Meet Team ReconciliACTION YEG 22/23: Siobhan Washburn

Hello Readers!

My name is Siobhan Washburn.

I am a 2L this year, the current Administration and Coordination Co-Chair of the Indigenous Law Students’ Association (ILSA), and a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta.

I’m excited, nervous, and grateful to be part of this year’s ReconciliACTION team.

I’m excited to participate in this blog’s meaningful work, to collaborate with the talented members of this team, and to learn and share knowledge about past and current issues concerning Indigeneity and reconciliation.

I’m nervous, because imposter syndrome is real, and is definitely not something I’m immune to. Self-doubt can be a struggle to manage, especially in an environment like law school.

I’m grateful, because being part of this team is a wonderful opportunity to contribute in some way to reconciliation. I intend to always continue learning, and I hope that this blog will provide a space where we can all learn from one another. I’m also grateful because I believe that the opportunity to have the hard conversations allows change to take place.

Growing up, I knew I was Indigenous, but I didn’t have the opportunity to learn more from my family about language, customs, or ways of being. My great-grandparents' generation, and the one after, did not even like to speak about being Indigenous, whether it was due to shame, trauma, or fear of negative repercussions.

Feeling this loss of knowledge and connection is one reason that Indigenous issues are so important to me, and why I intend to continue learning, sharing, and participating in conversations about reconciliation.

Thank you for sharing in this experience with the ReconciliACTION team.

See you next week!