NEWS AND EVENTS
2025 PDCF Indigenous Youth Award Winner
Congratulations to Marah Laude, the recipient of the 2025 PDCF Indigenous Youth Award!
As part of our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, the Perth & District Community Foundation, in partnership with Indspire, provides a PDCF Indigenous Youth Award to an Indigenous student every year. This year’s recipient is Marah Laude, who is studying social work at Laurentian University and will be completing a practicum at the Perth Museum, supporting reparations work and collaborating with Indigenous communities. Marah is delighted to have received the award and sent us this beautiful note. We are publishing it with her permission:
She:kon!! Aanii! // Greetings!
My name is Marah, and I am a Mohawk, German, and Polish woman; these identities shape how I see the world and how I move through, carrying teachings that guide my relationships, responsibilities, and ways of knowing. Being Mohawk connects me to Indigenous values of reciprocity, respect, and community, while my German and Polish roots bring their own stories of resilience and strength. Together, they allow me to navigate both Indigenous and non-Indigenous spaces with awareness, empathy, and purpose.
After graduating from the Mental Wellness and Addictions Worker Program at St. Lawrence College, I made the decision to return to university to complete my undergraduate degree. I’m now in my final year completing an Honours Bachelor of Indigenous Social Work at Laurentian University. This program has enhanced my understanding of holism and the interconnectedness of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. It has deepened my appreciation for relationship-building, connection to the land, and the impacts of intergenerational trauma. I’ve also gained a clearer lens on colonization and the ongoing work of decolonization—both within systems and within ourselves. Looking ahead, I plan to continue my learning journey through the Master of Indigenous Social Work program at First Nations Technical Institute. This path reflects my commitment to deepening my understanding of Indigenous ways of healing, wellness, and relationship. I hope to sit with Elders, knowledge keepers, learn through story and ceremony, and strengthen my ability to support our communities in ways that honour spirit, land, and kinship.
Outside of academics, I’m a proud mother to a beautiful daughter whose laughter and brightness light up every room she enters. Her joyful spirit and curious mind remind me daily of the importance of love, resilience, and creating a future rooted in kindness. I’m also a proud “Auntie” to my nieces and nephews from the Temiskaming First Nation. Their growing voices and connection to culture inspire me to walk forward with purpose, to build pathways that honour our teachings and protect the generations to come. I also share my home with two loving dogs—Stella, a golden retriever, and Dax, a golden mix with Great Pyrenees.