Concern over housing led to Habitat position
The Federation of Saskatchewan Indigenous Nations’ first vicechief Kimberly Jonathan has become the first Indigenous member of Habitat for Humanity’s national board of directors.
Jonathan was selected from a shortlist of candidates and approved for the position at a meeting of the organization’s general assembly in Kelowna, B.C. on Saturday.
“I commend Habitat with the foresight to add an indigenous member to their board of directors. It shows that they are committed to improving indigenous housing conditions,” Jonathan said.
Jonathan responded to the organization’s call for external board members and went through a rigorous vetting process to land the position. Along with submitting her resume and being screened and interviewed, she had to submit an essay outlining why housing is a priority for her personally.
“I have been a part of the national board for Chiefs’ Committee on Housing the past couple of years representing Saskatchewan, the 74 First Nations, and there is such frustration, not only at the national level but more specifically within our First Nations at the deplorable housing,” Jonathan said.
She thought they had to try something different, she explained.
Jonathan said the fight for the treaty right to shelter will continue, “but in the meantime who are the strong partners out there that we can use to propel this to effective change?”
She said Habitat for Humanity’s mission of family, ensuring that people are housed safely, ensuring that communities are safe, “and the volunteerism that goes along with that really speaks to the values of First Peoples in terms of communal living, in terms of family.”
Jonathan hopes to see Habitat for Humanity build homes in First Nations communities, much as it has done in places like Saskatoon. However, she also notes that the organization may have to tailor some of its policies to make that happen.
For example, while a family’s “sweat equity” contribution would remain, ownership of the home may still go to the First Nation instead of the individual family.
“So there’s things like that we have to look at but that are not out of reach, and just being focused on what and how to achieve (them),” she said of her goals.
“This will provide hopefully the mechanism that people are looking for, and the change that people are looking for.”