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Taking an Indigenous Studies course in French at 91��ܽ (SFU) inspired Anya Garcia (BA, 2025) to declare her minor, complementing her Political Science major and extended minor in French.

“I really enjoyed the course content and Sarah Henzi’s teaching style, she helped me to grow as a first-year student taking a course in another language,” Garcia recalls of enrolling in INDG 101: Introduction to Indigenous Studies as part of the French Cohort Program. “The course was important to me, and it started me on a path I was not expecting.”

While Garcia says she had not planned to pursue an Indigenous Studies minor, doing so provided her with deeper insight into the social justice issues she first became interested in as a high school student. “I appreciated how Natahnee Winder teaches public policy,” says Garcia of how her knowledge from Indigenous Studies intersected with her interest in Political Science. “Many of the injustices experienced by Indigenous people are caused by policy. By understanding Indigenous perspectives, we can get to the root causes.”

Born and raised in Port Alberni, Garcia is of primarily of Spanish, English, and Ukrainian background and says her Indigenous Studies courses have provided her with a greater awareness of the land she lives on, and how to reciprocate for being on a First Nation's territory. Through her coursework in INDG 403: Indigenous Knowledge in the Modern World, taught by Kicya7 Joyce Schneider, Garcia was able to take actions to support these values in her everyday life.

A family hike on Wild Side Trail, located on Ahousaht territory, inspired Garcia’s final project for the course. While researching the trail with her mother, Garcia learned that popular hiking apps fail to provide important information, such as stewardship fees, which First Nations use to protect their land.

“Many hikers rely on these apps and may not be aware of whose land they are on and their responsibilities,” says Garcia. “As part of my project, I contacted the Strava and AllTrails apps and proposed that they add information, such as the First Nations territories where trails are located and protocols for land use.”

As a student with a variety of interests, Garcia says volunteering on campus provided her with a powerful way to share her voice. Through her involvement with the French Student Union, Garcia learned about the opportunity to help organize the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) Undergraduate Research Symposium. “I really enjoyed working with my amazing teammates to build an event from the ground up,” she says. “Michael Yellow Bird’s keynote speech for the Terry Fox Lecture on Hope was my favourite part of the event.”

After finishing her degree, Garcia returned to Port Alberni, where she recently started a new job as human resources coordinator at the Kackaamin Family Development Centre, an Indigenous organization. “I enjoy supporting service and front-line workers,” says Garcia. “My Indigenous Studies education is an important part of my work. It is vital for our team to understand Indigenous perspectives and to incorporate these values into the work we are doing with families.”

In her next chapter, Garcia looks forward to growing and learning in her new role. “My advice to students is to find an Indigenous Studies course about a topic that matters to you and try it out,” says Garcia. “SFU Indigenous Studies offers a lot of variety, so see where it takes you and learn about the things you care about in a new way.”