Meet our team doing the work

Ravina Morgan, whose Indigenous name is Âmow-piyêsîs Iskwew;  ᐋᒧᐤ ᐱᔦᓰᐢ (Hummingbird Woman), belongs to Smiths Landing First Nation in the Northwest Territories. Ravina is of Tthebatthi Dënésułiné, Cree, Métis, Central and South Asian ancestry. She was born and raised on the unceded territories of the Semiahma (Semiahmoo), sc̓əwaθenaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsawwassen), qiqéyt (Qayqayt), kwikwəәƛ ̓əәm (Kwikwetlem), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen) and q̓ic̓əәy̓ (Katzie) First Nations. Ravina is also a proud mother who is raising her son in the same territories she was raised in.

Ravina is the Team Lead for Skookum Surrey. Ravina works with Indigenous people across the City of Surrey. She has been with the team since the beginning when Skookum Surrey was formerly Skookum Lab. In her position with Skookum Lab, Ravina worked on a three-year research project about reducing urban Indigenous child poverty in the City of Surrey. When the research project was over, Skookum Surrey was created to continue engaging Indigenous people in Surrey on matters that affect them. Ravina has been working in the Indigenous non-profit sector for ten years.

Krystal Dumais is Plains Cree from the Treaty 6 Nation in Saskatchewan. She grew up on the territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən, Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples. Krystal now lives on the unceded territories of the Semiahma (Semiahmoo), sc̓əwaθenaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsawwassen), qiqéyt (Qayqayt), kwikwəәƛ ̓əәm (Kwikwetlem), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen) and q̓ic̓əәy̓ (Katzie) First Nations where she raises her children. Krystal holds various roles within the urban Indigenous community in Surrey. She is a Cree language coordinator with the Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association, a research assistant for the health department at Simon Fraser University, and a parent representative for the Racial Equity Committee for Surrey schools. 

Krystal is a Facilitator and Engagement Specialist with Skookum Surrey. In her role, she engages Indigenous youth and community members in the City of Surrey on important topics that affect their well-being. Krystal joined Skookum Surrey because she likes being a part of like-minded and strong Indigenous ambassadors that help with addressing and tackling Indigenous youth in poverty.

Catherine Garcia is Shuswap and is from the Simpcw First Nation. Catherine has lived on the unceded territories of the Semiahma (Semiahmoo), sc̓əwaθenaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsawwassen), qiqéyt (Qayqayt), kwikwəәƛ ̓əәm (Kwikwetlem), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen) and q̓ic̓əәy̓ (Katzie) First Nations for over ten years. She is a proud mother of three wonderful children. Catherine is also a pow-wow dancer and has been doing pow-wow dance since she was a young girl. 

In her role with Skookum Surrey, Catherine hosts monthly community gatherings for Indigenous people living in Surrey.  Catherine was a Guide Group member with Skookum Lab, before it became Skookum Surrey, and is passionate about the ongoing work of Skookum Surrey to nurture Indigenous community connection in Surrey. 

Marcia Mejia-Blanco is Indigenous to the Nahua-Pipil people in Central America, with family ties to the Nlaka’pamux people of Lytton First Nation. Marcia was raised on the unceded territories of the Semiahma (Semiahmoo), sc̓əwaθenaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsawwassen), qiqéyt (Qayqayt), kwikwəәƛ ̓əәm (Kwikwetlem), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen) and q̓ic̓əәy̓ (Katzie) First Nations where she is also raising her son. 

Marcia joined Skookum Surrey after bringing her son to a community event that made a lasting impact on them. Marcia works as the Post Secondary Events Coordinator with Skookum Surrey. In her position, Marcia creates opportunities  in partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Simon Fraser University for Indigenous students in Surrey. Her efforts create  cultural connections among Indigenous students and Indigenous community members which facilitate community belonging and well-being.

Aspen Shima is Cree from White Bear First Nations in Treaty 4 territory. She lives on the unceded territories of the Semiahma (Semiahmoo), sc̓əwaθenaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsawwassen), qiqéyt (Qayqayt), kwikwəәƛ ̓əәm (Kwikwetlem), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen) and q̓ic̓əәy̓ (Katzie) First Nations. Before that, Aspen lived on Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, səlilwətaɬ and Sto:lo territories. Aspen is an avid lacrosse fan and has extensive knowledge of the sport and the appreciation of well-being that comes from the medicine game.

As  the Skookum Surrey Social Media Coordinator, Aspen uses her artistic and visual skills to capture Skookum Surrey events through photography. She also creates social media outputs for Skookum Surrey to communicate events to urban Indigenous people  in the City of Surrey.

Becky Parker is a proud Métis-Cree woman. She was born and raised on the unceded and traditional territories of the Semiahma (Semiahmoo), sc̓əwaθenaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsawwassen), qiqéyt (Qayqayt), kwikwəәƛ ̓əәm (Kwikwetlem), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen) and q̓ic̓əәy̓ (Katzie) First Nations. Becky’s family ties are traced back to the Red River, now known as Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Peguis First Nation (Treaty 1). 

In her role as the Youth Coordinator with Skookum Surrey, Becky acts as a bridge between Skookum Surreyn and Surrey Schools. She works alongside the Aboriginal Transitions Teacher to deliver the Skookum Windspeaker program, further enriching the cultural tapestry of the urban Indigenous community.

Becky is an Indigenous Cultural Facilitator with the Surrey School District. In her role, she facilitates Indigenous education. Becky is passionate about education and creating nurturing environments for Indigenous young people to learn about their culture and identity. Her journey with Skookum Surrey is rooted in her own experiences of growing up without a strong cultural connection, driving her mission to help bridge the gap and strengthen cultural identities.