Staff

Nigig-enz Baapi nindizhinikaaz. Ajijaak doodem. Kchiwiikwedong miinawaa Mashkiziibi nindonjibaa.

My name is Little Laughing Otter. I am crane clan. I come from the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibway.

Cecelia Rose LaPointe (they/them/their) is Ojibway/Métis and is Mashkiziibi (Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibway or LaPointe Band of Ojibway) and Kchiwiikwedong (Keweenaw Bay Indian Community). They are enrolled in Mashkiziibi and maintain a strong community affiliation to Kchiwiikwedong. Cecelia identifies as Two-Spirit based in their culture from an old school and decolonial framework. They have a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, and a Master of Arts in Environmental Leadership from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. They were an NDN Changemaker Fellow through NDN Collective representing the Great Lakes Region in 2020. Cecelia has been fiercely walking a sober road for 13 years.

Cecelia is also the Founder and Owner of Red Circle Consulting and Waub Ajijaak Press. They are also Consultant, Publisher, Poet, Writer, and Author. In their free time, they enjoy spending time on the land, water, running, hiking, cycling, and reading.

Miranda Recollet nda nooziwin, Wiikwemikoong Mnidoo Mnis ndodabendagwis, miinwaa Upper Peninsula, Chimookmaaning ndidaa.

My name is Miranda Recollet, and I belong to Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Territory Manitoulin Island and now call the upper peninsula home.

Miranda has a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta, where she acquired the necessary tools to effectively serve our people. Over the past 15 years, she has worked with various tribes and organizations throughout Mishiikenh Mnis (Turtle Island). In 2014, Miranda attended the first Truth & Reconciliation Conference in Edmonton Alberta, which had a profound impact on her as a descendant daughter and granddaughter of residential school survivors and Holy Childhood fighters.

As the Truth & Reconciliation Commission Coordinator, she believes that we need to address the historical injustices that have been inflicted upon our community. She remains dedicated to supporting initiatives that promote understanding, respect, and collaboration across Michigan and the Great Lakes.  In her free time, Miranda has been working towards an off-grid traditional lifestyle in the Upper Peninsula by harvesting medicine, hunting, fishing, and enjoying the abundance of northern life.

Lowell Wolfe (he/him) is a recent graduate from McGill University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature and anthropology with first-class honours. His scholarship has focused on decolonial environmental philosophies, Indigenous literatures, and critical Indigenous theory. He hopes to pursue a J.D. in Native American Law. After working as the Conference Intern for the Native Justice Coalition in the summer/fall of 2022, Lowell transitioned to being the Conference Coordinator.

As a non-Indigenous ally at Native Justice Coalition, he hopes to help strengthen forms of decolonial solidarity across the Great Lakes Region and beyond. In his free time, he enjoys reading poetry and spending time outdoors.

Elizabeth Perera (they/them) is of South Asian (Sri Lankan) and Southeast Asian (Filipino) descent. Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, and a Master of Science in Geography from York University in Toronto, Canada. Previously, their work took them to Alaska, where they studied glacier albedo and supported expeditions onto the Juneau Icefield, as well as to Iceland, where they conducted wetland hydrology surveys and further investigated the importance of Arctic environments. Their own experiences with culture clash and social exclusion led to their work in improving mental health practices for marginalized communities in Polar science and laying the groundwork for building relationships between science education and the Tlingit (Lingít) peoples in Juneau. Their work with the Native Justice Coalition is facilitated by their drive to connect through cultural identity and outreach using intersectional approaches towards both inclusion and wellness.

During their free time, Elizabeth practices and teaches martial arts. They enjoy traveling, learning music, spending time in nature with their dog, and exploring scientific and cultural activities.

Bronson Herman (he/him) is an unaffiliated Ojibway, who has been experiencing his own “Anishinaabe awakening.” He has a Bachelor of Arts in Arts and Humanities and Spanish from Michigan State University. Additionally, he holds Certificates in Indigenous Canada from the University of Alberta and Curanderismo: Traditional Healing of the Mind, Energy and Spirit from the University of New Mexico.

Previously, Bronson worked in the fields of immigration law, disability law, and civil litigation, survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault support services as well as victims of crime advocacy throughout Metro Detroit. He is a proponent for the power of international education, second language acquisition, social justice initiatives and being a conscientious traveler wherever he goes.

Areeba Nadeem (she/her) recently graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in the James Madison College for Social Relations & Public Policy, and a degree in Philosophy. She is a Muslim Pakistani immigrant, but grew up in the U.S. for the majority of her life. As a student, she was a research assistant for the Human Rights Lab and for the Philosophy department, specializing in post-Marxist studies and gender studies.  She maintained heavy involvement with student groups throughout school, such as UNICEF at MSU, dreaMSU, MSU YDSA, and Students United for Palestinian Rights. As a non-Indigenous ally, she hopes to continue learning the different ways to decolonize spaces, work towards racial and gender justice, and stand in solidarity with diverse communities. Her passion is to work in the development sector of like-minded non-profits.

As a devout Muslim, you can find her volunteering at the mosque in her free time. She also enjoys writing poetry and reading literature.

Michelle Nguyen (she/her) holds a Bachelor of Science and a Masters of Science degree in Chemical Cancer Biology from the University of Michigan. Her experiences as a Vietnamese-American in Ypsilanti, Michigan was crucial in shaping her understanding of the material and psychological impact of systems of oppression. As a student she sought to deepen her understanding of herself and other communities through her participation in the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) and EnspiRED–a fashion organization centering Black students and local artists. After graduating, she has been translating the lessons she has learned into her clinical work as a Nurse Aide at Michigan Medicine, and has been serving the Ypsilanti community through organizations such as Safehouse Center and Growing Hope. She will be entering medical school in August and hopes to combine her passion for social justice with her medical practice.

As a non-Indigenous ally, she hopes to continue learning about structural oppression and how to uplift voices in the Native community. In her free time, you can find her bouldering or reading up on political and critical theory.