RESILIENT CONVERSATIONS
Vanessa shares her story behind her book No More Stolen: My Sister's Truth and her lived experience as the sister of Pamela Holopainen, who has been missing since 2003. She speaks openly about what it means to live with a missing loved one, the impact on families, the unanswered questions, and why continuing to speak Pamela's name matters. This conversation brings a personal family perspective to the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People and creates a space for awareness, truth and understanding.
Vanessa speaks about her book Because We Care: Safe from Unsafe People and the realities of human trafficking, grooming, exploitation, and unsafe relationships. Drawing from her own lived experience of being exploited as a child and youth, she speaks openly about the warning signs, vulnerability, manipulation, and the importance of helping children and youth understand safety, trust, boundaries, and how to reach out for help. This conversation creates space for awareness, prevention, and honest discussion around keeping young people safe.
Vanessa speaks about her book Because We Care: Red Dress Day & Blue Jean Jacket Day and the importance of raising awareness about Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP). Through storytelling, lived experience, and education, she helps audiences understand why these awareness days matter, how families and communities are impacted, and why allyship must continue beyond a single day. This conversation creates space for learning, remembrance, awareness, and meaningful action.
Vanessa speaks about her book Becoming Resilient Inuk and shares the life experiences, family history, and systems that shaped who she is today. The conversation touches on Inuit history, tuberculosis sanatoriums, e-numbers, forced sterilization, intergenerational trauma, foster care and the child welfare system, racism, and growing up as an urban Inuk disconnected from culture and community. Vanessa also speaks about the disappearance of her sister Pamela and how missing and murdered Indigenous people has affected her family. This conversation gives audiences a deeper understanding of what Indigenous and Inuit families continue to carry while showing the strength, identity, and resilience that can grow through generations. It is a full circle look at Vanessa’s life and how she became a Resilient Inuk.
This interactive conversation is designed to teach all children under the age of 12 about missing Indigenous people in an age-appropriate and caring way, while also teaching them important ways to help keep themselves and their friends safe. Vanessa encourages children to pay attention to their surroundings, always tell someone where they are going, stay aware of who is around them, and watch out for their friends. Children are encouraged to ask questions, participate in the conversation, and learn that speaking up when something doesn’t feel right is important. This Resilient Conversation also includes a paper craft activity for children to participate in, making it a hands-on and interactive learning experience focused on awareness, safety, kindness, and caring for one another.
Vanessa and her husband, Derek, offer a team Resilient Conversation based on the MMIP Awareness & Allyship Workbook. Designed for all ages, this interactive conversation builds awareness, confidence, healthy boundaries, and a better understanding of meaningful allyship. Vanessa shares her lived experience as an Indigenous woman and family member of a missing Indigenous woman, while Derek shares his experience as an ally. Together, they explore the difference between performative and true allyship and show what meaningful support can look like. This conversation is for anyone who wants to take action, speak louder, and become a stronger ally but may not know where to begin. Participants leave with greater confidence and practical ways to turn awareness into action.