Mishka, Job Seeker

Newfoundland

Mishka has travelled a long way from the North to Newfoundland. It’s been a journey of healing. The 28-year-old is coming to terms with a lifetime of family and intergenerational trauma. Part of the healing has come through employment.   Mishka identifies as Two-Spirit and nonbinary. Finding a workplace free of discrimination and danger has been a challenge. Mishka also has a litany of complex learning disabilities and autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder.   “Mishka is a passionate and articulate speaker. But writing and reading are an extreme challenge. They’re unable to complete forms or write essays. I help them express themselves in writing,” says Lor Benjamin, the employment facilitator who helped Mishka land their first steady job.   Lor advocated for Mishka and helped them complete applications for safe housing. She also assessed Mishka’s skills and matched them with a welcoming employer.   Mishka started as a general helper and cleaner. Within a few weeks, they were helping colleagues facilitate group counselling sessions. Their lived experience has been a valuable resource.   The steady, meaningful job has brought a sense of self-worth and a network of support. “It is rare that I find a place where I am celebrated for all that I am. I cherish this. My colleagues are my family,” says Mishka.   That work family pulled Mishka through a traumatic summer, when remains of children were found on the grounds of residential schools. Mishka was overwhelmed by a storm of emotions.   “My coworkers were my protective shield when I was retraumatized. My Indigenous peers provided me with safety and community.”