Guest Column

Your Voice is Power Visits Northwestern Ontario Schools

How Hip-Hop Music, Coding, and Indigenous Social Justice Issues Build Strong Future Community Members

Marika Schalla - Special to The Bulletin

As the beauty of frozen lakes shone upon the wings of a small Skycare charter flight, educators, musicians, technology experts, and Indigenous knowledge keepers fly to inspire youth in Northern Ontario. Throughout the week, the Your Voice is Power program visited various remote communities in Ontario. Your Voice is Power is a computer science and coding education initiative presented by education charity TakingITGlobal in partnership with Amazon Future Engineers and Amazon Music. Your Voice is Power teaches the basics of coding while engaging students in discussions on First Nations, Metis, and Inuit experiences throughout Canada. Students engage in topics surrounding racism, colonialism, resiliency, and Indigenous brilliance through traditional and modern music. The program also hosts Indigenous Musicians, such as featured artist Dakota Bear, to inspire and engage youth.
The seasoned professional team comprised Marika Schalla, a renowned educator and author hailing from Treaty 1 territory. Susan Ibach, a proficient technology and coding developer from Ottawa, Ontario, was also part of the team. The YVIP team boasted Indigenous hip-hop musicians Dakota Bear, YB Nakota, and Pisim SB from Landback Records. Education team members from Connected North, a program of Taking IT Global, including Migwin Orzechowska and Katie Burch, were also present. Together, the team journeyed to three Northern Communities to deliver the program and ignite inspiration.
First on their stop was Pelican Falls First Nations High School. They were invited and hosted by educator Melanie Shine. During the program, the team was invited on a tour of the grounds by Elder Victor Lyon who taught about the history of the Pelican Lake Residential School. Lyon told chilling stories about the harm that Residential Schools caused to the community. However, Lyon brought light by exclaiming the beauty of the Language and Culture team at Pelican Falls First Nations High School students and staff have participated in. 
On Tuesday, March 26th, the Your Voice is Power team flew to Sachigo Lake First Nation to visit Martin McKay Memorial School. Sachigo Lake is a community in Northern Ontario that is only accessible by winter roads or by airplane. Principal Edna Beardy provided a warm welcome and a tour of the school. In grades 5, 6, and 7, students gathered to participate in the program and learn coding basics. Students were engaged in conversations surrounding racism, personal experiences, and the importance of living mino biimadiziwin (living a good life). Students engaged with hip-hop artist Dakota Bear, who performed his song “Freedom.” The YVIP team inspired youth and were gifted pictures illustrated by the students in honour of the songs heard that day. The team left with their bellies full of warm homemade bannock and jam made by the beautiful staff at Martin McKay Memorial School. 
Ending their Northwestern Ontario tour, the Your Voice is Power team flew to Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation to attend Aglace Chapman Education Centre. Invited by Vice-Principal Amber, the team ended their trip astoundingly. Indigenous hip-hop artists Dakota Bear, Pisim SB, and YB Nakota invited youth to the front to sing and perform with them as they began to explore coding their music ideas, showcasing the natural and beautiful talents of the Aglace Chapman Education Centre students. After she was done teaching about the implications of interpersonal, institutional, and structural racism, educator and author Marika Schalla read and gifted copies of her story “Stella Welcome to Your Doodem” to the early-years classrooms. Schalla centers her work around inspiring and giving back to the youth. Schalla noted the positive impact these events and experiences have on Indigenous Youth.
“The beauty of this program is that it can touch many students’ hearts in different ways. By travelling to remote communities, we are providing Indigenous youth with the same opportunities Indigenous and non-Indigenous students receive in urban centres,” Schalla said. “Students in Northern Communities are being affirmed that they matter and their voice has power.”
On March 28th, the Your Voice is Power team ended their week with a Hack-a-thon in Thunder Bay, Ontario, for Indigenous students attending Thunder Bay Catholic Schools. Thunder Bay Mayor Ken Boshcoff was in attendance, meeting and engaging with the Indigenous youth and giving coding with the Your Voice is Power program a try. Over 70 students attended the event, building their coding skills and getting inspiration for future pathways—a special thank you to Indigenous Education Coordinator Tesa Fiddler. The mission to inspire and prepare young people for their careers in the future is clear. After reaching over 15,000 students in 2023, Your Voice is Power is set to reach over 20,000 students in 2024. By visiting northern communities, the program is reaching true Reconciliation by ensuring all students know that their voice truly has power. You can learn more about the program and the annual scholarship contest at www.yourvoiceispower.ca.