The person in my community who inspires me is my Atsoo, Emma Baker. My grandmother grew up on a farm with four brother and sisters and grew up speaking her Dakleh language. She was forced into residential school here in Kamloops, and recalls being strapped for speaking her native language. After high school she attended Vancouver Normal school and became a teacher.
After her first year of teaching she attended a dance where she met my grandfather. They moved all the way to his hometown in Hobbs, New Mexico where she bore six children. Unfortunately, my grandfather was killed in a car accident leaving her with six children under the age of 12.
She made the decision to move back to Stella’ten, and worked long hours as a teachers aid to raise all six children alone. She later became a certified language teacher and taught at our public school.
Today she still offered language camps on our reservation, and even helped to develop a language app. She exhibits the values of hard work, perseverance and instilled in me the importance of education.