Francais Site

Biography Charlotte Mearns

Charlotte has dedicated the entirety of her adult life providing a multitude of programs and services under a number of community-based Aboriginal organizations with diverse mandates. Charlotte has sustained her dedication and commitment to these activities to fulfill and uphold the integrity of her Great Grandfather’s prophesies that: “she was put here to help our people.” Toward this end, Charlotte quickly identified the direction of the first of many pathways of this journey that required the direct-delivery of advocacy services to Aboriginal people faced with a myriad of complex challenges; ranging from: conflicts with the law (Criminal; Family & Child Apprehension dilemmas; and Young Offenders); to the delivery of direct-benefit; culturally appropriate services (by Aboriginal people; for Aboriginal people), within a socio-economic context.

Charlotte has served many governance tables in the past; including: the Legal Services Society of British Columbia (under an appointment by the Law Society of B.C.); The Government of Canada’s National Homelessness Initiative (NHI), now referred to as: The Homeless Partnering Strategy (HPS); an unprecedented “Independent” seat at the Greater Vancouver Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness (RSC); the Aboriginal Women’s Sector Representative with the Greater Vancouver Urban Aboriginal Strategy (GVUAS); recently concluded a one-year term as the GVUAS Lead Consultant for the Secretariat; and the Vancouver Foundation where Charlotte holds a seat at the Health & Social Development Committee; and Chair of the BC/Yukon Aboriginal Homelessness Research Advisory Committee (where two regional conferences have been coordinated and delivered) under Charlotte’s five-year tenure leading this Aboriginal-specific Advisory Group on behalf of Service Canada under the National Research Program of the NHI.

In Charlotte’s spare time; she serves as a founding board member of CLICK, a charitable organization in Vancouver that is dedicated to “CONTRIBUTING TO THE LIVES OF INNER CITY KIDS.” For more information of this wonderful initiative that raises funds to offer after school programming for Aboriginal students of Inner City schools; please visit the website at: www.clicktokids.com

For Charlotte, her traditional teachings represent a customary time honored “right of passage” as Xw’Multh’kwiam’s future leaders. Again, the responsibility for transferring this knowledge resides with our well respected Elders. The universal application of these teachings under present-day circumstances has governed the evolution of the Aboriginal Leader Charlotte has become. These teachings serve as the bedrock of her foundation; from which her formative years were nurtured; and from which her adult life has been constructed.

When complemented with a good cross-section of skills and expertise acquired over the course of two and a half decades, and well established respect of the Aboriginal Leadership and all three levels of governments, the result is an Aboriginal Leader deeply connected to her ancestral heritage and teachings balanced against her drive and determination to “help her people”.

Charlotte is one of 11 biological siblings of Grace Mearns (nee: Point); and Gordon Mearns; and has raised two children.

PUBLICATIONS

THE EN’OWKIN JOURNAL OF FIRST NORTH AMERICAN PEOPLES: RECONCILIATION – ELDERS AS KNOWLEDGE KEEPERS

Charlotte is well known to support her decisions by sharing a story of her teachings; and the obvious lesson that follows. Encouraged to participate in a Call to Aboriginal Writers: Charlotte shared her truths about how her Elders (many that have now assumed their role as Ancestors) traditionally resolved disputes through respectful dialogue toward resolution not division.

BRITISH COLUMBIA INSTITUTE AGAINST FAMILY VIOLENCE (BCIFV)

Charlotte writes about family violence; how traditionally violence did not exist in First Nation communities. She draws a direct correlation between the inter-generational impacts of the Government of Canada’s Indian Residential School system that has left in its wake a legacy of trauma; pain; suffering; shame and dysfunction. The hideous behaviors learned by and from these institutions have carried forward to present day experience of our people rearing children with these lessons being applied as they were applied to them. Charlotte speaks of the direct correlation between family violence and homelessness; and the need to collect better information from these victims and their abusers.

TOP

If you have a question, a suggestion, or other feedback, please feel free to contact us at the numbers and email addresses listed on the “Contact Us” page of this web site. Click Here