About me
Elder Laurie McDonald of Enoch Cree Nation (Maskêkosihk) is a Two-Spirit Elder, Residential School Survivor, and long-standing community leader whose life and work reflect courage, cultural strength, and deep commitment to healing. A survivor of Ermineskin Residential School, Elder Laurie has shared that their kôhkom recognized their Two-Spirit identity as a gift when they were just five years old, a teaching that continues to shape their path. In 1977, Laurie co-founded the Greater Vancouver Native Cultural Society, an important organization supporting Indigenous 2SLGBTQIA+ community members. In 2024, they were honoured with the Nations Two-Spirit Society Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of their resilience, service, and dedication to preserving culture. Through sharing their story, Elder Laurie invites others into deeper truth, compassion, and understanding of the lasting impacts of residential schools, especially for Two-Spirit people whose experiences have too often been left out of reconciliation conversations.
