Community Activator Series: Jacey Firth-Hagen

Born and raised in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Jacey is Gwich'in, a recent graduate of Yukon College, and is currently a Bachelor of Arts student attending MacEwan University. She is the creator of the social media language revitalization initiative Gwich'in Language Revival Campaign #SpeakGwichinToMe.

What are some of your takeaways from FutureXChange?

I'm very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of FutureXChange. I was able to travel from Edmonton, AB where I attend university to my hometown of Inuvik, NT to partake in the conference on climate change and Traditional Knowledge. The week was filled with outdoor activities such as our cohort setting up a traditional Gwich’in tent. The group of both local Gwich'in youth and those from southern Canada are all climate change movers and shakers. We spent the week gathered together sharing knowledge and learning from each other. I learned so much about climate change, Traditional Knowledge, industry, and much more. I was able to meet some amazing people and make everlasting connections that I am forever thankful for. I enjoyed learning from our elders, such as Sarah Jerome, and having the opportunity to learn Gwich'in and needle work. Haii cho (thank you) FutureXChange!

With my FutureXChange project I hope to showcase the beautiful and incredible work shared with the gathering. 

Jacey’s Project

Jacey adapted her #SpeakGwichinToMe campaign to feature climate change related terms in Gwich'in through photos and videos on her Instagram and Facebook pages. 

Connecting climate change to language and culture is needed and important for understanding climate change impacts. We appreciate Jacey’s leadership in this area and look forward to her continued work on language revitalization and climate action.