Celina Wolki

I work for the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC). The goal of IRC is to improve the economic, social and cultural well-being of the Inuvialuit people. I am a community leader. In 2014 I was hired as the Nutrition North Canada, healthy cooking instructor.  This is a government funded program through nutrition north. I was also hired as a data collecting researcher (Food costing). In this job I collect data from our local store and other local organizations or private companies.

In 2019 I was approached by my former supervisor to work as a research lead in my community as the regional coordinator for Community Capacity for Climate Change and Food Security (C4FS) and Canada North. I kept my position with Nutrition North. Both organizations look at things that affect food security in the north. I help collect data on the cost and sources of food in Inuvialuit. I also help community members with budgeting and looking at how to make food last.

Food sustainability is community based and depends on the strength of the community. This means we work together and for each other. Sometimes I buy food through my programs for community members. Sometimes it is an organization that buys the food. At other times it might be a community harvester or another harvester going out of their way to help members of the community. If any of this breaks down, our way of life and our food sustainability will not be sustained. This is part of our food sovereignty right. Because of this, it is very important for our communities to work together. This can be by teaching the community members how to harvest food or by teaching how to budget for buying food. It all works together to bring the people food security.