Matthew Simpson

Tansi, hello everyone! My name is Matthew Simpson, and my preferred pronouns are he/him/his. I am Swampy Cree from Fisher River Cree Nation in Treaty 5 territory, Manitoba – one of many traveling grandchildren of the Crate family – and I inherit Scottish and Dutch lineage through my biological father. Through my stepfather, I claim the honor of being an adopted son of the Skedans Raven Clan of Haida Gwaii. I was welcomed to the Esquimalt and Songhees territory as a member of the Year 8 cohort of the Aboriginal Youth Internship Program in 2014, and I’ve been living as a grateful visitor of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples ever since.

I began my academic journey at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC in 2009, before transferring to the University of Victoria in 2011 to pursue a B.A. in Anthropology. My education took a detour when I was given the opportunity to work for BC’s Friendship Centre movement, where I’ve spent a privileged six years hopping along various positions ranging from more community-involved roles to writing and advocacy at the provincial level. It is with immense gratitude that I have accepted this term as the Indigenous Initiatives Coordinator at IACE, and I hope to carry the spirit of friendship with me in supporting you through the critical cultural work ongoing both on campus and out in community.

I can’t wait to connect with you, everyone!

Kinanāskōmitin