Good morning. My name is Sarah Rose. I'm from the St. Mary's First Nation, which is just across the river from here. I hope you have a chance to visit it before you leave. Welcome to Maliseet territory.
I'm a mother of three; I have a nine-year-old, a three-year-old, and a two-year-old daughter. I have grown up off-reserve, but I've always been involved in the community, so I never recognized that on- and off-reserve boundary. I currently work for the Union of New Brunswick Indians. I work in the health department and I work with all 15 bands. Even though the union only represents 12, I work with all 15. I represent the communities at a local, regional, and national level on health issues.
I'm also the president of Gignoo Transition House. I am the president of Under One Sky, which is an aboriginal off-reserve headstart that is located here in Fredericton. I sit on the executive for the New Brunswick Aboriginal Women's Council. I was also part of the youth council for NWAC.
In my own community we have a St. Mary's youth leadership enrichment program through which we mentor young girls and boys to fulfill that leadership role, because we need to recognize the positive within our own children. I'm a mentor in that program, in addition to working and being a full-time mom. That's me in a nutshell, and we'll talk later.
I have had the opportunity to represent my people at an international level as well. I've had the opportunity to go to Colombia and talk about our culture and history, and we're dealing with these kinds of issues as well. Later on this summer, I'll be going to Ireland to do the same thing at the university.
That's who I am. Thank you.