Taanishi Vanessa Prescott dishinihkaashoon. Hello my name is Vanessa Prescott and I’m a Métis Clinical Herbal Therapist and Indigenous Patient Navigator in cancer care. Beyond these titles, I’m someone who was raised with a lot of love, and I raise my hands to my family for giving me the roots to grow into the woman I am today (still growing). I’m one of the ten original Coastal Water Protectors and I’m grateful for all of the learning opportunities we’ve had and will continue to explore together. As Métis people we don’t get too many opportunities to gather and celebrate our culture so it’s important to create these spaces. I remember an old Métis man entering one of our group meetings apologizing for entering, saying he was just so excited to see so many Métis people in one space. That was a highlight of the meeting for me - I can still see his traditional beaded brooch. When we can get together and protect our coast at the same time it’s a pretty special feeling.

I’m happy our team is expanding because water is sacred to life and we need to mobilize to protect it. We can’t just benefit from extracting non-renewable resources from the Earth without giving back; that’s not reciprocity, honour and care, especially in the environment of climate change. I walk with humility and gratitude in my heart, openminded to listen to those who know a better way and those who have come before us. Like everyone else, I’m just doing my best each day, and a gentle reminder of how different that might look, person to person, day to day. The older I get the less idealistic and more realistic I become about how to actively create the changes we want to see in life. Projects require funding, organization, planning and execution. MEET YOUR COASTAL WATER PROTECTOR I would like to give a big thank you to Angel Fisher who does so much for us behind the scenes, as well as the Canadian Coast Guard and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).

In the last few years with Coastal Water Protectors I’ve learned about and received certification in Emergency Management through Incident Command Systems 100, 200, and 300, Environmental Response to Oil Spills, Marine First Aid, and Intro to Emergency Management. I’ve also earned Wilderness First Aid certification through Indigenous Women Outdoors and recently successfully upgraded my 80h to become a Wilderness First Responder. I’ve kicked up my cowboy boots to the Red River Jig, enjoyed traditional acoustics and fiddle music, done beach clean ups, kayaked around Sleilwaut and shared many good times, wonderful food and beautiful places with my fellow Coastal Water Protectors. MEET YOUR COASTAL WATER PROTECTOR Life is a strange balance of taking care of ourselves, each other and the environment, and also freeing ourselves from time itself and just enjoying life while we have it. I raise my hands to the First Nations peoples whose ancestors have lived in intimate relationships with the lands and waters that have raised me. I’m Cree Métis and Spanish on my father’s side and Dutch and English on my mother’s side of the family. The lands that I live, work and enjoy life on are not the traditional lands of my people. I say this as a reminder to respect those whose land you’re on, respect their protocols and wishes. Be humbled and listen. I’m grateful for the teachings that have been shared with me in community and grateful for the laughter that’s been shared when it’s been deeply needed.

I was raised in Showe’luqun (Shawnigan Lake). My Métis blood is Plains and Woodland Cree, tracing back to Red River Manitoba. I currently live on xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) land and I am proud to be Métis. Family, friendship and nature are the most important things in my life, and despite living with the lasting effects of intergenerational trauma (as many of us do), I’ve been blessed to have been raised with the values of family. I encourage all who know these values to lovingly welcome others with unconditional compassion as many people are living in isolation, pain, poverty and addiction. Our elders tell us to treat everyone like family, with dignity and respect. I’m also very thankful for our dog. Like my dad says, “a dog binds you as a family,” and to live with a majestic creature is a real gift from Creator. MEET YOUR COASTAL WATER PROTECTOR You know, I try my best to devote my life to bring healing to the human spirit by connecting to the natural world as much as I can and sharing my heart where it is needed most. The more I do this, the more important it feels to de-centre myself, and really listen to the person before me. To really see them, not as I see them, but as they are. I continually pray to the land, waters, and ancestors to bring strength, peace, and healing to our people.