Raised by matriarchs in her family and her community, Cadena Brazeau learned early to take the lead and take charge. That spirit of leadership has taken her all the way to university with law school on the horizon funded by a scholarship far from home. A member of Keeseekoowenin First Nation, which is part of Treaty 2, and she lives in Calgary, in Treaty 7 territory, where she is completing her undergraduate degree in law and society. She’s part of the Indigenous student circle, too. She moved to Calgary last year and when she’s done, she wants to go to law school at the University of Victoria.

Brazeau chose this program as a pathway to law school knowing she can apply after her second year but she wants to complete her bachelor's degree because the Juris Doctor Indigenous program she wants to complete is a dual degree program. So far she’s enjoying her studies a lot and she is considering minoring in Political Sciences.

She is a recipient of the Loran Award, which is supporting her education and providing her with mentorship opportunities, among other resources. Loran Scholars are selected on the basis of character, commitment to service, and the potential for leadership. “I'm very fortunate to be part of such a supportive community. They've also led me to other opportunities as well, which I really appreciate,” she beams. Brazeau hopes more Indigenous students will be able to apply to the program and participate in the life changing experience she has been lucky enough to be a part of. The program is designed for leadership enrichment beyond academic and financial support and has a goal of improving the future through inspiring young people like Brazeau.

When she thinks about what drives her to study law, her community is a motivator because of all the systemic barriers they face. “I want to be able to break those cycles and do that through practicing law,” she explains. Ever since Brazeau was young she has stood up for what she believes in and put her tendency to argue as an advantage in her studies.

Being away from home and her community has been an obstacle for her and it wasn’t easy at first. In the beginning, Brazeau wrestled with imposter syndrome and feeling out of place. Finding a community where she is and joining the Indigenous student circle has helped. Being part of all the activities and finding gratitude for all the opportunities has helped Brazeau overcome the challenges she faced so far.

To help her keep her mental health in check and manage that homesickness, she called family members to stay connected. It’s something Brazeau recognizes can be inaccessible, particularly in the North, but that she was fortunate she was able to do. “I know it can be hard, especially when you're busy with all your assignments and everything, but prioritizing that really helped me and helped me maintain a good mental health,” she recalls.

Her advice for Indigenous youth studying away from their community is, “Your community will be there for you when you're finished your degree….although you may not see it in the moment when you go back home, you'll have that education to bring back and to show future generations after you that you're fully capable of doing so, and you're paving the way in breaking cycles for people. I think remembering that is really important, and can help you stay on the right track when you're pursuing your degree."

Growing up, Brazeau was inspired by the matriarchs of her family and her community who raised her. “You're kind of forced to toughen up and to take lead and to take initiative,” she smiles. Her advice for young women going into male dominated career paths like the trades is, “Be that representation for our young women. We belong in every space that we can be in and just go for it. Don't let the status quo sway you from pursuing something that you're really interested in and that you'll succeed in. Just do your best, and that's all you can do and then you'll inspire others as well.

In her spare time, Brazeau likes to cook, sew, socialize and read Indigenous literature. She makes ribbon skirts and ribbon jackets from jean jackets. She’s made a half dozen projects with many waiting to be completed.

Thinking of youth considering the same educational path she is pursuing, Brazeau says, “Honestly, go for it. Believe in yourself. If you don't have a good support system along the way, you'll form one. There's a lot of people back home that are going to be looking up to you, even though you may not see it in the moment. It's not easy, but when you make those sacrifices to do so, it's rewarding… Hold your values close to home as well. Practice your individuality and all your traditions.” She encourages keeping your eyes on the long term goal of getting your degree instead of the short term challenges of day to day school life. To stay on top of school, Brazeau suggests taking advantage of any available resources at school, like Indigenous student centres.

In closing, Brazeau shares encouragement with Indigenous youth, urging, “Practice your values and your beliefs. Walking in two worlds isn't easy, but the only way that we're going to get out of this colonial way and break these cycles is by learning to break them down. Just go out there and do the best that you can. You have a community full of people across Indian country rooting for you.”

Following the lead of the matriarchs in her family and her community, Cadena Brazeau is taking the lead and taking charge. With the spirit of leadership inside her and the Loran scholarship to fund and mentor her along the way, she is ready to break cycles and see how far she can go. She’s reaching for her dreams and staying grounded in who she is, preparing to serve her community and building community to guide her.

Thanks to Alison Tedford Seaweed for authoring this article.