Wisdom, resilience, transformation
Ojibwe meaning: Crow's Path (aan-deg mii-kuh-nuh)
Aandeg Miikana (Crow’s Path) is a youth-led initiative that began through the RMYC Summer Program and a grant from the Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR) in Ottawa. The idea was to make the transition out of foster care easier for the youth in care and for staff alike.
The initiative was co-created by Kayleigh Legarde (Sandy Lake First Nation), who helped launch the project at just 16 years old, alongside Eternity Neekan, who works closely with Indigenous partners and organizations in Thunder Bay. Kayleigh is mentored by Kiri Sidhu and Danicka Villavicencio, forming a strong, community-based leadership team.
The name Aandeg Miikana, meaning Crow’s Path in Ojibwe, reflects themes of transformation, wisdom, and connection. The crow symbolizes meeting life head-on and building meaningful relationships—teachings that mirror the realities faced by youth aging out of care.
Aandeg Miikana (Crow’s Path) aims to support Indigenous youth aging out of foster care by providing culturally grounded, youth-led resources that help make the transition into independent living easier. Through shared knowledge, mentorship, and storytelling, the project centres youth voices and raises awareness about the realities of the child welfare system in Canada. We hope to support connection, preparation, and long-term support for youth in Thunder Bay.
The project delivers several components for Indigenous youth in Thunder Bay and the broader public. We produced a documentary that highlights youth resilience and challenges negative portrayals of the city, aiming to inspire youth to engage with local hubs and community spaces. Alongside this, we created a resource booklet with practical guidance for Indigenous youth transitioning out of foster care. We also built this website as a central hub for the documentary, booklet, additional resources, and a wingmate system that connects youth with mentors to strengthen community support. The project was debuted at an exhibition in Thunder Bay to premiere the documentary and promote the initiative.
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This is the team behind Aandeg Miikana - Crow's Path Project
Kayleigh is an Indigenous high school student from Sandy Lake First Nation. She started this project during the summer of 2025 at the RMYC. Her favourite part of this project was watching the progress made on the initiative throughout the process.
Eternity is a youth leader from Misheogamang First Nation based in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Her favourite part of this experience was giving youth a voice and a platform to share their stories in the foster care system, as it's very meaningful to her as a youth in care.
Malakai is an upcoming Indigenous advocate from Sandy Lake First Nation. His favourite part of the project was being able to advocate and represent people within urban settings.
Dani is a Carleton alumnus who helped to oversee the project. Her favourite part was creating the promotional posters and driving people around!
Kiri is a Carleton alumnus who helped to oversee the project. Her favourite part was working with everybody and watching the project come to life from start to finish!
Owen is a Media Production and Design student at Carleton University. His favourite part of the project was the meaningful friendships and the valuable experiences he gained while travelling, meeting new people, and spending time in Thunder Bay.
Alicia is a Media Production and Design student at Carleton University who designed and developed the website. Her favourite part was visiting and connecting with people in Thunder Bay. She also loved seeing the project come to life and hopes it brings positive change for youth in foster care.
Mackenzie is a Media Production and Design student at Carleton University. She illustrated and designed the care booklet and was the video editor for the interviews. Her favourite part of the project was playing in the park with the youth in Thunder Bay and getting dizzy on the play structures.
Habone is a Media Production and Design student at Carleton University. Her favourite part of the project was co-creating alongside the Indigenous youth, travelling to Thunder Bay, and connecting with them.
