We’re so proud to share how Youth4Youth Canada (Y4Y) came together as vendors and performers at the MNC’s 2025 Annual General Assembly (AGA) in Ottawa... and how that gathering helped us carry forward our dual mission of culture and care.
At our vendor table, we offered our handmade Indigenous chocolates and baked treats and your support was appreciated. Every single sale wasn’t just a transaction; it was a meaningful contribution to our ongoing work. All proceeds go directly toward funding our two core projects:
- Kîšâc Cultural Workshop Series: reconnecting Indigenous youth with traditional arts, crafts, and heritage skills.
- Talk Overdose / Parlons Surdose: a lived-experience–led initiative combating stigma around opioid use and supporting overdose prevention.
Seeing the community rally around our treats (and thereby around our cause) was a powerful reminder: culture and care go hand in hand.
But we didn’t come just to vend. We came to represent. As part of the AGA’s gala cultural evening, our own members took the stage. The Lyons Sisters Métis Jiggers delivered lively jigging performances; footwork and spirit that filled the room. Akina Ohlman dazzled in fancy shawl dance; a beautiful expression of identity and resilience.
The MNC AGA is more than a meeting. This year’s gathering centred not only on governance resolutions (like the establishment of the new Métis Policy Forum and the welcoming of a new CEO) but also on the importance of culture, community, and collective resilience. Métis National Council.
For Y4Y, attending as both vendors and performers underscored a truth we live by: that healing, empowerment, and self-determination flow from the same source—our living culture and our shared values. It strengthened our resolve to continue offering Kîšâc workshops and Talk Overdose presentations, knowing we have community support behind us.
To everyone who stopped by our table, bought treats, cheered in the crowd, or simply shared space with us: thank you. You helped fuel the work, hope, and healing that Y4Y embodies.
We leave the MNC AGA energized, uplifted, and ready to carry forward the momentum. Watch this space (and our socials) for upcoming Kîšâc workshops, Talk Overdose events, and more, all made possible because of your support. Thank you to Tina Ohlman for managing our vending table
Together, we dance. Together, we heal. Together, we rise.
For more pictures and updates, you can follow us on Instagram or Facebook.
