What is a self location and why is it important?

The act of self location is a refusal to accept colonialism and is the beginning step to understanding your unique role in how you came to be on this land. It requires settlers, for maybe the first time ever, to consider how they arrived here, why they are here, who they share space with and what that means for others. It is to learn about yourself then use that knowledge to inform how you move through this space and your relationships with the land, the people, and decolonization.

The UVSS is guided by the unique lived experiences of the twenty-two students that make up the Board of Directors. Our intersectional identities guide our work– consciously or unconsciously. To understand our positionality better and who we are the UVSS lead directors have all written personal self locations that will be shared below. 

UVSS Lead Director Self Locations

Vacant, Director of Campaigns & Community Relations

This role is currently vacant. Check back soon for the new Director of Campaigns and Community Relations self-location!

Griffin Foster, Director of Outreach & University Relations

Coming Soon

Katie King, Director of Student Affairs

I am an uninvited settler from the lands of the ᖹᐟᒧᐧᐨᑯᐧ ᓴᐦᖾᐟ Niitsítpiis-stahkoii (Blackfoot), Ĩyãħé Nakón mąkóce (Stoney), Michif Piyii (Métis), Ktunaxa ɁamakɁis, Tsuut’ina, and the Blackfoot confederacy, whos traditional homes are located on what is otherwise known as Treaty 7 territory in southern Alberta. I am conscious of the privilege that I have to live on these lands, one that I have due to the Injustice and violence perpetrated towards Indigenous peoples through the treaty system, which still continues to harm Indigenous peoples to this day.
I grew up on these lands, naively unaware of the atrocities that had been committed on it for hundreds of years. I was taught an idealized version of Alberta’s history, one where the massacre and attempted erasure of Indigenous people were side-stepped or ignored. Alberta’s history did not start when settlers invaded the land; Indigenous people have lived in harmony with the land for thousands of years. I recognize that I have a part in this erasure and continue to work to be a part of the solution. Now that I am older, I know that this version of history hides the truth of the violent colonization that took place in Alberta and the rest of Canada. My connection to the land is shaped by the continued harm of Indigenous communities.
Today, I live on the unceded traditional lands of the lək̓ wəŋən (Songhees), Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ Nations. I acknowledge that I am an uninvited settler on these lands, all the same. Through my degree in history, I have continued to learn about the side of history that is not taught nearly as much as it needs to be. It is crucial to listen to and amplify the voices of Indigenous people, as their knowledge of these lands far exceeds my own. Understanding my impact on these lands as a settler is an ongoing commitment. Practicing decolonization can look different person to person, but for me it is a promise to challenge the systems that benefit from the oppression of Indigenous people both in my personal life and within the UVSS.

Lindsey Andrew, Director of Events

Coming Soon

Jonah Arnold, Director of Finance & Operations

I’ve lived in Canada my whole life, and I’m amazed at how long it took for me to be taught about this country’s colonial foundations. I didn’t have an inkling of what the Indigenous peoples here have gone through until I started doing my own research, as the topic was completely neglected in primary school while only lightly touched upon through the rest of my pre-university education.

I was even somewhat dissuaded in my studies by the common reasoning of, “my ancestors committed these atrocities, why should I take responsibility for their mistakes?” I grappled with this question until I found the answer, which is actually quite obvious: the entire nation of Canada, with all the systems (laws, education, government, etc.) that I’ve benefited from, is inherently colonial. Regardless of my position on the issue, I have been supported by a framework that was built on the suffering of others; Indigenous people in Canada are systematically oppressed by this very framework. I end up receiving generational benefits while they end up carrying generational trauma. This doesn’t mean that I’m responsible for what my ancestors did, but it does mean that I’m responsible for righting their wrongs and reconciling with those that are still suffering from the very system that raised me.

Where we live is known as Douglas Treaties Territory, otherwise known as the Vancouver Island Treaties. James Douglas came here with the task of colonizing this land for the Crown in the 1840s-50s, in which during four years he made 14 land “purchases.” The reason for quotations is that the ledgers signed by Indigenous leaders were entirely blank, with meaningless verbal assurances being provided by Douglas instead. The actual terms were drafted several months after signing. They were promised several Treaty Rights, of which none were actually given when the terms were laid out. In fact, Treaty Rights for these peoples weren’t even recognized by the Canadian government until the 1960s. Among the affected treaty members are the W̱SÁNEĆ (Tsartlip, Tseycum, Tsawout, & Pauquachin First Nations) and Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees & Esquimalt First Nations). They, and others, are still dealing with the effects of these treaties.

My mother’s side is Indian, and her family lived under British colonization for many years, while my father’s side is French and were among the first settlers in Eastern Canada. It’s difficult to comprehend the almost paradoxical nature of my ancestry; I’m a product of oppressors and the oppressed. I think my existence shows, even if only symbolically, that these two opposites can be reconciled. The best progress comes through unity, and with enough understanding, empathy, and knowledge, I believe we can get there.