Who We Are
Kawennanoron Cynthia White
Board of Directors
In addition to holding a seat with the Earth Song Alliance, Kawennanoron also sits on the Governing Council of Soul of the Mother. Cynthia was born into the Mohawk community of Akwesasne. Her lineage is Onondaga Snipe Clan. The Mohawk name given to her at birth is Kawennanoron. The translation is “Precious Words.” She currently lives at the Six Nations Grand River Territory in Southern Ontario, Canada, where she is a Spiritual and Ceremonial Leader and has been involved in spiritual training since 1994. She attended the State University of New York at Plattsburgh where she studied nursing and received a Bachelor of Science degree. According to Kawennanoron, Spiritual Training requires that one is engaged in one’s own healing. It is this journey of healing that has led her to understand that prayer is a humble cry from the heart. She believes that a soul can be purified from pain and torment, thus producing change in a human being.
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Through her own process of change, Kawenanoron shares what she has learned at the Sacred Fire of the Thunder as a means of giving back what she has received from the Creator. In 2017, she began working at the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health with First Nations, Inuit and Metis people assisting individuals in developing their own connections to Spirit for transformation.
Boozhoo, Ahnee kinawaaya! Shkoodeh Kwe n’dizhnikaz!
Mkwa miinwaa Mzhiikenh Dodem,
Neyaashiinigmiing miinwaa Moraviantown doonjibaa!
Hi everyone I’m Sheila. I’m the one who lights your Inner Fire. I’m Bear Clan on my Father’s side and Turtle Clan on my Mother’s Side. I was raised and currently live at Neyaashiinigmiing which translates to piece of land surrounded by three sides of Water. My Mother’s homeland is Moraviantown Reserve, near Chatham Ontario and that’s where I was born. I grew up in Ojibway Territory and I acknowledge my Lenape/ Delaware Lineage. I’m the oldest in my family, a proud Momma Bear to six beautiful children, I have two grandchildren, as well as an Auntie/Great Auntie to many beautiful nieces and handsome nephews.
I’m married through pipe ceremony to my husband Waasi (Kenneth Albert) who is from Deshkan Ziibing...
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Sheila Robson
Board of Directors
Ütz Awäch, Hola, Bienvenidos.
In k’aaba’e Luis Alegria my lineage comes from the Kaqchikel Mayan and
Afro-Guatemalan Peoples of Guatemala.
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My Mother’s land comes from the original name Tz’olojya (Sololá), a predominantly Mayan Kaqchikel community and my Father’s land comes from Puerto Barrios, a predominantly Afro-Guatemalan community.
My first nine years, I lived in Guatemala City. Our home was near a small jungle, there, my older brother and I would put on masks and become our favourite wrestling heroes. After hours of playing, we would get hungry so we would climb one of the mango or guava trees that was near by and ate as much as we could....
Red Iron
(Luis Alegria)
Board of Directors
Sharan Dadhwal
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Hello and Namaste everyone.
My name is Sharan.
My parents immigrated to Turtle Island from India in the 90s. Our ancestral home is in Northern India, in the state of Himachal Pradesh, and in the state of Punjab where my dad’s family have been farmers for many generations. Although I was born in Toronto, I did get to spend a lot of my childhood in Himachal and Punjab. My family and I have lived in Brampton, Ontario for many years but we now live in Guelph where I am also a student.
I am currently doing an MSc with the department of Geography. My thesis work explores the environmental impacts of bioplastics in the packaging industry. I also have a Bachelor of Arts and Science (BAS) from Guelph in Biology and French.
I love to spend time doing art and cooking food with my mom, and my nani. I’ve spent almost 5 years working with children and teaching science classes at the Guelph-YMCA.
I am grateful for the opportunity to work, create and live here on this beautiful land. As a member of ESA, I hope to support indigenous folk and indigenous knowledge in healing Mother Earth.
Board of Directors
Greetings all!
My name is Micheline Jackson and I was born on the beautiful twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago.
I was raised to publicly identify as Roman Catholic but grew up surrounded by traditional African Ceremony my Grandmother discretely practiced on her rural property. I am the third oldest of 8 children – a fact I learnt in my teenage years, and have spent my adult years getting to know and bonding with those 7 individuals who feel like different versions of me.
I immigrated to Turtle Island in 2001 and studied Nursing earning a Bachelor’s degree in 2008 and Masters in 2016. During my practice as a Nurse Practitioner on Manitoulin Island I was introduced to traditional Indigenous Ceremony and was comforted by all the parallels with Ceremony practiced by my Grandmother in Trinidad – especially as immigrating proved to disconnect me from those traditions. I am grateful for the healing those ceremonies continue to provide on my journey.
I currently live in Mississauga with a loving and protective 4 legged creature. My Nursing career has led me to a small not for profit providing Primary Care Outreach to the Homeless and those at risk of Homelessness in Brampton. I spend my spare hours walking in the bush surrounded by the Great Spirits of the trees and water and rocks and animals my Grandmother taught me to acknowledge.
I am humbled by the opportunity to be part of Earth Song Alliance and look forward to working these distant relatives giving back to this land that continues to hold me.
Micheline Jackson
Board of Directors
Kassia Gooding R.H.N.
Board of Directors
Hi there, I am Kassia Gooding.
I was born and raised in Halifax NS and have been living on Turtle Island my entire life without ever knowing it until a few years ago. I currently live in Quito, Ecuador and had been living in Toronto ON for almost 13 years prior to moving here. I moved to Toronto from San Francisco, CA after spending several years there. I am of British, Sicilian and Irish descent. First generation Canadian on my Father's side and 4th (or 5th) on my Mother's.
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Although I was raised Roman Catholic, I always questioned this and the way it was taught, I never felt connected or comfortable with it at least not in the atmosphere of the church. I do however have a deep love, a great sense of gratitude and a strong connection to Mother Earth. One of my life missions is to safeguard and protect Her and all living beings, to help heal our connection to Her. Every life is a life and none is more important than another.
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My passions and expertise lie in the health and wellness industry which I have been heavily involved in for over 2 decades now. I am a Reiki Master, Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Holistic Chef and Subtle Energy Worker.
I am honoured and grateful to be part of Earth Song Alliance and am very excited for all that we will be sharing with you.
Thank you, holding the light,
Kassia
I am Ralph Martin and grew up on our family farm in a Mennonite community in Wallenstein, ON. Since then I've lived in Ottawa, Nova Scotia and most recently in Guelph. After doing 4-H projects on the home farm, my formal education includes, a B.A. and an M.Sc. in Biology from Carleton University and a Ph.D. in Plant Science from McGill University. My love of teaching grew unexpectedly when I began teaching at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, in 1990, and realized how students teach me too.
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In 2001, I founded the...
Ralph Martin
Board of Directors
Franco Mannella
Board of Directors
Hi there, my name is Franco Mannella,
My birthplace is not from this land known as Turtle Island. The land of the Haudenosaunee.
I was born in a small town known as Serra San Bruno, located in the southern region of Italy.
I’m proud to be part of the Earth Song Alliance (ESA)… I was brought to this land by my parents, along with seven of their siblings, to find a peaceful place away from the post-war trauma in order to raise their children in a good way, and indeed they did.
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I’m a council member of Soul of the Mother...