Meet Léonie BlackCat, the Research Assistant at the Benoit Lab

My name is Léonie BlackCat, gaye Gichi Gigizheb Ikwe. I am French Métis and have lived in Thunder Bay all my life. I am a Research Assistant on the WHISE 2.0 project that is being conducted at this time in my local community. I go by They/Them/She/Her pronouns. I am a queer/two spirit identifying individual. I try to treat others as I want to be treated (and vice versa), thus I strive to always be kind above all, in addition to being consistently transparent, adaptable, understanding, supportive and accountable -to the best of my abilities.

I have hidden disabilities, including Autism, ADHD, and CPTSD. I am happy to transparently share that certain hidden disabilities of mine require accommodations from the teams I professionally collaborate with. In the social work career opportunities I am currently exploring, including this WHISE 2.0 research project, I am grateful to work with such innately supportive colleagues. With everyone’s thoughtful support and intentional understanding, I have been able to use my disabilities [in connection to my lived experiences] as an invaluable asset to build community trust when I conduct surveys with community members.

Due to my individual lived experiences, I find peace and joy in seeking to accomplish small acts of kindness wherever I can. Being involved in this research project and other social work career roles, I am finding many large and small opportunities to conduct spontaneous acts of kindness. The WHISE 2.0 research project is very fulfilling to be involved in.

I am a proud animal guardian (/“Kahu”) to 3 black cats: Aspen, Jyggalag Dedric Prince of Order and Deduction (Jyggalag for short), and Greta Thunberg. From time to time, when I take virtual meetings at home, my mini-house-panthers feel a nonsensical responsibility to vocalize their passionate inputs as unofficial “research assistants”. I feel compelled to credit them for their dedicated hard work.

In respect of my queer/two spirit identity, I have known I was different since early childhood, but I have only recently been allowed to safely disclose my gender and sexual identity in my early adulthood. In fact, I have truthfully only been allowed to freely be alive as a real human being -separate from the direct and immediate negative impacts of familial abusers taking advantage of my social location vulnerabilities to uplift themselves to my detriment- in the last 3/4 years. For just over the first 2 decades of my life, I was enduring involuntary survival mode 24/7 to keep myself [-and others displaying reliance/dependency on me-] alive and safe. I am pleasantly surprised and proud of how far I have grown since gaining my basic human freedoms and right to personal autonomy as a young adult. I hope to help others who are vulnerable and marginalized in my community who have shared similar lived experiences and have been taught to stay silent to "keep the peace" for others' comfort -willing ignorance.

My interests in harm reduction work stem from my extensive, extreme lived experiences of generational traumas; of family addictions; of projected internalized prejudices I have faced throughout my life (I.e. sexism, homophobia, ageism, ableism, and aporophobia); and of circumstances of poverty/generational low income/& homelessness. My unfortunate lived experiences are the unique foundation of my knowledge and passions for being addictions-informed and trauma-informed as a lifelong social work learning goal, beyond textbook understandings. I want to use my experiences of harm and suffering to advocate for systemic changes and to validate the lived experiences of individuals in my community who also have lived experiences of being vulnerable and marginalized.

I came across Benoit Labs (WHISE 2.0) research through a kind job referral and the thoughtful guidance of a colleague of mine working within Thunder Bay’s Housing and Homelessness Coalition (HHC). I am a recently elected cochair on the housing and homelessness coalition, as well as a Person With Lived Experience (PWLE) on the HHC. I am also a member (PWLE) of Thunderbay’s Poverty Reduction Strategies Committee. Prior to pursuing the social work career fields, I was quite passionate about early childhood education. I made many meaningful connections on the job. I learned many valuable lessons, too. Some lessons were helpful, while others were hurtful and unwarranted, but nevertheless invaluable towards my social learning. I even graduated with honours as a registered Early Childhood Educator. However, among a multitude of layered concerns, I was finding myself consistently being inappropriately limited and sabotaged in my capacity to advocate for myself, for colleagues, and for local children’s rights and welfare and sense of self-agency to be honoured.

These circumstances led to my informed decision for a career change. I do not regret this career change, and I still find actionable ways to put my early childhood education learning to good use in my social work career: for instance, I like to consider pedagogical theories and contemporary academic perspectives when I critically reflect on professional practice strategies. My favourite theories that I find myself often reflecting on in the practice of this project are Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”, Urie Bronfenbrenner’s “Ecological Systems Theory”, and the theory of “General Adaptation Syndrome”. I also often critically consider key words like “crabs in a bucket”, “The Monkey ladder experiment”, “social location”/“social origin”, “generational curses”, the “Power and Control Wheel” (formerly known as “Wheel of Abuse”), and “academia to prison pipeline”, to name a few tangent thoughts.

As I reflect on my journey, I've learned the importance of embracing lifelong learning, especially when working with vulnerable populations. Through my experiences as a Research Assistant on the WHISE 2.0 project and my roles in the Housing and Homelessness Coalition and Poverty Reduction Strategies Committee, I've come to realize that learning is a continuous process that requires adaptability, empathy, and a willingness to listen.

I've had the opportunity to explore various theories and concepts that inform my practice (as previously mentioned, above). These frameworks help me critically reflect on professional practice strategies and inform my work with community members.

My experiences have also taught me the value of intersectionality and the need to consider the complex factors that shape individual experiences. I've learned to approach my work with humility, recognizing that each person's story is unique and multifaceted. By embracing this perspective, I'm better equipped to support individuals in my community and advocate for systemic changes that promote social justice.

As I continue this path, I'm excited to learn more about innovative approaches to harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and community engagement. I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with supportive colleagues and community members who share my passion for creating positive change. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work in a career field that aids my own unique healing journey, as well.

By working together and embracing lifelong learning, I'm confident that we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.