As I write this, I am preparing for a trip to Kamloops to visit Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc, formerly known as the Kamloops Indian Band. This would usually mean packing clothes and getting excited for a vacation… But this time it means preparing myself mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, because I am preparing to grieve. This Monday is Victoria Day, but more significantly, it is the memorial for Le Estcwicwe̓y̓, the one-year anniversary of the confirmation of 215+ unmarked graves at the Kamloops Indian Residential School.
Weyt-kp xwexwéytep; Michael Moses ren skwekwst.
My name is Michael Moses. I am Secwépemc from my mother’s side and Nlaka’pamux from my father’s. Both of my parents attended the Kamloops Indian Residential School. My family has lived in Williams Lake for over three decades. I watched my daughter grow up here for 19 years, and I even met my life partner here. I attended Marie Sharpe Elementary School, Lake City Secondary School, and Thompson Rivers University. I am a Water Protector, independent Indigenous scholar, and sole proprietor of an Indigenous digital marketing firm. I am announcing my candidacy for the City Council of Williams Lake in the 2022 General Local Election.
The two stories of visiting the Le Estcwicwe̓y̓ memorial and running for city council fit together in a solemn way. It was October 29, 2021, when I turned on my computer, like any other day, and I read an open letter from my good friend Kúkpi7 Willie Sellars to the Mayor and Council of the City of Williams Lake. This open letter contained information about two members of Williams Lake’s municipal government sharing and speaking of culturally insensitive topics regarding residential schools. That was the first day I considered running in the election.
Since then, I have found many like-minded people and many more reasons to run for city council. I have firmly built my Coyote Rock (Secwépemc boundary marker) with all of my strongest passions and with care for reconciliation, climate change, and all of our Peoples’ health. I became a member of CC CARE and joined Boards to both contribute to and learn from, including the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society, and Cariboo Mental Health Association. If you support me in the coming election, you will receive progressive representation that holds the City Council accountable, pays better respect to the environment, and champions reconciliation.
For more information on my campaign, visit MichaelMosesWL.com
