REZX MAGAZINE: FSIN Interim-Chief Kimberly Jonathan Graces Cover of our Latest Edition

FSIN’s Interim-Chief Kimberly Jonathan Graces Cover of what could be RezX’s Final Print Issue (Photo by Shelley Mike / Cover designed by Clayton Binning)

In the latest issue of RezX, the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) Interim-Chief Kimberly Jonathan is featured on the cover in a story that was supposed to be published earlier this year.  The reason why it was delayed was “a number of factors including deciding it would be best to tell her story about her time at the helm of FSIN as opposed to when she first started” says Editor-in-Chief, Chris Tyrone Ross, who also interviewed her and wrote the story.

The original interview took place earlier this year in February, when Ross and his RezX team (Bill Stevenson and Rodger W. Ross) travelled to Saskatoon to meet with Chief Jonathan about her trials and tribulations as the first woman to lead the federation (A video interview was also done, which will be posted on RezXMag.com later this week).

In an excerpt from our cover story, Jonathan remembers being around some of the founders of FSIN growing up along with her Dad who sat on Council for James Smith First Nation.

“With my Dad being on Council and my Mom being an Educator, we had meetings back in the day in our home kitchen. There was Chief and Council meetings, and I always would sit and listen and I heard arguments and discussions, raised voices and swear words at times…I was always sitting there listening to the discussions, and I didn’t understand a lot of it back then, but what I remember is the passion…I remember the caring and I remember them not having the money to travel and to do certain things (they had to work with what they had). I was fortunate to be at those tables and as a little girl, to hear the late David Ahenakew speak at our kitchen table and Sol Sanderson, who is from my Dad’s reserve (James Smith).

To have grown up to have these men that led the Federation years ago, being schooled by them, informally, provided such a rich respect for the foundation of the Federation, that we are clearly the servants of the people…and we always need to keep that in mind, that we are not here for self serving purposes, that we always need to embrace that everyone has strengths and that everyone has their differences,” remembers Jonathan.

In the story she also talks about her work on the issue of MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indgenius Women), this past summer’s forest fires (working with Lac La Ronge Chief Tammy Cook-Searson and other leaders) and Idle No More.

“People see Idle No More as protests and flash mobs and radical people…they come from a place of love; that’s why they’re doing the things they’re doing…I always say there is love that belongs in leadership, love belongs in economic development with our housing; we need to be able to have that as what motivates us to continue to go harder and stronger, wiser and faster, rather than anger. Anger is what’s going to cloud our vision and cloud our ability to see the strategy of what needs to done. To be able to work at those tables, we need to come from a place of love, with the lands and the waters,” says Jonathan.

You can read the rest of the cover story below in the Digital Edition that is now available to read, with print issues being released this week (the cover photographed by Shelley Mike and the cover was designed by Clayton Binning).

Throughout this edition, there is a common theme of “Celebrating Indigenous Women” with additional stories on Lac La Ronge Chief Tammy Cook-Searson who looks back on this past summer of forest fires in northern Saskatchewan, plus the Strength of Our Women Awards and new Mrs. Universe, Ashley Callingbull, who has since used her new platform to speak out on MMIW and encouraging Canadians to vote out Prime Minister Stephen Harper. All those stories and more in the latest edition of RezX.