Hadih, Michelle Buchholz sts'itnï.
Translation: Hello, my name is Michelle Buchholz.
I am a Wet’suwet’en woman and I was raised on Wet’suwet’en territory, now known as Smithers, B.C. I am from the Cassyex (Grizzly Bear) House and the Gitumden (Wolf) Clan.
I am fortunate to live and work on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples–Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.
Michelle (she/her) has a qualitative research and policy background and holds a Master’s of Public Policy from Simon Fraser University. She wrote her capstone on developing policies to address anti-Indigenous racism in health care. In 2018, Michelle was the recipient of the SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship. Michelle also studied in Aotearoa (New Zealand) and in 2022 was invited to be a speaker at the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education in Adelaide, Australia. The focus of her work is to lift Indigenous people up and to provide an Indigenous voice and perspective within her work.
Michelle is a self-taught artist and began working as a graphic recorder and facilitator in 2016. She has built her practice up to incorporate her own Wet’suwet’en ways of knowing and being and refers to graphic recording as witnessing. Witnesses in Wet’suwet’en feast halls are called on to have an oral record of what has happened in our place of governance. Drawing on witnessing as a governance tool, Michelle utilizes a decolonial process to graphic recording. This process was also informed by utilizing teachings that she has learned in working with mentors, Elders, community members, researchers, leaders and advocates. Michelle is passionate about decolonizing the field of graphic recording by incorporating her teachings and taking up space as an Indigenous visual practitioner.
Michelle is a trained facilitator and works as a circle facilitator and graphic facilitator. She recently completed the Cultivating Safe Spaces train the trainer (Naqsmist Storytellers Inc.) and incorporates this framework into her approach to facilitation.
Michelle has extensive experience working in diverse fields of knowledge including public/community safety (victim services and fire services) and anti-violence, anti-racism and Indigenous cultural safety in health care. Michelle has collaborated with hundreds of diverse groups including Indigenous communities, health authorities, consulting groups, youth groups, Elder’s councils, board of directors, non-profit organizations, government agencies, etc.
Principles that Guide my Work
Indigenous Cultural Safety (ICS) and Anti-Racism
When I work with clients I may make suggestions based on my knowledge of ICS and anti-racism literature. I encourage my clients to consider this in their work, always!
Communication and Collaboration. Working Together.
I strive to communicate my processes to the best of my ability. Developing imagery and working within the realms of public policy is my speciality!
Education and Life-Long Learning Principles
Taking in new knowledge and helping others to disseminate their knowledge is my passion. I am always learning and I am happy to be on that journey with you!
My work is based on my own experiences as a Wet’suwet’en woman. I enrich my work with these experiences, both rooted in being raised on my ancestral territory, while also acknowledging my lived experience and trauma in colonial systems that we as Indigenous people navigate on a daily basis.