26th June, 2024 we learned of the loss of Kumiga, Theresa Neel. She passed from this world in Courtney, British Columbia. She was one of the founders of Snowchange back in 2000.
Kumiga aka Theresa Neel was a member of the Kwakiutl First Nation from northern Vancouver Island, Canada. She graduated from Fraser Valley College in 1980 with a diploma in Social Services. She is the daughter of Ellen Neel, one of the most prominent carvers in the West Coast. Her relatives were Mungo Martin and Charlie James.
For the next 30 years, Theresa worked for Stó:lo communities and UFV helping Aboriginal students access and succeed in post-secondary programs. In 1998, with the guidance of a community steering committee, she opened the Aboriginal Resource Centre at UFV’s Chilliwack campus. Theresa felt often that her strength is in providing direct services to students in the areas of post-secondary academic advising and Aboriginal financial aid. She had experience working with all levels of government, creating programs and services that benefit First Nations communities.
Since 2000, she worked with Snowchange. She was a key member of the international Steering Committee of Snowchange. Her contributions included coordinating several student visits to Fraser Valley, coordinating and initiating international research on salmon and climate change on Pacific Salmon in her region, fostering collaborations with the various Nations in British Columbia and participating in Snowchange conferences in Aoteoroa / New Zealand and in Finland over the past 25 years.
We join the nation and extended family in mourning for a loss that cannot be replaced.
