Hannah Martin (Mi’kmaq Nation) grew up in the beautiful coastal Taqamiku’jk (Tatamagouche/place where the water is barred by sand) and is a proud member of We’kopekwitk (Millbrook) First Nation.
In 2019, Hannah received her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Indigenous Studies from McMaster University as a 2016 Joyce/Crawford Loran Scholar. During her university career she gained a diversity of experience working with and for Indigenous peoples at local, national and global levels, through her work at La Fundacion Nueva Esperenza in Maya Achi territory, the Maori Law Review in Wellington, New Zealand and as an intern with First Peoples Group in 2018. Hannah also held the role of North American focal point in 2018 for the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Global Indigenous Youth Caucus.
Following her formal education, Hannah returned to her ancestral homelands of Mi’kma’ki and worked as Peace and Friendship Project Coordinator at the Tatamagouche Centre. In 2019, Hannah went on to work at The Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq until December 2021 where she led the formation of the Nuji Kelo’toqatijik Earth Keeper Network – the first Indigenous land guardian program in Nova Scotia.
Since moving home following post-secondary, Hannah committed a great deal of her time learning the Mi’kmaw language and honing her skills as a traditional basketmaker under the mentorship of her grandmother Jean Sophia Martin.
Hannah is a recipient of the Chief Noel Doucette Memorial Achievement Award (2018), and also received the Shirley Case Leadership Award (2021) for her dedication to social justice and Indigenous rights initiatives.
Hannah is pleased to be a part of the First Peoples Group team, where she can continue on her journey working for the betterment of Indigenous communities and experiences everywhere.