This episode of Not Invisible: Native Peoples on the Frontlines features a conversation with Cree/Iroquois/French journalist from Treaty 6 territory in Alberta, Brandi Morin.
Brandi and Host, LeAndra Nephin discuss Brandi's career in journalism, her coverage of the ongoing crisis on Wet'suwet'en territory, her book "Our Voice of Fire: A Memoir of a Warrior Rising", and her own harrowing experience of being sexually trafficked as a teenager.
Follow Brandi on Instagram at @bmorinstories and on Twitter at @Songstress28
Pre-order her book online.
This episode of Not Invisible: Native Peoples on the Frontlines features a conversation with Cree/Iroquois/French journalist from Treaty 6 territory in Alberta, Brandi Morin.
Brandi and Host, LeAndra Nephin discuss Brandi's career in journalism, her coverage of the ongoing crisis on Wet'suwet'en territory, her book "Our Voice of Fire: A Memoir of a Warrior Rising", and her own harrowing experience of being sexually trafficked as a teenager.
Follow Brandi on Instagram at @bmorinstories and on Twitter at @Songstress28
Pre-order her book online.
Brandi Morin 00:00
It's absolutely heartbreaking because the people there the Wet'suwet'en have, you know, what's the last, the last of their lands and waters that haven't been destroyed by industry or by you know, settlers coming in and they have this incredible, beautiful pure river that I've drank out of several times you cannot find anything like it. And it's extremely rare to be able to drink out of a river anywhere in the world and not get sick. And they have this beautiful river there that many elders and community members believe have healing properties and have experienced healing just by drinking the water as its name Wedzin Kwa and the CGL is getting ready to drill under it and they said spring
LeAndra Nephin 00:57
this episode contains discussions about sexual violence and trafficking listener discretion is advised. Welcome to a new episode of not invisible native peoples on the frontlines. I'm your host Leandra Nephin. Joining us today is award winning journalist from treaty six territory in Alberta brandy Morin. For the last 10 years brandy has specialized in sharing Indigenous stories, some of which helped spark change and reconciliation in Canada's political, cultural and social landscapes. She is known for her clear eyed and empathetic reporting on indigenous oppression in North America. She is also a survivor of the missing and murdered indigenous women and girls crisis and uses her experience to tell the stories of those who did not survive the ramp and violence brandies debut memoir, our voice of fire is forthcoming with House of Anansi in 2022. Wow, Brandy, such an honor to have you with us today on our virtual couch. I'm really looking forward to this conversation. But before we get started and jump in, why don't you introduce yourself to our listeners who who may be listening in and want to know more about you sure to leaky Leandra, and red house for having me on your show. It's an honor and a privilege. I'm coming to you from the territories of my ancestors of the Michelle First Nation in treaty six, in so called Alberta, Canada.
Brandi Morin 02:46
And yes, I've been doing journalist full time now for over 11 years. And I've specialized in telling Indigenous stories for approximately the last eight years. Wow, amazing. I wanted to just jump in with the kind of really obvious question, I guess, in in terms of how you got into journalism, what was it that inspired you to to start a career in journalism? Yeah, so it kind of started back when I was 21. So I'm 41 now. And I was a young single mother at the time living in a small town in southern Manitoba, which is a couple of provinces east of where I'm from. And I had always loved reading and writing and communicating. And so I decided one day to go into the local community newspaper and meet with the editor, and told her that I wanted to write and she took me under her wing and provided me with opportunity. So I became a local reporter for less than a year. At that time, while I was doing it, I became a life. I just fell in love with everything that entailed being a reporter, but unfortunately, I had to move back home to Alberta. And I was a single mother and needed to find a different way to support my children. The opportunities at that time weren't really available sustainably for journalism. So I went to college and I became a legal assistant. The reason why I became a legal assistant is because I had a friend that did it and she liked it. And I just thought, well, it's something to do. But honestly, I was kind of wandering through all those years. And I wasn't really happy. So I worked on and off as an administrator, you know, for several years. And when I was 29, I was doing a lot of different soul searching, and I was doing a lot of prayer. And I was asking creator what I should be doing with my life. And one day I got a thought during one of those prayers out of nowhere, and that thought was the very specific details to get together my resume a cover letter and samples of my writing work and take it in to my home communities local newspaper. So at the time, that was extremely intimidating for me, because to write for my hometown, where I grew up was a big deal. And they had a distribution of 50,000, I did not have an education for journalism, I felt inadequate. But I mean, it was something that I wanted to do so badly. So a week later, I dressed up, walked into that newspaper office, asked to meet with the editor and showed him what I had put together, told him again that I really wanted to write and I said, Do you happen to have any, you know, positions available for a reporter, and he looked at me, and he said, Well, your timing happens to be impeccable, because we're looking for a full time staff writer. And at that moment, even though I still had to go through all the channels to apply for the job, you know, which took a couple of weeks, I had to work to prove myself. At that moment, I knew that it was for me. And I knew that my prayers had been answered. And so I started work that community newspaper, I hit the ground running. I mean, I was completely full time salaried and learned, as I went learned, you know, with the help of an incredible editor that saw, you know, talent in me saw that, you know, that passion for what I did. And eventually I, you know, moved moved on up in the journalism world and door after door began opening,
LeAndra Nephin 06:50
what an amazing story, it goes to show that when you kind of find your passion, and when it's the right path for you, ancestors have a way of just kind of opening those doors and just no resistance. And I think it's really amazing to see as well, your face and whole demeanor just kind of lights up even just the fierce courage that you had basically, just to walk in and say, This is what I'm going to do. And I'm going to make it happen. And that's just a such a great thing for some of our listeners who may be, you know, thinking themselves that they want to get into journalism. So I guess that leads to my next question, how do you feel, you know, in terms of being an indigenous journalists on air, what advice would you give for other maybe indigenous listeners who who may be thinking that they actually would like to follow in your footsteps in the same career path,
Brandi Morin 07:38
I would tell them that they're needed, that there aren't enough of us out there. And that we need to be telling our stories to the world, that there are stories waiting to be on earth that only we can portray and share with the world. And I would tell them to persevere. And just to believe in the work that they're doing. And to work to work hard. It takes it takes hard work to do this. But when that when that work shows, and it goes before you that's when all of these different doors of opportunities to pick, you know, begin to open. And it's worth it.
LeAndra Nephin 08:20
Absolutely. And I guess it's making me sort of think then, you know, you mentioned perseverance and hard work. What sorts of obstacles did you come across in your journey towards becoming a journalist?
Brandi Morin 08:33
Wow, well, on that first full time position that I had, I worked there for a couple of years. But after about a year in the main editor that I had left, and a whole new team was brought in and I had started a special feature. At the time, it was called Aboriginal aspects, because the the newspaper was for almost fully white community, you know, from white perspectives. And there had been a lot of different tensions in our communities, racial tensions within, you know, the local First Nations and the mainstream community. And so, I did that special feature, and it was a weekly feature, and I thrived off it. And, you know, this fire kind of took off within me, but when these new people, you know, came in eventually, when it when a new publisher came in, they canceled my future. And let me go, so to speak, without any logical explanation other than they were looking for new things. And that really broke my heart. And when I look back on it, I just think that they weren't happy with what I was aiming to do as far as diversifying the newspaper. So that was a challenge. Some of the other challenges that I faced I would say like I was still my kids were still young at the time. And so I had an opportunity to move to Winnipeg, Manitoba to be trained with the Aboriginal peoples television network. But I wasn't able to take my kids with me at the time. And so thank goodness, I had my family there that stepped in to help for a few months at a time when I would go for training so that, you know, that was really, really helpful. There were times when you're working really hard, and you might not be compensated fully, because it's part of your training, or gaining experience and such like that rain. But I think that, as long as you love what you're doing that kind of stuff, you know, doesn't really matter as much. I mean, there may be times when financially and stuff, it's hard to get buyer, it was hard to get by, but didn't last long. And I kind of felt like I was paying my dues so to speak. And we see
LeAndra Nephin 10:53
this happen, I guess, in a lot of professions, you know, gaining that that experience, but it sounds like the way that you've kind of overcome that is the passion really kind of was for what you were doing really
Brandi Morin 11:05
and took over. And there were a couple of other things, too, that I found that when I was working as a freelancer, but for the mainstream media, not as much now. But I would have to fight for stories. And I would have to really convince editors that our stories were worth publishing that our stories were worth investing in. So that, you know, was a bit of a struggle. And I know, I'm not the only person that face that. But I can tell you even in the last 10 years or whatever, I have seen the coverage of native people increase, you know, tenfold, it's not near what it should be yet, but it has definitely improved a ton.
LeAndra Nephin 11:49
Yeah. And it's a really kind of nice change to see, you know, to see more indigenous storytellers and journalists who are providing that perspective, that is an alternative sector perspective to the, you know, white western, Eurocentric viewpoint. So in line with that, I guess that's my next question is really, What differences do you notice in terms of indigenous perspective versus the mainstream media that is very important to you, that, that you tried to get across?
Brandi Morin 12:16
There's so many different barriers, right. So a lot of the mainstream doesn't really have the access, as you know, indigenous reporters do. I mean, it first off, you know, it helps it were native, but it doesn't automatically give us an in two different communities and people, it takes that relationship building, but what I think is that we just bring a lot of that lived experience and understanding. And we go over and above to make sure to provide a lot of the context to what's needed. Because a lot of times you can, you know, have a story that goes out there. And there is no historical context. And the whole story can be completely skewed, if that's not given. And I just think that maybe we understand a lot more about the different protocols and such within our communities that some people have to do work to understand and learn that, you know, you can't just go into our communities and get a one hit wonder story. It takes relationship and trust building, it takes knowing the uniqueness of each different nation. And it's not the standard reporting that the mainstream does, as far as you know, going in and out. And it's taking and taking, it's more of, there's a reciprocal, I think relationship for me anyways, when I'm when I'm going in there, and you know, meeting with these people whose lives are severely affected by the stories that we taught,
LeAndra Nephin 13:55
I was thinking the same thing in terms of these reciprocal relationships, as you mentioned, that reciprocity and protocol. And when we think about some of those stories, the ethics behind it can actually further marginalize and impress our people, particularly if it's, you know, very extractive and exploitative, and they're not following those proper protocols to garnering that knowledge. So it just really highlights the importance of having that indigenous perspective and the understanding and how we approach that walking gently with that knowledge in terms then of kind of some of the work that you've been doing, you know, we know that you're a survivor, how do you weave that into your work now, in terms of the projects that you're involved with?
Brandi Morin 14:41
I mean, I think that some of the experiences that I have such as growing up in and out of the foster care system or, you know, surviving going missing and being raped at age 12 I think that a lot of that has equipped me to be able to relate to a lot of the people that I who, who I'm sharing their stories today. So, I mean, I'm, I'm able to be empathetic and patient with them. And also, it gave me like a warrior spirit, a fighting spirit, like I believe I always had that I was born that, but because I went through a lot of that adversity, I believe that it helped equip and apparent prepare me for this work that I'm doing in order to fight for our stories in order to think outside the box and do storytelling from many different types of platforms, right. And so I take that with me when I go, if I'm reporting on a family, or survivors of missing and murdered women and girls, I'm always struck with a realisation of how blessed I am, to be alive and thriving, and that I could have been them, and they could have been me, and how at one time, I was like those ones who were lost. And so I do my very best to the ones who are lost a voice and try to do through my work to help give them justice and relate to them. And honestly, it's hard, like, my heart breaks all the time. Like it never gets easier. However many families I've met with or the different stories that I do, I mean, it's a I carry a heavy burden. But I would rather have those feelings than not, because it carries over into my work. And I believe when people see or hear or read my work, that that emotion in that authenticity comes through from the pupil, you know, who you know, who are sharing it, and you're
LeAndra Nephin 16:59
actually speaking to some thing that I'm really passionate about in terms of as a trauma therapist, you know, there is the potential to experience post traumatic growth from adversity, right. And your kind of approach, in terms of the, I'm guessing even your own healing process, you've taken your own experiences, and are now empowered to give voice to other people who've had the same experiences. Right. And this is just such a powerful kind of, for me, even as a therapist to kind of see, you're now helping to heal others by giving them that platform to observe directly.
Brandi Morin 17:38
And just like you say, like, I think it's helped to heal me. And, you know, these past 10 or 11 years that I've been doing journalism, full time, I've been on a complete healing journey as well, right. And I mean, 90% of the stories that I cover all have to do with oppression, or violence, or injustice, or murder. And so it's almost constant trauma mode. And so I have to be really careful, because sometimes it can get really, really heavy, but I've created ways to cope. And I find that once the stories are out there. So once they're published or released, then I'm able to fully release a lot of those burdens that I've been carrying for those people. Right. And so, you know, I just once it's you once I put it out there into the world, it you know, I pray and hope that it will do the job of helping to make, you know, a difference in some way. Yeah. And
LeAndra Nephin 18:44
you've touched on something that I think is really important in terms of self care, you know, how do we practice self care, when we are hearing those very traumatic stories? So in terms of your sort of health, self care regime and how you kind of cope with that? What sorts of things do you put in place to help manage the heavy load of that?
Brandi Morin 19:05
Well, you know what, I still take counseling. I'm a big advocate of that. For me, I think healing is a continual lifelong journey. I don't think we're ever fully there. And so, you know, I see a counselor regularly, I make I pray a lot, I go out to nature a lot. My favorite place to reground is in the mountains. That's where I feel closest to our Creator. And I been exercising and trying to make this self care holistic. Because before I would be like our road for a couple of few weeks at a time on a really high stress high tent story. And when you're out on the road, you're not eating very good. You're you're getting junk at the gas station or restaurant and lists But I was like completely like stuffing my face like non stop and being completely unhealthy. And that was not help helping my overall health. And I decided and I was feeling awful, I was just exhausted all the time, because a lot of times I would come back from these stories, and I would sometimes feel the need to sleep for a week straight. Because I would feel so mentally physically emotionally exhausted. So I just decided, well, I can't just do this haffley anymore, I have to do this holy, I have to do this holistically. So taking care of my body, moving my body, taking good things in that I eat and drinking water, which is a life source, which gives my body that life source and energy. And also, you know, doing prayer and counseling, and just talking to people or even writing about it, you know, if I have to, I really believe that it's so important not to keep different things that you may be struggling with, you know, but don't keep it bottled up. Because sooner or later, it's going to manifest in some way some shape or form, and it's not going to be good.
LeAndra Nephin 21:16
Yeah. And I think you touched on something to an important point in terms of blending ceremony, and that holistic approach, physical, mental, spiritual, you know, these are kind of the things that I think create balance, and doesn't it?
Brandi Morin 21:29
And if you don't, then one is going to be out of balance, you know, all the time. And, and mine was and I said, No, I have to do this, you know.
LeAndra Nephin 21:38
So in terms of your work, then with MMI W, what I guess do you feel is important for non Indigenous people to know about this issue?
Brandi Morin 21:48
Well, I think for far too long. Society has looked away from this crisis. And I think people do not realize that this crisis is not new, that this crisis is a symptom of the violence of colonization, that it's been ongoing since 1492. And people are only hearing about it more and more now is because of advocacy. And because the media is starting to cover it more and more, I would just like them to understand that our women are worthy that our women are valuable, and not to just brush off this genocide. It's been called a genocide in Canada by the National Inquiry and to know that this is happening right before your very eyes and not to, you know, turn your cheek.
LeAndra Nephin 22:40
So you've got a debut memoir, or voice of fire that's coming out, what is your memoir? What is the memoir about? Can you just describe that for us?
Brandi Morin 22:47
So yeah, it's chronicles my life, up in and out of the foster care system and experiencing a lot of dysfunction, you know, in my family, and different ages and chaos, and running away at the age of 12, from a group home with two other girls, where I ended up being held against my will and raped by two different men over about a week period, I was 12 years old. And it goes on to further chronicle some of the different adversity from the fallout of that kind of trauma, right, you know, becoming a single mom of three, by the time I was 24, but fighting my way through, to believe for something better, and realizing, you know, the dream of becoming this journalist for justice and turning that around to, you know, work to get justice for our people. So it's a pretty difficult story. It's a difficult read, but I believe that a lot of people, especially people in the native community, will be able to relate, you know, to a lot of the different trauma and dysfunction, you know, that I went through. And I just believe it's so important to share our stories, because I think that immune, especially if you've overcome some things, and being able to heal, like I have from from some of those things so that other people can see that there is hope, when you're in very dark situations, and maybe take something from that and apply it to their own life. And also, I wanted people to have a look into the life and see the face of a young native girl. Because there's so many young native girls that went through the same thing that I did, such as a young girl named Tina, Tina Fontaine, who was 15 and her body was found in the Red River in Manitoba. And our stories are very similar. I want them to have a look into what that life is like so that they can see us as human beings so that they can see us as people, right? And ultimately, you know, to provide some hope and, and inspiration.
LeAndra Nephin 25:12
So when we think about that process, then of actually sitting down writing your story, speaking truth to a piece of paper in black and white, you're seeing basically a timeline of your life. What's that been? Like? What was that like for you,
Brandi Morin 25:27
my former news director at the Aboriginal peoples television network, she had been like, nudging me to write a book for so long. And I guess in the fall of 2020, I just decided on a whim, okay, well, I'm going to I'm going to try this. I'm going to try writing this book. And so I wrote a little bit, but I got in touch with a, like a literary agent. And they were and told them the premises of the book, they were really excited. And they took me on right away, and they said, Look, write three chapters of your book, just start writing. So I just started writing. And I think I wrote a prologue, and then wrote, started writing chronologically. And I think I wrote like my first five or six chapters within like, a month or something, I just like mowed through it, right. But it's interesting, I got the book deal. Last spring, I finished the book, I think, in November of this year. And when I was editing, like when we were reading through going back and reading through the books, or what I had written, is when some things really started to hit me. Not actually, during the writing process, I mean, I had to really dig deep to remember some things. But it wasn't after till I was reading it till I was reading it, you know, out loud, that some some things hit me and I had to go through a little bit more healing. And also, you know, talking to family members about the book, because it's such a personal thing, you know, and some of our struggles are revealed in there. And some of my family members, you know, aren't, weren't very excited about that. But in regards to even like my parents and stuff, I made sure that I told the truth of my experience, but I also made sure that I honored my parents in it too, right. And so even in that, there is that balance, right. And so I hope that it can be a healing opportunity for you know, for all of us.
LeAndra Nephin 27:34
I look forward to reading your story. It sounds like it's been an emotional journey for you in terms of your your healing process. I want to switch topics now to kind of look at some of the work that you've been doing with what so it in, could you talk us through some of the work that you've been doing with that.
Brandi Morin 27:56
So I've been reporting on the wetsuits and crisis, as I call it for a few years now. And for those who don't know, there is a natural gas pipeline owned by coastal gaslink that is being constructed in northern British Columbia, Canada, and part of that pipeline is being constructed through unseeded with certain territories. And the hereditary leaders of the Whitson nation have opposed that pipeline for several years. They've been met with an injunction ordered by a court in British Columbia, requested by the company CGL and enforced by police to forcibly remove her wet sewage and land defenders and their supporters. And on several occasions when they have moved into raid resistance camps, it has turned very violent. And I describe it as a war zone. Because these police are going up like they're they send in literal troops of them with AK 47 and sniper rifles, attack dogs and helicopters. When you're there it you know, it seems like a war zone. And it's happening in a so called democratic country where indigenous and human rights are being trampled on ignored, violent, you know, violently and violated. So I was there in November when the police did their last raids, and two of my colleagues in the journalism field were embedded with some of the land defenders and were actually arrested and jailed for several days. Eventually they had their charges dropped against them, but I arrived mere hours after police had come in and cleared out that area. And I smuggled in with her editor in chief because the police had checkpoints set up all over the territory, which is a remote mountain area. And it's absolutely heartbreaking. Because the people there the witch Sutan have, you know, what's the last, the last of their lanten waters that haven't been destroyed by industry or by, you know, settlers coming in, and they have this incredible, beautiful pure river that I've drank out of several times, you cannot find anything like it. And it's extremely rare to be able to drink out of a river anywhere in the world and not get sick. And they have this beautiful river there that many elders and community members believe have healing properties and have experienced healing just by drinking the water as its name was in KWA. And the CGL is getting ready to drill under it. And they said spring that could be now spring could be March, April. And the land defenders, you know, have been backed into a corner, they've been doing their best, you know, to resist through, you know, legal measures and physical, you know, resistance and such. But it's quite a heartbreaking situation. And they have told me that if the company is allowed access to drill under was in claw, then it's all going to be over, they said we nothing left for them. And they have children that live out there on the Yenta, which is their word for land. It's a very special place. And the people are really beautiful people they have held on to their culture and their language, their protocols, their traditions, and their hereditary leadership when Canada brought in the elected Chief and Council system under the Indian Act in the late 1800s. Where as in this area within this tribe, they maintain their governance system that has been in place for millennia. And that is who is resisting these developments. So I was there again in January doing a special on was in QA and the you know, the community ties to that sacred river system. And I plan to continue to go back, I think it's drilling is imminent. And I'll just be waiting to learn of the next resistance action. But I know that police are there on the territory, it's not going to take them much to dispatch all the force and weapons needed in order to clear the lands of the natives that are standing in their way. And it's really sad. But these people are here strong a spirit and have said that they will do whatever it takes to save, you know, within quiet and there Yenta
LeAndra Nephin 33:03
we look forward to hearing more in terms of work that you do to highlight that and any way that we can amplify that. But on that note as we get ready to kind of close, what kind of product projects or projects are you working on currently that we might want to look forward to and amplify.
Brandi Morin 33:21
Yeah, so I went to Northern California last August with National Geographic and I went with my friend who's an incredible photographer, Amber Bracken did a feature there for on missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. It's the first time that NatGeo has ever done anything on the topic. And it's been months and months. And it's supposed to be being published any day now. So please look out for that. In out of Northern California for National Geographic. I'm also headed to Rome, Italy. At the end of this month, I'm going to cover the delegation of indigenous residential school survivors that are going there to meet with the Pope at the Vatican. This is something that the survivors have hoped for for a really long time and help with their healing. So I'm going there at the end of the month, and I'm also working on an upcoming documentary with a major Hollywood production company who I can't name yet but it's a really big deal regarding indigenous and environmental rights and justice. So lots of different irons in the fire.
LeAndra Nephin 34:33
Yeah, amazing hard work that you're doing there and important hard work. And it's been such a pleasure to I guess go through your life from where you first started out to kind of having some obstacles that you overcame, and to where you are now working with major players in the media industry. Hi, hi. But on the final note, what advice I guess would you give up to up and coming indigenous youth who would like to follow in your footsteps into your into a career in journalism?
Brandi Morin 35:09
Yeah, I would just tell them that, like I said before we need to do with it, we need to doing this you're the only one that can tell the stories that need to be told. that need to be told for our people. And just don't give up. It sounds so cliche but you know, keep pushing, don't give up and just stay determined. And those stories in whatever form whether it's through writing or documentary, or podcasting, or broadcasting, online social media, whichever avenue you choose to tell those stories, they're going to come to you they're just waiting for you.
LeAndra Nephin 36:01
Oh, you heard it here. First. We need to keep pushing forward. Keep going such a great story from a diversity to success. loved, loved speaking to you today. It was such a huge honor to be in the presence of such esteemed company and I look forward to watching your journey and and seeing some of those projects as they start to unfold and come out so watch this space. Randy I want to thank you wonky that we've the heart for being a part of not invisible native peoples on the frontline. And wonky they weep the hotsw our listeners brandy thank you so much.
Brandi Morin 36:40
Iniki, Leandra and red house and honor thank you for all the work that you're doing. i
LeAndra Nephin 36:49
This has been Not Invisible Native Peoples on the Frontlines a House on Fire Production. To learn more about Brandi's work as a journalist, follow her on Twitter @songstress28 and on Instagram at @bmorinstories. This episode is produced by Victor Maco, Spirit Buffalo and JB Hart. Our editors are Kim Acheson and Abbey Franz. Research by Sarah Rose Harper. Our theme song is another side by wild whispers produced by Ben Reno, Eli Lev and Meghan Lee. This season of not invisible is produced with support from Earth Rising Foundation. Our Patreon producers Cathy Duuer and Rena Krishnan and our friends at Buy Me a Coffee. We'd like to give a special shout out to our Patreon supporters, Elizabeth McLaren, Jennifer Cutbil and Anna Sheffield. You too can become a patron by finding us at Red House Series on Patreon or Buy Us a Coffee links on our website redhouseseries.com. WóNgithe wíbthahaN. I thank you all