Episode 5: Youth Perspectives – Building the Future of Wellness with Connor Lafortune

“Life promotion is about picking up life—rekindling it, grounding it in kindness, balance, and the gifts we all carry.”In this episode, host Rachel Robinson sits down with Connor Lafortune—a poet, activist, and life promotion advocate from Dokis First Nation—to explore how Indigenous youth are reshaping the future of mental wellness.Connor shares his journey from aspiring law student to community-based wellness leader, grounded in culture, land and storytelling. Together, they unpack the difference between reactive approaches like crisis response and proactive approaches rooted in life promotion—a strengths-based, culturally grounded way of nurturing wellness from the start.This conversation invites listeners into a deeper understanding of balance, belonging, and the importance of reconnecting with culture, community, and self.In this Episode:What “life promotion” means and how it differs from Western mental health modelsWhy language and culture shape how we understand wellnessThe role of land, community, and storytelling in healing and identityHow Indigenous youth are reclaiming space, asking questions, and leading changeThe importance of intergenerational connection—learning with and from eldersHow art, poetry, and creativity can ground us and connect us to spiritWhy wellness isn’t individual—it’s deeply rooted in community careConnor Lafortune is an Anishinaabe, queer, and Francophone artist and advocate whose work spans life promotion, harm reduction, Indigenous education, and the arts. Through poetry, storytelling, and cultural programming, Connor creates spaces for healing, reflection, and imagining new futures.Fast Four ReflectionsHope: His nephewHome: Out on the land, in communityMeaning: The work he does and the people he’s withGift: StorytellingRekindling the Fire is produced for the First Peoples Wellness Circle by David McGuffin and Clare McGuffin of ExploreProductions.caMusic by Nagamo Publishingwww.fpwc.ca / [email protected] / Facebook / X.com / LinkedInListener Care Notice:This episode includes discussions of colonial impacts, including language loss and intergenerational trauma. Listeners may feel activated by some of the content. Please prioritize your wellbeing and access support if needed.Support Resources:National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419Hope for Wellness Helpline: 1-855-242-3310 | https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/Talk Suicide Canada: 1-833-456-4566 | https://talksuicide.ca/9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call or text 9-8-8 | https://988.ca/