In her life she faced a lot of challenges, and to overcome them, she just kept going and pushed through, determined to do the best she could for her family. In the beginning, Agnes Francis grew up between Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic, her parents’ home communities. Her mother passed away when she was four years old but they still lived in her community so her father could trap. 

Professionally, Francis started off as a CHR clerk in Tsiigehtchic and she worked there for three years. She took maternity leave then did upgrading and applied to take the home support worker/personal home care attendant program on educational leave through her work. There was a job she could transfer into with that training if she wanted to and she also had aspirations of becoming a licensed practical nurse. When she was done with her training she had to decide if she was going to continue on as a clerk or if she was going to continue her education and she decided to move to Inuvik and continue her schooling. 

Francis attended the Nursing Access program, taking two years' education leave, and while taking the program she heard about the Indigenous Wellness Addictions Prevention Program, a program that was new to the North. The program spoke to her desire to help people and she decided to take it and went to Yellowknife for her practicum. She was offered a job there as a resolution health support worker and accepted instead of completing the second year of the program. She stayed there for a year until she was forced to move home when her car broke down on a visit. 

She was out of work on and off for a year, taking odd jobs until she took a casual job with the government supporting students at the school, then a home visitor job with the healthy family program in 2012. Francis was a home visitor for two years until she was promoted to supervisor, her current position. She was motivated to take the home visitor job because she gets to help parents in her community, run programs and activities with them and use her personal experience and skills to help others. Francis believes it’s important to be a positive role model for her kids and set a good example for them.

Thinking of Indigenous students that have to leave their home communities to pursue their education, Francis’ advice would be, “Just do it.” When she left to pursue her education, she was scared because she had seven kids and she was worried about moving away from home and what would happen if it didn’t work out. She spoke to an elder who reminded her she could always just come home so she faced her fears and went. “That was the best decision I think that I ever made was leaving and facing my fears. I always tell people, face your fears… just do it…it'll be so rewarding in the end.” She acknowledges how hard it is to leave family, parents, grandparents, to leave home and go to a different place like a big city. 

Going off to school isn’t the only obstacle Francis has faced. Growing up, she was affected by alcohol and by deaths in her community. When her mom passed away, she and her siblings were separated at times and raised by aunties. To overcome those obstacles, Francis says, “I just continued on. I didn't give up. There were lots of times that I wanted to give up, but I started having kids at an early age, and my kids really motivated me to keep trying and keep moving forward and doing the best that I can.”

Addictions were a struggle for Francis but she was determined to break that cycle after growing up under those circumstances herself. She stayed away from addictions by staying busy with hobbies like sewing, getting advice from her mother in law and spending time on the land. When she was younger, she had her own dog team and she felt free and at peace so spending time on the land helped her with her addictions and reminded her of those times. 

If she could share a message with her younger self, Francis would say, “Don’t be scared to take on challenges. Don't be scared to reach for your goals and to go back to school, to apply for jobs.” At one point, before she went back to school, she was afraid to apply for work because she didn’t feel smart, good or capable enough. An elder asked her, “how will you ever know if you're going to get that job or not if you don't apply?” She ended up applying and getting work. 

When it comes to inspiration, Francis is motivated by her kids. Raising seven kids has been a challenge, but now most of them are grown and she has 15 grandchildren. She’s so proud they are traditional and people tell her they are respectable, they treat people well, they’re kind and they share when they hunt. She made an effort to share traditional teachings from her grandmother and mother-in-law to keep their teachings and customs alive. Passing down cultural traditions inspires Francis, too. 

Facing many struggles in her life, Agnes Francis kept going, doing her best for her kids and helping others with theirs as a home visitor and then a supervisor. Overcoming addictions and losing her mom at a young age, she found her way to give back to her community and raise her own family while educating herself. Breaking cycles and new ground, she found a path to a job that she loves while sharing her culture so it will continue for generations to come.

Thanks to Alison Tedford Seaweed for authoring this article.