Brianna Wilson

Her name is Brianna Wilson, but she also goes by Breezy. She is a 25-year-old syilx women and a member of Westbank First Nation (WFN). One of seven communities that make up the Okanagan Nation. Her maternal grandparents are the late Catherine Jean Wilson and William Wilson and her paternal grandparents are Donna Swite and the late Victor McDougall.

Brianna was born and primarily raised in the Okanagan. She has attended the University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus for the past three years pursuing a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Sociology and a minor in Indigenous Studies. Although she is taking a hiatus from her studies to grow professionally during these unprecedented times, Brianna has been keeping busier than ever.

She served on the WFN Youth Council (YC) since 2016 and was the Chair for the past three years. Now, Brianna is a youth mentor for the new WFN YC Chair and Co-Chair. She loves being a part of the WFN YC because of the volunteer opportunities to give back to her community. Brianna has always had an entrepreneurial spirit and passion for self-sufficiency. She is serving her second three-year term on the WFN Economic Development Commission as a Youth Commissioner. Brianna’s problem-solving skills and passion for housing earned her position on the BC First Nations Housing and Infrastructure Council as a Youth Board Member.

Brianna recently ended her contract with WFN as Council Intern, a position she has held in the past, and is excited for the next opportunity. In February Brianna was hired by Elections Canada to create, design, and facilitate a youth workshop for Indspire’s Soaring: Youth Empowerment Gathering. Last summer Brianna packed up and moved across the country to Ottawa, Ontario to work for the Assembly of First Nations as a Junior Policy Analyst.

She is an advocate, youth participant, view enthusiast, activist, role model and a quick thinker. When Brianna is not working, she can be found by the water, in the mountains or at the ballpark. Her values include, but are not limited to, unity, innovation, relationships, environment, culture, resilience and community. Brianna’s goal is to create a space for indigenous youth across the country to come together and reach their full potential because she truly believes in the interconnectedness of community involvement, being informed and opportunity.

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