In December 2020, Kaapittiaq began a business internship for Bryanna Brown, an Inuk social activist and entrepreneur-in-training from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. Bryanna is passionate advocate for the “Land Back” movement and for sovereignty of Indigenous peoples, as well as Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities. Having done undergraduate coursework in business administration at Memorial University, and hoping to one day open a business of her own, Bryanna joined our company for four months to learn about the day-to-day operations of an Inuit-owned business.
We want to thank Bryanna for her time dedicated to our company and for her insights and hard work over the last four months. In the following interview, Bryanna explains how her time at Kaapittiaq has impacted her work:
"During my time as a business intern for Kaapittiaq, I was provided with the invaluable opportunity to build my knowledge of business processes, Indigenous business, as well as social entrepreneurship while working with highly supportive and friendly staff, elders, and mentors. As Kaapittiaq is a social enterprise, I believe my values strongly align with those of the company. Prior to working with Kaapittiaq, I had less confidence working with the skills I had gained from attending business school. I am grateful that Kaapittiaq took the time to invest in the growth of myself and my vocational skills. These skills I have gained through my trainings in social media marketing, networking, consultation processes, and accounting are so important to me as I know that the knowledge and experience I have gained will help me to secure future employment, which in turn will contribute to my financial health and therefore, safety. This made a huge, positive difference to my life as an Indigenous woman. Something that really made me interested in working with Kaapittiaq is their dedication to their communities, Indigenous communities globally, and their contribution to sustainable development and practices. I have also noticed that I have become more appreciative of my Inuit heritage, and Inuit languages because Kaapittiaq was able to connect me further with cultural knowledge through their cultural revitalization efforts. Knowing that Inuit elders in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut chose me to work with them and their company provides me with a sense of community and belonging, and this really opens my eyes to the importance of preserving culture and the environment for future generations as my ancestors have done for me. For this I am truly grateful.
Quanaqpiaqquhi Ikajuqatitgiikkavit!"
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