As the first person in her family to attend university, Justice Maki-Chambers (BPH ’23) was nervous about whether she could succeed in post-secondary studies.

But thanks to supportive resources and a welcoming community, Maki-Chambers graduated with a Bachelor of Public Health and a minor in Indigenous Studies on Wednesday, June 16 during Brock’s 113th Convocation.

The 23-year-old from Hamilton was drawn to Brock for its proximity to her hometown, its acclaimed Public Health program and its graduate employment rate. There was one more element that made her feel right at home — The Hadiya’dagénhahs First Nations, Métis and Inuit Student Centre.

Hadiya’dagénhahs aims to provide a welcoming, supportive and inclusive environment for Indigenous students and visitors to Brock’s campus.

Maki-Chambers, who is mixed Métis, said the centre allowed her to be herself and shed the pressures she felt as a first-generation student.

“It was a spot where everyone was nice and helpful and there was no judgement,” she said.

Beyond providing a welcoming atmosphere and a place to study, Maki-Chambers said the centre’s staff went the extra mile to make sure she accessed academic resources that were available to her as well.

“Not only did they help me to access free tutoring, they also physically walked me to Student Accessibility Services to help get me connected there,” she said.

As she continued to learn more about her own Indigenous heritage through her studies and activities at the centre, the Hadiya’dagénhahs team encouraged Maki-Chambers to share her own skills with others.

“I was at a point where I could not only learn but teach as well,” she said of the Métis dot art activity she led. “It was a low-anxiety environment, and even though it was my first time leading workshop I felt comfortable because I knew a lot of familiar faces.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Maki-Chambers says those many of those same people stayed in touch, including the Hadiya’dagénhahs staff.

“It felt like we were being taken care of and we were not forgotten,” she says. “It still felt very community based and Hadiya’dagénhahs sent newsletters and checked in on us.”

Hadiya’dagénhahs Director Cindy Biancaniello said the centre strives to connect with each student on a personal level while offering academic and cultural supports.

“It’s in our name; Hadiya’dagénhahs is a Cayuga word for ‘they are the helpers’, and that’s precisely what we do,” said Biancaniello. “By inviting students like Justice to share their culture with others and providing space for them to teach workshops around their specific knowledge, we are helping students to embrace their identity.”

Now, with her undergraduate studies and a final year of in-person activities at Hadiya’dagénhahs behind her, Maki-Chambers has combined her passions for health and Indigenous knowledge into a career at the Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle in Thorold as a Client Services Project Administrator.

“It feels so good to give back to community just as others at Brock have given back to me,” she said. “As someone who is diabetic and Indigenous, it’s amazing to see the changes that can be made and it’s good that these issues of health are finally being recognized and addressed.”

With so much to look forward to, Maki-Chambers is also taking time to reflect on what she has accomplished and the supports she has received.

“It feels really good to be the first person in my family to graduate university,” she said. Now, I can show my siblings that it is doable and there are supports here at Brock to help along the way.”