Youth Empowerment & Justice Awareness

This program is an educational program that informs Indigenous Youth of their rights in the justice system. The level of Indigenous Youth incarceration has reached a crisis level in Canada. Prisons are the new residential schools. While Indigenous Youth represent only 8% of Canada’s total population, according to Statistics Canada, “Aboriginal youth accounted for 46% of admissions to correctional services in the 10 reporting jurisdictions in 2016/2017” (Statistics Canada, 2017). It is imperative to educate Indigenous Youth on their rights, how to navigate the justice system and to advocate for themselves. The court systems are broken, colonial and oppressive. Even defense lawyers assigned can be an obstacle. One wrong move and youth are saddled with the yoke of criminalization for life which can lead to addiction, mental health issues, suicide, gang activity, loss of access to life chances, broken homes, learned helplessness and a repeating cycle of intergenerational violence and trauma. The Wings of Justice project will carry young people to a brighter, safer, and healthier future where they will thrive for generations to come.