Jennifer Squash
Executive Assistant
My name is Jennifer Squash, my mother is Nora Humchitt, and my father is Rex Squash. I come from Heiltsuk and Nuxalk Nation, I also come from Kitasoo and Oweekeno Nations. I was born in November 1992 and grew up in Bella Bella BC.
I finished 3yrs of my Bachelor of Education through the NITEP (Native Indian Teacher Education Program) at UBC that I attended from 2013-2016.
I was fortunate enough to do my 1st 2yrs here at the Bella Bella Field Center from 2013-2015 and moved to Vancouver for my third year in summer of 2015.
I lived in Vancouver from 2015-2020, during that time in Vancouver, I felt very lost and disconnected from my culture – I’ve always had this feeling, but it was heavier once I lived in Vancouver. I moved back home in March 2020; I didn’t plan on moving back home but with the pandemic – it made it easier to make the decision to stay. From July 2020-November 2021 I worked with the Heiltsuk Economic Development as their Accounts Receivable and Receptionist.
I applied for this job as Executive Assistant for Haíɫzaqvḷa Revitalization Language Program in December 2021 and my start date began on January 17, 2022.
I love this job; I love being a part of such a great team in revitalizing our Haíɫzaqvḷa Language and culture from age 0 and working with our current fluent speakers who are elders. To be learning almost everything I felt lost and disconnected for so long, feels so uplifting and it has helped me in continuing with my healing journey from childhood traumas due to my grandparents being taken away from their parents to Residential School.
Words can’t even describe how I truly feel about this program and team that I am apart of, it’s been amazing to see how the “behind the scenes” works, every day I am learning something new and interesting, not just with our culture but learning more about myself and remembering who I am as a Haíɫzaqvḷa person has been so wholesome and I cannot wait for more of these beautiful and uplifting experiences to come.
“Choose a job that you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”