Thu 19 Jan 2023
Meet Talia
Posted by mbcstaff
Hello!
My name is Talia and I’m a Collaborative Decision-Making Navigator at Mediate BC. I am honoured to have the opportunity to work with a dedicated team to increase access to collaborative decision-making processes and challenge the systemic barriers to justice experienced by Indigenous and racialized communities in British Columbia.
I am a settler who lives on the traditional and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations in Vancouver, BC. I am also of mixed Sri Lankan and Slovakian descent and identify as queer. I completed my BA at the University of Toronto in Political Science and Sexual Diversity Studies and completed my MA at the University of British Columbia in Political Science, where my research focused on the potential of solidarity between migrant rights movements and Indigenous decolonization movements.
I have worked as a researcher and educator in universities and non-profits for many years. I am passionate about the use of research to empower communities, uncover structures of power, and highlight routes for social and political change. In particular, I have worked extensively with racialized and Indigenous communities and survivors of sexual violence using intersectional and community-based methods, including conducting a Needs Assessment for Mediate BC to understand barriers to Indigenous and racialized communities’ access to collaborative processes.
While many of my experiences have highlighted to me the necessity of systemic change, I also believe strongly in the need for support services and processes to help people pass through systems relatively unharmed. Collaborative decision-making processes help families navigate the child protection system in ways that are often empowering and more effective for resolving child protection concerns. As a Navigator, I hope to increase knowledge of these processes and support and empower families in self-determining their pathways to wellness.
