I am a settler-Canadian, grateful to live and learn in Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Xwsepsum) and W̱SÁNEĆ Territories. Culturally I identify as Irish through my maternal family – immigrants to Canada from a small island off the south west of Cork. My mother and her mother were storytellers during their lives, and their value of knowledge and storytelling has influenced my path in education.
As a person who earned advanced degrees despite socio-economic barriers, I am compelled to make libraries more equitable and inclusive spaces. I see my role as a librarian as an affirmation of my ongoing commitment to social justice and reconciliation. This means challenging the dominance of colonial practices that exist in libraries – in the language, images, and information structures we use – wherever I can. I believe all educators – and all Canadians – have an active role to take in meeting the TRC’s Calls to Action. As such, I focus my professional activities to proactively implement tangible change in support of decolonization and intersectional justice.
As a librarian at Camosun College, I have a wide-variety of responsibilities. These include the roles of subject librarian to the Indigenous Studies Program and librarian lead for Indigenization and Reconciliation. As a person with the privileges of being white and a faculty member, I am honoured, challenged, and conflicted by these opportunities. I am accountable to the communities I serve, and will continue to grow professionally by listening and learning.