Crossing Bridges: RRC Polytech grad finds career path while on journey of self discovery
Angelina Pelletier, a 2018 Community Development graduate, credits Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) with helping her find her way in work and in life.
“What stood out at the school was the sense of community,” said Pelletier “The educators, the staff – they won me over with a nurturing environment.”
Pelletier was born and raised in Swan Lake, a small community in southwestern Manitoba. Her mother, from Fiji, felt isolated in the rural town of 350 people. While her Métis father (“an army brat”) did not grow up exposed to his culture and experienced shame about his mixed ancestry, Angelina was experiencing Indigenous culture and ceremonies like the Annual Pow Wow at neighbouring Swan Lake First Nation.
She began to understand her heritage in a particular way.
“Being of mixed race, I didn’t fit in a box. I’d get the question – ‘What are you? Middle Eastern? Egyptian?’ I was ‘Othered.’”
“But my mom is classified as an Indigenous Fijian person. And there are parallels in the Aboriginal beliefs in Fiji and in Canada. I think of myself as Indigenous.”
The family moved to Winnipeg in 1997, settling in St. Boniface in time for Pelletier to begin sixth grade – and for her to affirm her French roots.
“I went to French schools in St. Boniface, including the school my grandfather once attended, back when it was an all-boys school. Across the street was the all-girls school where my grandmother went. St. Boniface is still where I live, and I remain fluent in French.”
Winnipeg exposed Pelletier to the cultures of newcomers from many parts of the world. But, it wasn’t until she was in the Community Development program at RRC Polytech, that Pelletier had the opportunity to complete a practicum in the North End, a vast urban section of the city with its own rich history of multiculturalism yet pervasive issues around poverty and racism.
“Dad had a pharmacy on Balmoral Avenue, but I hadn’t really crossed the bridge to know the community. The North End is so much more resilient and the people more willing to help one another out than many realize.”
After graduating from Windsor Park Collegiate in 2004, Pelletier went on to study at The University of Winnipeg, with an interest in becoming a lawyer. Plans changed after she became pregnant during her first year, giving birth to a son, Tayshaun, in 2006.
“I needed practical skills. I went to Herzing College and became a Legal Administrative Assistant. Then I went back to university and earned a Bachelor of Human Rights and Global Studies over a period of six years as I was raising my son. I couldn’t find employment – there wasn’t a big demand for human rights practitioners at the time.”
Pelletier took on roles in finance and call centre work, none fulfilling her ambitions or interest.
A new direction
Then, in 2014, after a long battle with cancer, Pelletier’s mother passed away. Looking through things her mother had given her, Pelletier opened a dictionary-thesaurus – a gift upon graduating from Herzing. Inside was an encouraging note. Pelletier continued flipping through the book, looking for inspiration. She landed on a sample cover letter for a community development job.
“I didn’t really know what community development meant. But I was looking to my mom, who wasn’t here anymore, for guidance.”
Pelletier found another thing while rummaging through her mother’s items: transcripts from Red River College from the late 90s. Like mother, like daughter? It was one more sign.
After looking into RRC Polytech’s program offerings, Pelletier took a third plunge into post-secondary education. In contrast to her university experience, she embraced all that RRC Polytech had to offer.
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