They called me 33: reclaiming ingo-waabigwan - karen chaboyer

Chaboyer, Karen: - Karen Chaboyer is an Ojibwa mother and grandmother from Rainy River First Nations, a community in northwestern Ontario.

She is proudly admired by her children, who have witnessed her transformation as she worked through layers of shame and learned to embrace her identity.

A second-generation survivor of residential school, Karen now shares her experiences with audiences throughout the Toronto area, where she now resides.

Karens goal is to educate people on the extent to which the tragedies of the residential school system have impacted individuals, families, communities and entire cultures to this day.

Grieving is the way to work through our losses and past traumas; compassion for ourselves and each other is how we move forward.

Only then can we be victorious.

Meegwetch!.