The person behind the work

My path hasn’t been a straight line.

I didn’t arrive here with a perfect plan. I arrived with questions, experience, and a lot to say.

Aaniin Boozhoo. I’m T Buzwah.

I’m a 2Spirit Anishinaabe from Whitefish River First Nation in Northern Ontario, a registered social service worker, a writer, and an artist. My work has taken me through housing, homelessness, harm reduction, health, community services, advocacy, policy, and governance. I’ve also had to navigate systems from the other side of the desk. That experience matters to me. It changes the questions I ask, the gaps I notice, and what I consider a useful solution.

Why Niigaan Naabidaa?

Niigaan Naabidaa means “Let’s Look Ahead.” It gives me room to bring together the different parts of my work: the professional work, the writing, and the paintings. I want to understand how things came to be, what people are living with now, and what we can do differently. Looking ahead doesn’t mean forgetting what brought us here.

What I bring with me

My education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Anishinaabe Studies. I bring professional experience alongside lived experience, research, and First Nations ways of knowing and being, where appropriate to the work and community. I’m interested in the spirit and intent behind a policy, as well as its wording. Who does it serve? Who gets left out? What happens when somebody actually needs to use it? More about my professional work