Amber’s work is deeply rooted in supporting Indigenous self-determination, particularly through traditional land-based practices. As both an artist and advocate, Amber embodies her commitment to Indigenous empowerment and upholding relations with human and other than human kin in the world around her. Her artistic repertoire encompasses a diverse array of natural materials, including leather, beadwork, quillwork, tufting, and birch bark. Guided by mentors and inspired by her Anishinaabe roots, her work serves as a tribute to the intricate relationships between humanity and nature.

Stewardship Council

Meet our Stewardship Council.

Our Council is composed of Indigenous people from across Northern Ontario who are reflective of the communities that we serve. Members of our Stewardship Council shape the composition of our Steering Committee who are actively engaged in the decision-making processes.

An Anishinaabe woman with light brown skin, brown eyes, and long, dark brown hair.

Kanina Terry is an Anishnaabe-kwe with an Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) mother and a white father. She was born and lives on her mother’s traditional lands of Obishikokang (LacSeulFirst Nation)-in Sioux Lookout, Ontario. She is passionate about her son and family, food, hide tanning, and creating things with her hands. Kanina finds inspiration from her teachers, ancestors, bush life, Indigenous artists and knowledge holders and is determined to reclaim knowledge and skills denied her as a result of assimilation, colonialism, and residential schools. A trained chef, former caterer and culinary arts instructor, Kanina has been working with food, specifically Indigenous foods, recipe development, education, resources and systems since 2013. In 2017, Kanina began learning how to tan animal hides. In 2021, she tanned her first full-sized moose hide.
www.kanina.ca

An Anishinaabe woman with dark brown skin, brown eyes, and long, dark brown hair.

Shelly (Michano) Livingston is a Nishnabeg Kwe from Biigtigong Nishnabeg. She served her home community for many years as the Community Health Nurse (RN) before continuing her path of helping the wider indigenous community. She is currently serving as Health Manager for the neighboring community Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg. From life and her lengthy career she has seen the effects of colonization on the first people of this land with her own eyes. She has seen how systemic racism in health care contributes to issues such as chronic illnesses and social issues such as addiction and suicide. Noticing how systemic racism and the active separation of our society from our original ways of living is key in Shelly’s view of her surroundings; as well, influencing the way she thinks about helping her indigenous relations overcome these challenges. She is an excellent listener with the talent for saying the right thing at the exact right time. She is a passionate supporter of the revitalization of Nishnaabemowin, taking care of relationships with the natural world around her and especially reclaiming indigenous food systems. Shelly also serves her fellow indigenous relatives on the board of directors for the Northern Neighbors Nurse Practitioner-led Clinic – White River, and the Biidaaban Healing Lodge. Her work as a surveyor with Accreditation Canada makes sure indigenous communities across Turtle Island have safe and accessible health care. She is well respected in her nursing communities and has helped Accreditation Canada develop guidelines for Cultural Safety and Humility for non indigenous organizations. By nature Shelly nurturer and feels most herself and fulfilled when breaking down barriers and practicing her indigenous ways of being. She is a mother of two who is determined to leave this world in a better condition than she originally found it; teaching her children and their peers to follow in these footsteps along the way.

An Indigenous woman with brown skin, brown eyes, long, dark brown hair, and glasses.

Amberly Quakegesic grew up in Chapleau, ON. and is a proud member of Brunswick House First Nation. She works for an Indigenous owned/led organization called ‘Wahkohtowin’, as the Guardian Program Manager. She enjoys learning about the land, how everything is connected, and that spirit is everywhere.

Participating in this collaborative is important to me because I am surrounded by a strong group of leaders who are committed to strengthening sovereignty in Indigenous food systems in Northern Ontario.

An Anishinaabe woman with brown skin, brown eyes, and long, dark brown hair. She is wearing beaded earrings.

Jana-Rae Yerxa is Anishnaabe from Couchiching, First Nation, located in Treaty #3 territory. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from Lakehead University and a Master of Arts degree, in Indigenous Governance, from the University of Victoria.

Jana-Rae has 15 years of professional experience assisting families and individuals navigating systems in the mental health, health, justice and child welfare sectors. Her advocacy and analytical skills have assisted and led community mobilization efforts around social justice issues regarding racism and gendered violence. Ms. Yerxa has participated in the development of educational resources and tools as well as facilitated training sessions, for boards and communities, on settler colonialism, connecting it to organizational practice, including how to begin to address anti-Indigenous racism in the workplace. As a post-secondary educator, published writer and poet, her work is grounded in Indigenous feminisms and decolonial frameworks.

She remains committed to justice. Currently, Jana-Rae is Faculty of Anishinaabe Gikendaasowin with the Seven Generations Education Institute.

An Anishinaabe man with light brown skin, brown eyes, and white hair. He has a full beard and is wearing a black toque and glasses.

Gene (Little Bear) Nowegejick Member of Gull Bay (Kiashke Saageeng) located on the West Side of Lake Nipigon. Direct descendant of the Robinson Superior 1850 Treaty, an Ojibway Anishinabi, Nimbiigo. Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather. Gene walks with strong Spiritual Principles, most of his knowledge and wisdom have been passed on to him by his Grandparents, Great Grandparents and their Grandparents. Food Sovereignty and Independence was always a part of him.

An Oji-Cree man with light brown skin, brown eyes, and grey hair. He has dark glasses and a goatee.

Donald is a member of Deer Lake First Nation and grew up learning from his family about a traditional way of life living in collaboration with the land. Donald is the Executive Director of Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO)which is a non-political Chiefs Council representing six First Nations in the remote north, previous to this Donald was a land-based educator in Deer Lake First Nation and later the land and resources coordinator at KO. Donald is an Oji-Cree speaker and weaves his language into all of his relations. His life’s work has focused on the protection and sustainable use of lands and resources in the Far North of Ontario. Donald brings his lands and resources experience to the collaborative and believes the reclamation of Indigenous Food Sovereignty is integral to the sustainability of our communities.

Our Partners

Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security.
The Mastercard Foundation.
The McConnell Foundation.
The Sprott Foundation.
MakeWay.

Chi Miigwech to our Funders, Partners, Steering Committee, Stewardship Council, Makeway, everyone in the community who chooses to establish and nurture reciprocal relationships with us, and to GZ’s original staff for bringing GZ into existence.

Work With Us

We welcome collaboration and engagement from Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals, corporations, industries, foundations, and charities that align with our beliefs, morals and goals.

Join us in exploring opportunities to work together with Gaagige Zaagibigaa in meaningful, relevant, and impactful ways to support Indigenous communities, households and individuals across Northern Ontario.

A hide is stretched on a frame for tanning.

Looking to explore financial or non-financial collaborations with GZ?

Let’s Chat