There are many people who have guided our journey as Culturally Committed has developed and evolved, and one person I've looked to for a long time now is George Harris Jr. of Stz'uminus First Nation. Although I’ve worked in George's Nation since 2014 and was close to many members of his family, George and I never truly had the opportunity to connect until late 2021, when our work at Culturally Committed was already underway.
Much of the early work and learning we did at Culturally Committed was driven by my own knowledge gaps and my desire to learn. This desire led me to seek guidance on deepening my understanding of the difference between neglect and avoidance of care, and how I, as a clinician, could support individuals who were reluctant to access services. It was then that a colleague encouraged me to connect with George, who was working as a Family Advocate for his Nation at the time. During our first virtual call, we spoke for almost three hours—our connection was instant.
Since that initial conversation, George has been a person I have repeatedly looked to as I've navigated this work. His ability to observe the world unfolding around him and identify the teaching in every situation is truly remarkable. George shares his wisdom with such clarity and depth, and I have learned so much from him. He offers this teaching to us all today:
“Over the past few months, I’ve had time to sit and reflect on my personal journey. I've experienced a lot of success lately, which is gratifying, but I want to remain grounded and humble in who I am and where I come from. When I look at my success, I see it like a cedar tree. I had to grow in two directions simultaneously: first, I had to be down in the dirt, growing my root system, and only then could I start to focus on reaching for the sun.
I've been receiving a lot of praise for the work I'm doing, but not everyone knows the journey I've gone through to get to where I am today. Much like the cedar tree, I had a long growing journey before I could breach the ground and start trending upwards. The most important work I've done is the work behind the scenes, “in the dirt.” I've grounded myself in cultural ways and established my roots. This journey of gaining a strong root system has not been done by me alone; I've had help from my parents, grandparents, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and my ancestors.
The work that goes into establishing your root system—your identity—makes the work that everyone sees more meaningful. I encourage everyone to understand who they are and where they come from. Once you have that foundation, you can truly begin to reach for the stars.”
In the end, success isn’t just about what you achieve; it's about the connections you build along the way—the roots that anchor you and the branches that reach out to others. I often say that working “in community” has been transformative for me, and I mean that sincerely. I am deeply grateful for those who have guided me, especially George, whose teachings continue to shape my journey. As I continue this work, I remain committed to staying grounded, nurturing my roots, and growing in a way that honours the people and traditions that have brought me to where I am today.
In learning,
Kim at Culturally Committed
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