No More Stolen Relatives

Our Commitment

VAHS is committed to:

• Delivering trauma-informed, culturally safe, and Indigenous-led health and wellness services.
• Supporting the Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
• Recognizing the unique experiences of Indigenous women, girls, Two Spirit and gender-diverse people in all aspects of our programming.
• Working collaboratively with Indigenous organizations, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, women's organizations, communities, and service providers.
• Promoting equitable access to healthcare, cultural wellness, land-based healing, and community supports.
• Continuing to learn, reflect, and strengthen our organizational practices through Indigenous leadership and community guidance.

Why This Matters

Indigenous women, girls, Two Spirit and gender-diverse people continue to experience disproportionately high rates of violence, discrimination, poverty, homelessness, and barriers to accessing healthcare.

These inequities are not isolated issues—they are connected to the ongoing impacts of colonial policies, residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, child welfare involvement, housing insecurity, substance use stigma, and systemic discrimination.

Healing requires more than clinical care. It requires relationships, culture, community, connection to land, and services designed with Indigenous Peoples rather than for them.

At VAHS, we strive to provide holistic care that recognizes the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of wellness.

Our Approach

At Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society, our approach to wellness is rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems and guided by the principle of Two-Eyed Seeing (Etuaptmumk), which encourages us to bring together the strengths of Indigenous ways of knowing and Western healthcare to provide the best possible care for our communities.

We also recognize the teachings of the Medicine Wheel as an important framework for understanding holistic wellness. While Indigenous cultures are diverse and each Nation holds its own unique teachings, the Medicine Wheel reminds us of the interconnectedness of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of health. True wellness is achieved when these dimensions are nurtured in balance and relationship with one another.

This understanding informs our programs and services, encouraging care that extends beyond the treatment of illness to include culture, connection, land, community, and identity.

Across all of our work, we strive to create welcoming environments where individuals feel:

• Safe
• Heard
• Respected
• Empowered
• Connected to culture, community, and land

Whether someone is accessing primary healthcare, cultural programming, wellness initiatives, or social and advocacy support, we are committed to providing compassionate, trauma-informed, and culturally safe care that honours the whole person.

Looking Forward

VAHS recognizes that addressing the MMIWG2S crisis requires ongoing partnership and accountability.

As our organization grows, including through the development of our new Healing Centre, we are committed to expanding opportunities to:

• Collaborate with Indigenous and women's organizations supporting MMIWG2S initiatives.
• Host community education, healing, and cultural events.
• Create spaces for families, survivors, and community members.
• Support Indigenous-led programming that advances healing, justice, and prevention.
• Continue integrating the Calls for Justice into our organizational planning and service delivery.

We know this work is ongoing, and we remain committed to listening, learning, and acting alongside Indigenous communities.

Learn More

We encourage visitors to learn more about the MMIWG2S movement and the Calls for Justice through the following resources:

• National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls – Read the Final Report and Calls for Justice.
• Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) – Resources, research, advocacy, and supports for Indigenous women, girls, Two Spirit and gender-diverse people.
• Downtown Eastside Women's Centre – Read the Red Women Rising: Indigenous Women Survivors in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside report.
• BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres – Programs and community resources throughout British Columbia.
• National Action Plan – Learn more about the national response to the Calls for Justice.

Contact

For questions about VAHS initiatives related to MMIWG2S, please contact:

Carrie Humchitt
Executive Director
✉️ [email protected]

Jasheil Athalia Pereira
Senior Manager, Program Development
✉️ [email protected]