MELISSA HARRIS – TAXTUUTS is a visitor living in the Tshimsian Territory in Terrace, BC. She belongs to the Gitxsan nation, and is from the Community of Gitwangak, B.C. Melissa began her career in Early childhood education in 2012 completing the program in 2015.
In 2017, she began advocating for Early Childhood Educators and families by participating in the local ECEBC branch and in local gatherings that supported families children, and educators. In 2020, through several years of leadership, training, connecting, and building relationships she took the lead role of Chair of the ECEBC Terrace branch.
Over the pandemic, managing a childcare facility, Melissa incorporated Culture and Traditions into an Urban childcare centre. This has been vital to providing rich early learning experiences while incorporating and learning with all diverse cultures of the North.
The North provides a unique culture and drawing those aspects into curriculum is Melissa’s passion while learning on the land together with children.
In 2022 Melissa connected with her home community to share knowledge and support for the early years Aboriginal Head Start.
