UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN
Leading with love: USask's BIRM program director celebrated with Indigenous Educator Award

Nahanni Olson of USask received Indspire's Indigenous Educator Award, recognizing the contribution she's made to Indigenous youth. (Photo: Rona Andreas for Underground YXE)

It is in the spirit of kisewâtisiwin (kindness), tapahtêyimisowin (humility), and ekwa sâkihitowin (love) that Nahanni Olson approaches her life. This is reflected in the students she has encouraged, mentored, and advocated for throughout her career.

A University of Saskatchewan (USask) graduate from the College of Education in 2008, Olson began her career as a teacher with the Saskatoon Public School Division eventually working in wâhkôhtowin School as a kindergarten teacher, then as an Indigenous student advocate and now as the director of Building Intercultural Resilience Mentorship (BIRM)* program housed in the Office of the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement at USask.  

As she embarked on her career, Olson was asked to find her own philosophy for education, and for her, the most important thing was love.  

"Love is what I lead with because, especially in the community that I serve - Indigenous youth and families - we don't experience love in every space that we enter," she said.

"Schools are a part of that. Sometimes students don't feel loved, and they don't feel seen," said Olson. 

BIRM aims to counter this, offering support and community to Indigenous high school students by pairing them with post-secondary students to build relationships through shared experiences, interests and goals. The program runs throughout the school year and students often participate for multiple years. Together the group attends weekly sessions focused on academic, cultural and self-development activities. 

It's safety in community that Olson fostered while developing the program.  

"When you can create safe spaces for Indigenous students where they feel seen and known, accepted and loved, then surprise, they do better," said Olson. 

"When we create those spaces, in this microcosm, the students build the confidence and security in themselves to be able to enter unfamiliar spaces, or spaces they might not feel like they are accepted." 

The positive and affirming experiences that Olson and her team are able to translate far beyond the school setting.  

"Because they have this network and they have a community where they can feel accepted and encouraged and believed in, it bleeds out into other spaces that they enter," said Olson.  

It's because of this philosophy of love that Olson infused in her work that it comes as no surprise that on November 20, 2024, she received Indspire's Indigenous Educator Award, recognizing the contribution she's made to Indigenous youth.  

This award recognizes educators who have made valuable contributions to community-based education and who honour the principles of Indigenous knowledge. 

Olson's mother, Linda Young, who is a Knowledge Keeper and a member of USask's Wise Ones, is the one who nominated her.  

"I encourage and acknowledge all the work that she does," said Young. "And for me to nominate her for the Guiding the Journey Inspire Award is one way to say her vision and commitment to Indigenous youth is worth it and that she is worth it." 

This nomination is more than a mother's love, it's the admiration of a colleague and mentor. Young and Olson have worked together for over 12 years in school settings and Young has seen her daughter's work first-hand.  

"I've watched her grow, and I just see strength in her," said Young. "I see courage in her. I see that she has such a good vision and of what it is that she wants to do and she's hard-working and gives her all to everything." 

It was for all those reasons that Young knew she needed to put Olson forward for this award.  

"I really felt strongly that she needs that recognition, not for herself, but because we want people to know how proud we are of her." 

While she's proud of work she does, Olson is humbled to receive the Indigenous Educator Award.  

"I have four other colleagues who are doing the day-to-day work of supporting students and all of them are also so deserving of recognition," said Olson.  

"I know I'm just one piece of the puzzle of all the people who devote their lives to changing the story for Indigenous youth."  

*Building Intercultural Resilience Mentorship (BIRM) program is a partnership between the University of Saskatchewan and the Saskatoon Public School Division, with funding through the Oyateki partnership.