Episode 16: Leah Walker
’Cold Water Swimming’
Leah shares her reflections on the challenges of the pandemic as an Indigenous person working closely with vulnerable populations, witnessing trauma and the impacts of colonialism in an intense way. During this difficult time, she picked up a few new hobbies which helped her to stay well. One of them was regularly swimming in the cold ocean waters during all seasons.
Leah is of Danish, English, and Nlaka’pamux ancestry and has strong kinship ties at Seabird Island. She resides on the Coast Salish Territory of Nex̱wlélex̱m (Bowen Island). She has over 20 years of Indigenous health leadership, including her current role as the Executive Director at Kilala Lelum - an organization that partners with primary care providers to offer culturally responsive and holistic care to those living on Vancouver’s Downtown East Side.