Katie Iannuzziello

Hello, my name is Katie Iannuzziello, my pronouns are she/her/hers. I currently live in what is known as Waterloo, Ontario. I have lived here for 3, going on 4 years as I attend school here at Wilfrid Laurier University. The land that I am currently residing on is home to the Haudenosaunee, Neutral, Anishinabewaki Peoples, and the Missisaugas of the Credit First Nations. The treaties of this land include the Haldimand Treaty and Treaty 3 (1792). The Haldimand Treaty of 1784 promised numerous acres of land along the Grand River to the Six Nations Peoples, yet many acres remain stolen from the Six Nations Peoples. Treaty 3 (1792), also known as Between the Lakes Treaty includes land that was promised to the Six Nations Peoples as a reward for the members of the Six Nations who had lost their lives fighting on behalf of the British Crown. The land included in the treaty was included in error as caused by incorrect geographical assumptions and boundaries. Living in Waterloo, I reside within the boundaries of the Between the Lakes purchase. I acknowledge that the land I am fortunate to live on exists as outstanding treaty land. I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to use my voice and privilege to highlight these injustices of the past and present.

I am a second-generation Italian settler as my father settled in “Canada” where I had the privilege of being born. I acknowledge my privilege of being a White, cisgender, heterosexual, able-bodied, English speaking, woman, and how these points of privilege influence my education, acceptance, biases, treatment, and all aspects of my life. I acknowledge that I am only able to speak to my own experiences and do not attempt to speak on behalf of the lived experience of others. Rather, I wish to use my privilege to be an ally to those whose voices have been underrepresented and use my ability to bring these discussions to light at every chance I get. In working with SUTE I hope to continue to work on being the best ally I can by collaborating with the community to promote climate justice. Through pursuing a degree in psychology, I am inspired to work with my communities and continue to learn and collaborate with diverse groups so as to incorporate as many perspectives into my worldview. I understand that in order to better comprehend the history of “Canada” I must review its’ history in a decolonized and nonpartisan way in terms of how people experience the constituents of “Canada”. I acknowledge that there are limits to whom my work will reach and who the content is directed towards. I want to continue to work on the accessibility of the work I complete, in doing so I also hope to open my work to collaboration with those who are better able to provide insight into the reality of their own lived experience. As such, I am always open to receiving feedback on my work. Additionally, I recognise that I am working on improving my abilities to be a better ally, to challenge my biases and to open dialog within my communities to enact environmental change and justices.