City builder: Paula MacDonald builds cultural connections in her role as a deaf Indigenous advocate – Capital Current
Sept. 19, 2023
In a series of short profiles, Capital Current introduces difference-makers working hard to improve people’s lives.
Who is she?
For Paula MacDonald access matters. The half Cree woman from Treaty 4 territory (covering parts of the Prairies) is a deaf Indigenous youth advocate.
“I had no language until I was seven years old … so really access is my main concern,” she told Capital Current with the help of an American Sign Language (ASL) translator. MacDonald is a national youth representative for the Deaf Indigenous of Canada committee and the Canadian Association of the Deaf, where she is dedicated to improving accessibility to services for the deaf.
What is she known for in Ottawa?
In Ottawa, MacDonald is gaining recognition for her talks at the Kinàmàgawin Carleton University Symposium and in the Senate of Canada, where she has raised awareness about issues faced by deaf Indigenous people, particularly language deprivation.
