A Story of Anishiative

Combining the Indigenous name Anishinaabe with the English word initiative produces the name Anishiative. This moniker was adopted to represent a non-profit organization devoted to helping Indigenous youth in Manitoba.

Starting out as a drop-in centre for youth, Anishiative offers land-based programs to help youth connect with their roots, traditional values, and spirituality. Organization leader, Rylee Nepinak, says this approach is how they teach leadership skills and encourage good citizenship. In addition to Winnipeg-based Community Caring Camps, the organization is opening a new youth camp an hour drive north of Winnipeg in Fraserwood, Manitoba.

Anishiative started in June 2020, working in similar ways as the well known Bear Clan group,  picking up sharps, delivering hampers of food and supplies to those in need, and engaging with members of the community. 

In addition to Rylee Nepinak, the principals of Anishiative are Kristyn Boubard, Justine James, River Fontaine, and Haley Vincent. For Rylee, helping others grew out of a need to help himself: “I grew up in the North End with very limited resources. I didn’t get out of the city much and I didn’t know who I was.” It was through gaining cultural knowledge that Rylee reclaimed who he was and became inspired to help others do the same.

While inspiration may have first struck Rylee, he credits Krystyn with being the group activator, as it was she who first got the group (then consisting of himself, Krystyn, and Justine) literally out on the street to help others. 

“It was Krystyn who said we should hand out sandwiches to people struggling in our community,” Rylee remembers. “This was during the pandemic. So a few of us got out there. We did it in a safe, good way and had such a good time talking to our community, we thought we should bring more young people next time. Oh, and as long as we’re out here, maybe ought to be picking up garbage too! So, we started getting a following and people asked us our name. So we looked at ourselves and realized we were Anishinaabe, and we were taking initiative, so we put the words together and called ourselves Anishiative.”