COH-AWH-What_Would_it_Take

1.3 COLONIZATION
Youth linked the homelessness of Indigenous youth to historic and
contemporary forms of colonialism, embedded within multiple systems
and structures. Several youth contrasted their own poverty, and the
poverty of their community, to the land, wealth, and housing that settlers
continue to accumulate at the expense of Indigenous Peoples.
“Colonization, like if
that didn’t happen I
feel like I would be
so good.”
VANCOUVER YOUTH
One youth explicitly stated that if colonization hadn’t
occurred, he wouldn’t have become homeless.
“Police are AWFUL towards
the Aboriginal people. It’s
almost like the police believe
they’re guilty before the trial.
So, then you get police that go
ahead and arrest the Aboriginal
people and then they end up
in jail and they end up with a
criminal record on them and
work becomes harder to find.”
EDMONTON YOUTH
Youth felt that racism towards Indigenous Peoples
was very common, and that it contributed to poverty
and homelessness by blocking access to the benefits,
supports, services, education, employment, and housing
that many other young people are able to access. This
racism was viewed as happening at all levels of society.
At the systems level, youth particularly highlighted racism
in the rental housing market, staff or worker racism in the
child welfare system, and police practices that target and
criminalize Indigenous Peoples. At the structural level,
youth commented that housing, education, and social
services within Indigenous communities and on reserves
are severely underfunded, with some even lacking access
to clean drinking water. Importantly, youth framed these
inequities as human rights violations.
Youth also discussed intergenerational trauma within their family, describing the roots of familial
conflict, abuse, and addiction as colonial. Some young people identified this family trauma as the
direct cause of their own homelessness, explaining that fleeing family violence made it difficult to
stay connected to their cultural roots, history, community, and way of life. Youth who grew up in
isolated Indigenous communities or on reserves explained they lacked access to adequate supports
or services that would have helped, such as family mediation, and were forced to leave their
communities in search of help. Some youth described this disconnection from Indigenous heritage,
culture, and community as deeply painful and disorienting.
WHAT WOULD IT TAKE? 50