Alicia Dubois

 In the last few decades, we have seen more Indigenous youth benefit from the visionary work that led to the development of organizations like Indspire and New Relationship Trust.  As a result of committed partnerships that help to advance these organizations and their mission to enhance Indigenous enrollment and success in post-secondary institutions, today we see a much greater number of high-potential, high-performing Indigenous youth graduating from post-secondary institutions and starting their careers in promising sectors and roles. While impressive, this trend alone does not ensure equity in the workplace or a sense of belonging for Indigenous employees, which means employers continue to struggle to retain Indigenous talent.

The missing link to professional stability, success and equity is often tied to a lack of mentorship, sponsorship, strong professional networks and employers who are genuinely committed to psychological safety and a culture that embeds inclusion and diversity in all levels of the corporation. While the ILC cannot singlehandedly fill all these gaps, I am certain the trusted networks and connections, and the leadership support being cultivated amongst the cohort and cofounding members will serve the young Indigenous professional cohort members strongly throughout their journey.

The aim of the ILC is to create a culturally safe place for young Indigenous professionals to build a network of trusted colleagues and mentors/sponsors that support their professional development, enhance their networks, and bolster their ability to navigate their career paths and influence their professional ecosystems.  With their professionalism and leadership, we see their influence, and the support they get from one another, working to removes barriers for themselves and future Indigenous professionals. 

The ILC works to help young Indigenous professionals build their spheres of influence in a way that opens doors and showcases the power of allyships between Indigenous professionals and beyond. While Indigenous professionals may often feel isolated or “on the periphery” in the workplace, the ILC aims to create a space that fosters the development of long-term, trusted professional connections and impactful “social capital” that Indigenous professionals have typically lacked.

In hopes of fairly representing and supporting Indigenous young professionals across Canada, we look for diversity in our cohorts with respect to gender identity, heritage (First Nation, Métis, Inuit), geographical location and industry affiliation.

As co-founders, we are open and honest about our unique professional experiences and lessons learned because we know this deepens conversations, encourages the sharing of ideas and problem solving, and invites ongoing professional development-focused engagement. While we have a lineup of topics and professional development opportunities to explore together, to date we have exercised ideas related to Indigenous entrepreneurship, business partnership development, leadership, our experiences with money and wealth generation, and the balancing of traditional concepts of wealth and the pressure to operate based on capitalistic wealth concepts. All to say, we incorporate culture and community in our gatherings while also tackling tough professional development topics.  The marrying of these paradigms keeps us grounded in our values and belief systems, even when discussing how best to navigate professional challenges or difficult situations.

In reviewing applicants annually, we make a concerted effort to ensure our membership is balanced and diverse. There are numerous and varied Indigenous lived experiences across Canada. As with most initiatives that are intended to be impactful and relevant, solutions are best generated when a diverse group contributes to the conversation. With this in mind, we continue to intentionally and proudly bring together cohorts that are gender diverse, represent First Nations, Métis, and Inuit, and bring wide geographical representation.