Michaela Norgren first joined the SOI community in 2014 as a Grade 11 student on an Arctic expedition from Kuujjuaq to Kangerlussuaq, travelling through Nunatsiavut and the Torngat Mountains before crossing the Labrador Sea to Greenland.

She joined the expedition hoping to learn more about climate change and environmental science. What she did not expect was how  the cultural side of the experience would stay with her.

“I wasn’t anticipating a focus on culture within the program, but I loved everything I got to experience. especially the crafts and throat singing,” she says. “That eye-opening experience became the highlight of my first program.”

The expedition was also Michaela’s first time seeing mountains. She remembers being filled with awe by the power and spirit held within the land, something that continues to influence her life and work today.

Returning to SOI

During the  pandemic, Michaela was working on the front lines of the COVID-19 response in Ottawa when she saw the posting for Expedition Coordinator with SOI.

She applied and got the job, returning to the organization eight years after her own expedition.

As the Expedition Coordinator, Michaela worked behind the scenes on programs including the Cape Breton & Sable Island Expedition, the Ocean Conservation Expedition in the Bay of Fundy and the Innu Nation initiatives. She coordinated logistics, supported participants through onboarding and managed the application review process.

The role gave her a new perspective on how much work goes into making each SOI experience possible.

“The staff team really goes above and beyond in every aspect of the planning, and we really hope our passion shows through when youth come aboard,” she says.

After a few years with the Expedition Team, Michaela moved into a role with the Alumni Program. It gave her a new opportunity  to support the community she had first joined as a student.

She has now worked with the Alumni Program for three years and continues to  serve as SOI’s Alumni Coordinator.

“It definitely feels like I’ve come full circle,” Michaela says. “I’ve gone from being someone who was learning and finding my voice to being someone who can help create similar  opportunities for others.”

For Michaela, one of the most important parts of SOI is that the experience continues after participants return home.

“What I value most is that SOI isn’t just a one-time experience, it’s actually just the beginning,” she says. “Our relationships, learning and sense of responsibility to making  a positive change  are also just beginning.”

Connecting People with the Land

The connection to the land Michaela developed through SOI continues to shape her work and life today.

Her expedition, along with her experiences working on regenerative farms, taught her more about the relationship between people and the land.

“In my experience, most people feel much more  grounded and fulfilled when  they  nurture a  connection to the land,” she says. “This connection  may take many different shapes and forms depending on where someone is living, but we must build a reverence for the land. It  heals us and teaches us things we cannot even begin to imagine on our own.”

Michaela recently completed her Master of Social Work at Carleton University. The land now features heavily in her social work practice and her personal approach to mental health and wellness.

She also founded Laughing Radish, a social enterprise focused on garden education and land-based food sovereignty. Its work is centred around four pillars: food, community, art and education.

Through Laughing Radish, Michaela leads garden education workshops, hosts free seed giveaways, and grows food in community spaces.

Her newest project is a 12-month letter-writing campaign, written from a 17-foot yurt in the woods where she has been living. Following the changing seasons, the letters will reflect on themes of body, mind, spirit, land and community.

Michaela describes the project as a form of “analog advocacy” that encourages people to slow down, unplug and be more mindful. It will also explore how people can stay connected across long distances without relying on social media.

For the newest members of the SOI alumni community, Michaela’s advice is to remain curious and explore the things that interest them, even when those interests feel a little unusual.

“Follow your heart rather than following the crowd,” she says. “Explore your passions, let yourself get lost in a rabbit hole or two, and try new things even, or especially, if they seem a little alternative or unusual. The world is weird and wonderful, and exploring these curiosities is what makes life fulfilling.”

She also encourages alumni to continue looking for ways to get involved after their expedition.

“There are opportunities within the Alumni Program, but there are so many more opportunities out there,” she says. “Keep your eyes and ears open for ways to get involved in your community, and don’t be afraid to send in your application to try something new. You may just find your next passion project or big adventure!”

Alumni who would like to connect with Michaela can reach her at michaela@soifoundation.org.