Sitting at the hospital waiting for a loved one to be cared for inside, I felt nervous. Checking my phone I saw a number of emails and notifications about work that I had to do, much of it urgent. I felt overwhelmed. I tried to ask for help but couldn't find the right words for the right person. I felt stuck.

Winnipeg Indigenous activist Michael Redhead Champagne joins Global News Winnipeg to talk about the $20 billion settlement reached by Ottawa and the AFN to compensate First Nations children and families harmed by chronic underfunding of child welfare on reserve.

At the invitation of Relational Activists and family helpers based out of Camden, London in the United Kingdom, Michael answered these questions and more!

How would you describe the work that you do?

What motivates you to do it?

How do you know it is making a difference?

I was so happy to work with 3 North End High Schools and Urban Circle to honour graduates from the past 3 years. This is only the first of what will become an even awesomer and more celebratory annual community event! Thanks to everyone who worked hard to bring it all together in such a short time!

I wrote this so I could let some of my feelings and sadness out.

“I can't delete your number, even though you're gone. I can't delete you as my follower or friend because it feels so wrong.

I can't remove your e-transfer or your email at all, I can't imagine not seeing your name as I scroll & type along.”

If you’ve been seeing some of the main stream conversation around Indian Residential School, it has been downright hurtful! I needed to get some of my thoughts out about some of the things that we cannot deny. For example, it is undeniable that survivors and their truths are what have brought us this far!

If I could tell the city how to spend $790,000 on Indigenous Relations here is where I would want it spent…. Thank you to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Manitoba and the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg for your leadership in bringing this year’s alternative municipal budget together!

So you got a problem? Well, don’t spend all your time obsessing about the things you don’t like! Check out these 4 easy to follow steps that can take you from complaining about what other people are doing, to inviting people to collaborate and building a solution together.

You’re invited to a special conversation with prolific author David A Robertson about his book “The Barren Grounds”. This conversation is happening as part of the North Shore Writer’s Festival and there are numerous opportunities to hear from storytellers from across the land.

Happy birthday to me, help me by having fun, helping others or simply taking good care of yourself. Many people wonder how old I am, well today, you know, 35 years young!