Laura Baird
My Indian name is Neetamayo, which in Cree means, “she who is from over there.” As a member of Tsawwassen First Nation, I am within a ferry ride from the Royal Roads campus. Laura Baird is a member of the Royal Roads alumni, a team member with the Correctional Service of Canada (2002). Laura is married with three children, and they all live on Tsawwassen lands.
As a member of the Indigenous community, Laura is involved in doing her part to further Indigenous issues and improve the quality of life for all Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Specifically, she is focused on lowering the number of Indigenous men/women involved in the criminal justice system and, enhancing capacity in communities who wish to bring members home after incarceration. Laura is particularly interested in examining how culture/spirituality are inherent to Indigenous well-being and plays a significant role in personal healing and overall wellness.
Laura has plans to create an Indigenous Healing House for pre/post treatment care for those dealing with addictions. The Healing House program would be “a way of life,” grounded in centralizing one’s identity (epistemological grounding) to be of one’s own creation guided by Creator.
Hycka Siem
